A great many people do not seem to be aware that the scam with 070 PNS numbers is still continuing despite the supposed ban on revenue sharing with these by Oftel. The problem was that Oftel prohibited revenue sharing for the TERMINATING SUBSCRIBER only and then only temporarily.

These numbers have a range of charge rates rather like overt Premium numbers and some are very expensive. International scam merchants are also using these PNS numbers rather in a similar way to the way in which international premium numbers are being used with Trojan
diallers for internet-based scams targetting UK victims. In some cases telecommunications providers have been targeted themselves for these scams! (Poetic Justice methinks!!) A recent example resulting in legal action is described on http://www.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2004/FCC-04-32A1.html .

There is also some evidence that these (PNS) are now also being used for internet Trojan scams in the UK as are 0870 and 0871. This avoids the increasingly tougher registration problems for the scam merchants with 09 numbers. By using PNS or 0870 or 0871 they avoid the registration problems with 09 and they are practically unassailable, because ICSTIS then have no authority (not that they seem to have any in any case of course even with 09!).

Whether they provide revenue or not, they are still a complete rip-off as they cost more to call than the underlying number. The only reason for this is to allow greedy telcos to profit from consumer ignorance.

Thus, by definition, these numbers are also premium rate.

Some of them are REALLY expensive (up to 47½p per minute) - see HERE).

The 070 range of numbers is certainly one to be watched.  They appear to have been designed for exploitation. It would be very difficult for a caller to remember the price rangers.

The day rate for the sub ranges are so variable – no particular pattern is evident.  “Lower cost” sub ranges sit very close to very high cost ranges.

For example:

070467  cost  47.50 p/min
070468 cost   4.69 p/min
070469 cost 28.50 p/min

wrote on Mar 19^th, 2005 at 7:16pm:

Some of them are REALLY expensive (up to 47½p per minute) - see HERE).

...and ICSTIS' regulations for 090 numbers only require pricing information for 50p/min or more.

Yes but the crucial thing is the resurgence of revenue-sharing with them, by means of the adoption of a dummy terminating subscriber.

Also because they are non-09 NGNs they are not under the control of ICSTIS!

Dorf does well to pay attention to the 070 scam.  

We may well succeed in partly decapitating 087x and 084x, only to find the growth of another revenue sharing monster in the form of 070.

The Hydra of the Greek Mythology was a many-headed monster, which possessed the power to grow new heads if decapitated.  Revenue sharing is the Hydra of the telecom world; the only remedy is the complete removal  of revenue sharing to the 09 classification.  Ofcom consultations do not appear to address the 070 issue.

wrote on Mar 23^rd, 2005 at 11:14am:

... the only remedy is the complete removal  of revenue sharing to the 09 classification. ...

...and of course simply banning revenue sharing doesn't stop providers giving SPs other 'perks' in return. It also doesn't stop these providers benefiting at the direct expense of Joe Public, as is clearly the case with many 070 numbers now.

Hi Dave

I agree.
KK

I agree too. At the end of the day it is always Joe Public who pays, and pays for all their easy revenue collected for nothing!

Some members in here have 0870/1 numbers just to rip-off the companies we deal with. So what about getting a 070 personal number aswell to point to a mobile?

Am I correct in my understanding that the business tariff market now has 'discounted' prices to mobiles, such as being capped at 30p, etc? This would be the equivalent to deals with low price geographical numbers then.

So throw in a 070 number and presumably those discounts don't and can't apply, thus they pay through the nose to call you, just like we do with 084/087.

Of course, the other benefit is that they can't send you text messages or pass on your number to some company who will.

I'm interested in FlexTel. Any recommendations? Their 07017 numbers are 35p/min at all times from BT non-discounted landlines.

Do they give any rebate for the calls received/routed?

Revenue sharing on these numbers is now banned by Ofcom.

wrote on May 29^th, 2005 at 10:15am:

Do they give any rebate for the calls received/routed?

Unfortunately not. As Bigjohn says Ofcom has banned this. But have they banned it for intermedaries? I've not yet seen an 070 provider who allows revenue paid, but not to the end subscriber.

Apparently there is a scam running at the mo,where the auto dialer calls your mobile, and rings off after one ring.A 070 number is displayed, you ring it like Billy Muggins and you are kept hanging on paying the expensive pns rate.So somebody,s still making money out of them somewhere!!!

I have a 070 (07090 74####) and I do get icnome on it around 10p a min at all times.
BUT this is the way around the "End User scam", the number, alltho it goes to my mobile, is not registered to me personally - its registered to my sister!!!!

This number is also handy to get nasty banks and nasty companies to ring you back on.
"Please hold the line"

Which provider is that from?

Well I do it through a mate who is a reseller of 070's 0870's and 0871's.

Switch Call Limited is the owner of the number range.

Use 1899 to call those more expensive 070s. They charge 15p/min at all times plus 3p connection. Of course they must be making a loss on this!

Switch Call Ltd mentioned in earlier postings in this link are the subject of an investigation by Ofcom re the alleged misuse of 070 numbers.Read at the following site.

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/bulletins/comp_bull_index/comp_bull_ocases/open_all/cw_832/[/quote]