Here is my (very long) letter to watch dog - partly in reply to some daft replies they gave me.

Of interest is their policy under the discrimination act; plus their requirement to provide services to those in the Commonwealth and other countries who cannot call a 0870 number.


Hi Debra,

Thank you for your reply to my email. I'm sorry it has taken me some time to reply. You will find my replies below; and I would be grateful for your comments on each point.

I'm just amazed that Watchdog seems to be so ill-informed on one of the most massive and costly scams being performed on the British public. This scam is netting the telecoms companies HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of pounds. Money that is taken (often unwittingly) from almost every member of the British public who makes phone calls.

http://networks.silicon.com/telecoms/0,39024659,39130770,00.htm

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,1-529-1631727,00.html

I see that you have a long explanation on your website as to the cost of calling your 0870 number - doesn't this lead you to think that there is something wrong somewhere if this is required? Is it not obvious  that this 0870 is thus a "premium rate" number?

I see you have a long section on your "Brassed Off Britain" website all about the bad service from call centers. Yet you fail to mention that many use 0870 numbers advertised as "National Rate" - and then keep you in long queues so they can generate revenue.


I would also like to ask the following 10 questions of the BBC under the Freedom of Information Act:

1.Could Watchdog opt-out of the 0870 number supplied to them (presumably) under the BBC contract with Capita?

2.What is the underlying geographic number associated with the 0870 number on the Watchdog website?

3.Are Watchdog aware of the growing controversy over 0845 and 0870 numbers?

4.Do Watchdog have any plans to cover the controversy over 0845 and 0870 numbers in one of their programs?

5.Would the BBC's contract with Capita in anyway inhibit Watchdog from covering this controversy?

6.The Watchdog website states: "Average cost of call 8 pence". How do you justify such a statement when you admit on the same site that "rates can vary between operators"?

7.The Watchdog website states: "Average cost of call 8 pence". How do you justify such a statement when you most likely cannot tell if a caller is phoning from a mobile and being charged 35 pence per minute?

8.Why do you not state that the 0870 number on your website is "premium rate" when BT own website describes such numbers as "premium rate"?

http://www.bt.com/btcom_redirectLink.jsp?action=redirectLink&targetLinkID=PIS_UK_Call_Prices&vStore=1314&obsPage=%2fPricing%2fpis_summary.jsp%3fshowsub%3dPIS_Residential&obsOID=30195&obsType=LINK.

9.I quote from the "PRODUCERS' GUIDELINES - Text Version - BBC GUIDELINES FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED TELEVISION AUDIENCES" This is available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/policies/producer_guides/text/visually_impaired.shtml.

"The BBC is committed to ensuring that its programmes and services are as accessible as is reasonably possible to disabled people, whatever their impairments or disabilities. Under Part Three of the Disability Discrimination Act the BBC has a legal obligation to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that this is the case".

As the Watchdog website is a "service", what "reasonable adjustment" are you intending to make to ensure that visually impaired license payers are not "discriminated" against by being forced to call a premium rate 0870 number - when using email or regular mail may well not be an option for them?

10.I quote from the BBC's Royal Charter:

"OBJECTS OF THE CORPORATION  3. The objects of the Corporation are as follows:-   (a) To provide, as public services, sound and television broadcasting services (whether by  analogue or digital means) and to provide sound and television programmes of information,  education and entertainment for general reception in Our United Kingdom of Great Britain  and Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man and the territorial waters  thereof, and on board ships and aircraft (such services being hereinafter referred to as "the  Home Services") and for reception elsewhere within the Commonwealth and in other  countries and places overseas (such services being hereinafter referred to as "the World  Service") the Home Services and the World Service together being hereinafter referred to as  "the Public Services"."

As 0870 numbers are often NOT accessible from abroad; and given that many people in the Commonwealth and other countries only have access to phones and not email; what plans to you have to ensure that those people in the Commonwealth and other countries can call you?

Thank you.

On 22 Feb 2005, at 11:41, Debra Sobel wrote:

Dear,

Let me try to clear up some of the confusion surrounding 0870 numbers and why Watchdog uses one.

Thanks, but let ME clear up your confusion surrounding your 0870 number :-))))

0870 numbers are NOT premium rate numbers.

