After remonstrating with Radio Wales for inviting calls on their 'National Rate' telephone number 0870.... I pass on some of the relevant words used in their emailed response.

"The guidance from the BBC's Editorial Policy unit is that calls will cost up to 8p during the day from a landline but that mobile rates will vary depending on the operator. Up until now, we have been told to refer to our rate as National Rate. However the guidance has now changed and as a result we're removing the reference to National Rate from our website and from our listings on Sky. However , I should point out that our 0870 number is not a Premium Rate number."

I have of course responded to the final sentence !

They haven't seen the light at all unless they completely abandon the 0870 premium rate number and resort to a conventional geographic number.  No victory has been one.  Sorry Lavillgour, but only the complete abandoning of the number qualifies as
see the light

Alternative wrote on Feb 6^th, 2006 at 9:35pm:

They haven't seen the light at all unless they completely abandon the 0870 premium rate number and resort to a conventional geographic number.  No victory has been one.  Sorry Lavillgour, but only the complete abandoning of the number qualifies as see the light

I disagree Alternative.

I believe that by preventing the misdescription of 0870 by another part of the BBC that significant progress has been made by LaVilleGour, one of our most infrequently contributing but nonetheless still most entertaining forum members.

Eventually the Beeb won't like the pariah feeling of being forced to admit this is some kind of special number and will want to get either an 0800 number or conventional 01/02 number instead to avoid the embarassment.  Or some tougher questions will be asked with Capita and/or Cable & Wireless when the call centre contracts come up for renewal.

As the old saying goes "slowly, slowly, catchie, monkey". ;)

wrote on Feb 6^th, 2006 at 11:02pm:

...Eventually the Beeb won't like the pariah feeling of being forced to admit this is some kind of special number and will want to get either an 0800 number or conventional 01/02 number instead to avoid the embarassment.  Or some tougher questions will be asked with Capita and/or Cable & Wireless when the call centre contracts come up for renewal...

Well I have a feeling that the Beep may resort to using geographicals or keep their existing 0870 so when, or indeed if, Ofcom announce that these 0870 will lose their associated revenue share then the Beeb can still keep these numbers but be forced to pay for any of the additional "features" they may utilise from these numbers.  If of course this does mean extra money being spent by the Beeb then they may migrate to 0844, 0845 which for the Beeb may, depending on number they migrate to, mean that they may lose a little bit of the revenue they receive from the calls.

I'm not sure about TV Licensing, etc that is purely ran by Capita as the Beeb in their ofcom consultation have already tried to say that Capita is not a government body as such and so does not see why they should even follow Ofcom recommendations that a geographical number be available for use alongside their NGN.  Not that it makes a difference as no other government body displays an alternative geographical number alongside their NGN.

bbb_uk wrote on Feb 7^th, 2006 at 2:33am:

Not that it makes a difference as no other government body displays an alternative geographical number alongside their NGN.

The  Home Office main switchboard number for most of its ordinary staff has now returned to being only on 020 on the Contact Us page on its website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/contact-us following - one of our little victories in which I was personally involved.  The 0870 number still operates but only on a legacy basis for those with old Home Office leaflets.  I see that www.ukvisas.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1006977150196 also only lists geographic 020 numbers although I don't know if they ever did use an 0870?

But www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind/en/home/contact_us/immigration_enquiries.html is still stubbornly only listing an 0870 number although the National Probation service is using only 020 numbers at www.probation.homeoffice.gov.uk/output/page9.asp  Not having had to contact the service myself I don't know whether or not that represents any kind of change from a few months ago?

I too was involved in the homeoffice changing from 0870 to geo.  I was specifically talking about Gov depts listing an geo alongside their NGN.

Ideally, gov depts should use geo's only where possible (like homeoffice does now) but failing that they should publish a geo alongside their NGN as mentioned by Ofcom but as far as i'm aware no gov dept that still uses NGN publish a geo as well (except for london bombings) but that was only due to pressure from us.

Just received a reply to my second 'missive' which confirms that they have now removed any mention of 'National Rate' but will continue to use 0870 (as apparently are all 'loyal' BBC employees) "awaiting the outcome of the OFCOM '0870 consultation"  
Just another little sliver of en LIGHT enment!

Keep up the good work troops  - You are sure to get your just rewards someday......

I had cause to admonish the local BBC Radio station for using an 0870 number, I live two miles away from the Station and made it clear that I never ring 0870.

They very quickly responded saying that they had no such number and pointing me towards www.saytnoto0870.com!

It transpires that they have an 0870 number but it is only for the use of viewers to the local BBC TV news who wish to contact the radio Station!

?

juby