Source and full article at: http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/050225/35/fd92r.html

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Businesses and other organisations across the UK are making a packet from premium-rate (090) lines, plus 0870, 0871, 0844 and 0845 telephone numbers.

0870 (and 0871) numbers can be twice as expensive as a peak-rate local call, costing up to 10p per minute. That's because organisations using 0870 numbers pocket around a third of the cost of each call; even 0845 numbers contribute a half-penny a minute to their profits.

Indeed, the Department of Health is expected to ban doctors' surgeries from using 0870 contact numbers. One estimate is that around 400 GP surgeries are operating these lines. GPs may be allowed to use 0844 numbers, which are still too expensive, costing up to 5p a minute - and many times more if you use a payphone.

Organisations that use 0870 numbers - including government bodies - argue that these numbers are easy to remember and the extra expense means that average call times are lower. But that's just a load of bull - they use them because they are a licence to print money. Some companies have even gone to the effort of disabling their geographical numbers so that callers can no longer use these numbers!

For the record, 0870 calls to cost us £1,250 million in 2003, but revenue from these calls is soaring and could easily reach £2 billion this year.

An interesting idea to use the freedom of information act to obtain the geographic equivalent number.

Unfortunately they are allowed to charge a fee for processing such a request.

I wonder how many of these numbers have a geographic equivalent and how many use technologies like voice over IP and have no geographic equivalent at all.

Do you mean that if I do not pay fee, then the information is not free and will not be divulged?

I don't think so.

Regarding your second point, I doubt if there is an organisation in the UK that does not have a land line somewhere. I also doubt the legality of such an organisation.

J