This is the latest declaration from O2 to OnLine customers.

Calls to Customer Care on 0870 6003009 charged at national rate. Hours of opening 8 am to 9 pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 8pm Saturday and Sunday.

In their Tariff they now show all 08xx numbers as being charged at 35p per minute peak rate, NOT inlcuded in bundled minutes. BUT they then state the 0870 number is charged at National Rate, they flatly refuse to clarify what National Rate means. I have therefore reported them to the ASA, I cannot see any other way of getting them to reply.

I fully back the idea of the viral email, is at a launch stage yet?

cheers
Flutty

When did they change their policy of charging 0870 numbers outside the inclusive minutes?

I have used my inclusive minutes to call 0870 numbers, and if I get charged for them, I won't be very pleased.

I originally signed up to the contract on the basis that these calls were included, and they have changed the terms of the contract that I originally signed up for, to my disadvantage.

I'm not an online customer, but a customer through Dial-a-phone.

Will check my next bill, and see what they say!!

As i understand it calls to 0500/0800/0808/0844/0845/0870 are included in there inclusive minutes.

If you use up your minutes and call one of these numbers outside of them you are charged 35p peak,10p offpeak,and 2p at weekends.

Calls to 0871 numbers are 35p a min at all times.

I believe that old O2 contracts allow 0870 and other non-geographical numbers to be included in the inclusive minutes. However, new O2 contracts now exclude these numbers and charge them separately.

My contract has now run for 3 years, and the primary reason for me keeping it is that 0870  and 0845 numbers are effectively free as part of my minutes allowance. All new contracts on all networks now charge separately for these numbers as far as I am aware.

Are you sure about this.When did they start charging.

I believe it is just o2 Online Contract (with the 500texts) customers that get charged for calling NGN's.

Ordinary (retail) type o2 customers that don't normally get anywhere near that many texts do normally include calls to 0845/0870 as part of their inclusive minutes providing you are on a anytime plan.

I believe (but not sure) that the off-peak plans on the ordinary o2 retail don't get 0845/0870 included in inclusive minutes.

Also, I'm not actually sure you can make a complaint to the ASA over o2's misleading prices on the website as it isn't technically a advert.  I rung the ASA for clarification of this about CPW use of 0870 without any indication of the prices but was told it wasn't an advert so outside their remit.  I believe under these circumstances its trading standards but until OfCOM finally make their decision I would say its pointless just now.

I have 2 O2 contracts, and one is 200 mins anytime, any network, and 50 texts, and the other 1000 off peak (not cross network) and 100 texts, plus 25 off peak any network mins.

Both have included calls to 0870 numbers as part of their inclusive minutes.

Generally I use the first one, mainly to call other mobiles.  The 2nd one, I use mainly to call landlines via my Just Dial number, and people on O2.

Therefore off peak call plans certainly do include 0870 numbers.

I bought my phones via Dial-a-phone.