FALSE: Even BT's own website now describes 0870 numbers as "Premium Rate". How else would you describe a telephone number that costs more to call then a normal geographic number?? Anything else is semantic gymnastics.

http://www.bt.com/btcom_redirectLink.jsp?action=redirectLink&targetLinkID=PIS_UK_Call_Prices&vStore=1314&obsPage=%2fPricing%2fpis_summary.jsp%3fshowsub%3dPIS_Residential&obsOID=30195&obsType=LINK.

Calls to our number cost up to 8 pence a minute (8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays) and 5 pence a minute (6 p.m. to 8 a.m. weekdays)

FALSE: Some operators charge up to 10p a minute - and mobile operators are often 35p a minute.

and the BBC receives no income whatsoever from these calls.

YOU MADE A SHOCKINGLY BAD DEAL FOR ME, THE LICENSE PAYER:  Many companies make deals with telecoms suppliers where they get a good cut of the cost of calling 0870 numbers. Why did you at not least make such a deal with your telecoms supplier?

With average call lengths of one minute thirty seconds, 

SO WHAT?: What about those who's call length is a lot longer?

it is therefore cheaper to call the BBC than sending us a letter using a first or second class stamp.

NOT ALWAYS THE CASE - AND SO WHAT? Calling the 0870 number from my mobile will cost me a minimum of 35p. What about the cost of most telecom phone plans these days where the consumers get FREE phone calls within the UK? Or pay just a PENNY a minute for UK calls - like OneTel?? How does this help people with visual imparment problems? What about if people want to call you from abroad? - often 0870 numbers are not accessible from foreign countries. And email is FREE.

The reason for using an 0870 number is partly to enable us to give a better service to callers by allowing us to route the calls more efficiently and deploy call automation to handle peak demands.

Some of these technical benefits would not be available if we were to use geographical numbers instead

FALSE: Sorry - this is simply not true and is a myth told my the telecom companies (esp Capita) to rip the nation off. Speak to a good telecoms company (that is not trying to rip people off) and they will explain that ALL the technical benefits are available for geographical numbers.

(ie: those beginning 0207 for London or 0161 for Manchester etc) or would cost the BBC extra to provide, and that would take money out of programme making and could effect the level of service we are able to offer the viewer.   

Even if that is the case (which it is not); that's not the point. The point is that 0870 numbers are a huge rip-off; with the majority of callers unaware what it is costing them. Why should I pay for programming out of my call to the BBC? I pay the license fee for that.

It is also thought to be fairer to all of our viewers for a call to cost the same no matter where in the country you are calling from.  With an 0870 number our viewers in Scotland pay exactly the same as those in London.

FALSE: BT long ago removed differentation between Local and National calls when they moved ALL customers over to their "option" plans - where it's the same to call a local or national rate number. I have not been able to find one single telecoms company in the whole of the UK who charges a higher price to call nationally then to call locally. This is old hat.


OFCOM will be reviewing the use of 0870 numbers in August and we will of course follow any recommendations or rulings that they make.

Why not just read your own motto and apply it to your viewers: "Nation shall speak truth unto Nation" - "Watchdog shall speak truth unto it's Viewers". Why do you need to look to OFCOM of all people for moral guidance? If it's wrong but OFCOM says it's OK - does this mean you guys are off the hook? You should be LEADING not FOLLOWING. Many of the scams your cover are technically LEGAL - but that doesn't make them right does it?


I hope this helps you understand the reasoning behind why we use this number.

No it doesn't - it just shows your are appallingly badly informed. You are actively consipiring in one of the greatest rip-offs happening in the UK at the moment that effects almost EVERY CONSUMER in the UK.

How come BBC radio 4 "You and Yours" is running regular spots about this rip-off? Are you aware of this? Are you aware of the growing interest from the national press on this subject? For instance the recent article in the Sunday Times:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,1-529-1631727,00.html

Are you aware of the scam of doctor's surgeries using 0870 numbers and the questions that were raised in parliament as a result?

The interests of our viewers is always of paramount importance to us and we will continue to review the situation to ensure the most appropriate number is used to suit the needs of the public who use this service.

I would think the the "needs of the public (license payer actually)" are best served by only paying a penny a minute (or even nothing) to call Watchdog rather then at least 7 pence a minute!

END

Remember before when calling Watchdog (when Anne Robinson did it) was an 0500 freephone number?

Ah, those were the days 8)

I remember the good old 0181 811 8181 number the bbc used to use. I think this was watchdog.
It goes thru to crimewatch now.