Below is a message I have just sent the BT online helpdesk regarding a variety of 0844 numbers that I have tried to add to Friends & Family using my online account and which BT refuses to accept, even though their own message suggests that these 0844 numbers are not excluded from the Friends & Family scheme.

Does anyone know where BT specifies which 0844 and 0845 numbers it will and will not accept for Friends & Family.  I feel sure this one is worth escalating as a complaint to Otelo and Ofcom.  Also what exactly do BT mean by Lo-Call these days ??? ::)

---Message to BT Online Helpdesk-----

I have tried to add the number 0844 7353535 and the number 0844 5667676 to Friends & Family using my online BT account but the system gives me the message "We´re sorry, Premium rate and 084404 numbers are not eligible for Friends and Family. You can enter UK, mobile or international numbers. Please try again."

However you will note that the numbers that I wish to add to Friends & Family commence 084473 and 084456 and are thus not 084404 numbers which are the only 0844 numbers specified as not being permissible for inclusion in Friends & Family by your online Friends & Family system message.

Can you please explain to me why these 0844 numbers are not being accepted when your own online Friends & Family system suggests that they should be accepted as valid Friends & Family numbers.

Can you please explain to me where BT lists its rules specifying which 0844, 0845, 0870 and 0871 numbers can and cannot be included in the Friends & Family scheme.  Also can you clarify which 0844 and 0845 numbers are classifed as "Lo-Call" and what exactly this term means when the calls are not charged at a Local Rate which does not exist any more for BT Option 1, 2 and 3.

BT constantly misleads customers over 084 and 087 numbers by allowing them to be called local rate and national rate in many places and then in other places allowing them to be called premium rate (eg the description in the BT phonebook).  Can you please account for the anomalous and inconcsistent treatment of these number prefix codes by BT and for the reasons why your online friends and family system is not accepting the above 0844 prefixed numbers?

Yours in dismay.

Congratulations on your message to BT

If only 08044 and premium numbers are excluded from 'friends and family' it must mean that the numbers you have tried to enter are premium numbers as they are not 08044 numbers.

Once again BT is admitting that they think in the same way that we do.

Sorry I missed out the third 4 in those numbers!

wrote on Aug 24^th, 2005 at 12:12pm:

Once again BT is admitting that they think in the same way that we do.

Me think that BT speak with forked tongue on this matter.

I suppose I need to send a copy of this to Mr Ben Verwaayen and Mr Ian Livingston at BT if I hope to get anywhere.