Most of the chat on this site concentrates on the rip-off that is 0870, but I was sharply reminded of the true cost of calls on my last invoice from 1899.com.

I had a problem with a VOIP router which involved calling the US office of the supplier on a normal +1 number and the same company in UK on 0845. Take a look:

Date-Time-Number-Duration-Cost
19-09-2005 -12:09:24- 08453030109- 0:05:36- £0.1985
Date-Time-Number-Duration-Cost
19-09-2005- 20:02:01- 0019177799999- 0:19:10- £0.2218

In other words - almost 4 times the call duration for about the same price.

I feel better now............ >:(

If you have to call 0845 numbers at peak rate,dont forget the dial through access no 0844 462 68 68,which charges 2p a minute from a landline.Also use BT evenings and weekends,they are cheaper then 1899.

wrote on Sep 23^rd, 2005 at 9:06pm:

If you have to call 0845 numbers at peak rate,dont forget the dial through access no 0844 462 68 68,which charges 2p a minute from a landline.Also use BT evenings and weekends,they are cheaper then 1899.

Phew! thanks for that advice - that's only 42% more expensive than calling USA :-/

wrote on Sep 23^rd, 2005 at 9:17pm:

Phew! thanks for that advice - that's only 42% more expensive than calling USA :-/

Your the one moaning about the cost.I was merely trying to help you cut it ,if you have to ring a 0845 number ;)

wrote on Sep 23^rd, 2005 at 9:06pm:

If you have to call 0845 numbers at peak rate,dont forget the dial through access no 0844 462 68 68,which charges 2p a minute from a landline.Also use BT evenings and weekends,they are cheaper then 1899.

What is this number and who is it through?

I use Call18866

wrote on Sep 24^th, 2005 at 11:10am:

What is this number and who is it through? I use Call18866

I hope you are not using 18866 to call 0845/0870 numbers they are dearer then BT.

The 0844 number in question belongs to      www.dialaround.co.uk
part of the 18866 family.

In case your interested  the cheapest supplier of calls to 0870 at peak rate is   www.18185.co.uk
another member of the family.Bt are still the best evenings and weekends.

Cheers for that...

No I don't use Call18866 for 0845/0870...

I tend whenever possible to avoid companies who use those numbers. Not very customer friendly are they?

Though sadly it's getting harder!

Worcestershire County Council is about to release brand new 0845 'local rate' numbers for their Social Services department >:(  A family friend works in the CC offices and says that more departments will be heading for 0845 numbers as they are 'cheaper to call as they are local rate'. ::)  Ever feel you're fighting a losing battle? :'(

wrote on Sep 24^th, 2005 at 3:43pm:

Worcestershire County Council is about to release brand new 0845 'local rate' numbers for their Social Services department.  Ever feel you're fighting a losing battle? :'(

That seems very strange as Surrey County Council have had a single 0845 contact centre number for all public enquiries for the last couple of years but following many complaints (including my own as a district councillor) the head of their customer contact centre has written to me to tell me they are hoping to introduce a geographic number in place of (not merely in addition to) their 0845 number during the next few months.  They cite call handling capabilities promised by the 0845 call platform supplier not living up to expectations and many angry letters from residents about the use of the 0845 number.

Also I know of a district councillor in Surrey who has managed to get a resolution passed by his local authority back in July this year to ban the future use of 0845 and 0870 numbers by the authority wherever practically possible (that is where not provided by an outsourced third party for which the phone number arrangements are not directly controlled).

Perhaps you would care to examine Motion 2/2005 starting on Page 5 of the minutes of the July 19th meeting of Mole Valley District Council:-

http://www.molevalley.gov.uk/media/pdf/1/s/Council_Minutes_190705.pdf

Perhaps you should contact your local County Councillor drawing their attention to the motion passed by Mole Valley District Council and also the plans of Surrey County Council to abandon using 0845 numbers due to the number of complaints made.  Also the guidance from the Central Office of Information, the ASA and the views of Leicester City Council Trading Standards showing that to claim 0845 is "local rate" is to commit an offence under Part III of the Consumer Protection Act 1987

You should be able to track down your County Councillor at http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk