I use Scottish Hydro Electric for both my electricity and gas supplies and both their bills prominently advertise their 0845 numbers that they want the customer to use on the front of the bill.  On the back of the bill, they state....

'We prefer you to phone rather than write because it's quicker, more direct and easier for us to answer your questions straight away.'

Yes, due to so called revenue sharing, I'm not surprised that they prefer their customers to ring !!!!!

A visit to the website at the following URL shows a whole list of non-geographical numbers:-

http://www.hydro.co.uk/Home/CustomerServices/OurPhoneNumbers.aspx

Interestingly, if you are a NEW potential customer you are invited to ring them on an 0800 freephone number (but still not free from a mobile), but once you are existing, you have to use the 0845 numbers!  These numbers are of course described as 'Local rate'.

On the back of one's bill there is an 0870 number to ring in from abroad which I have told them by an e-mail will not work from many countries and I have also asked them by e-mail to inform me of the geographical equivalent numbers for their 0845 customer service numbers for Electricity & Gas.  I wonder what kind of response I will get?

Alternative

Alternative wrote on Feb 11^th, 2006 at 12:44pm:

I use Scottish Hydro Electric for both my electricity and gas supplies and both their bills prominently advertise their 0845 numbers that they want the customer to use on the front of the bill.  On the back of the bill, they state.... [i]'.....Interestingly, if you are a NEW potential customer you are invited to ring them on an 0800 freephone number (but still not free from a mobile), but once you are existing, you have to use the 0845 numbers!  These numbers are of course described as 'Local rate'.

If you use the 0800 number when you are a customer, you will still get to the customer service dept - just ask

Yes thanks - I'm sure that's possible, however, I would rather have the the geographical number.  Do you know that if I were to use
my mobile phone to call them (I am often out so I do use my mobile a lot), the cost to ring the 0800 number during the day is a staggering 35p per minute!!!

That figure is completely unacceptable and it's on a freephone number as well where there are no call termination costs to O2.

Alt.

It seems SSE have disconnected all their geo numbers. They all seem to disconnect as soon as you dial.
I have been dialing the 0800 meterline instead & pressing no buttons. Eventually you go through to the call centre automaically.
Also ant SSE number can be used no matter which brand you use. I used to use Atlantic Elec & Gas, I've now moved & have Southern Electric & Gas but use the same contact numbers.
Also SWALEC, Scottish Hydro  etc.

saynonto0871 wrote on Feb 13^th, 2006 at 6:43pm:

Also ant SSE number can be used no matter which brand you use. I used to use Atlantic Elec & Gas, I've now moved & have Southern Electric & Gas but use the same contact numbers. Also SWALEC, Scottish Hydro  etc.

Powergen use 0800 numbers for all their customer service activities.

They decided to do this after a rather disgraceful period when they took over Amerada and call queues were often up to half an hour.  But they have kept the 0800 numbers even though you get through in less than a minute.

Their current Customer Service Director Trish Caldwell does actually seem to be quite pro customer rights (have spoken to her twice and been given significant financial compensation of over £100 for their past foul ups).  Having said that I am just in the process of moving to www.equipower.co.uk as I still continued to have problems with them making tariff changes I hadn't requested and the general large factory like nature of their customer call centre.

Contrary to what Martin Lewis has recently claimed on BBC Radio 4 Moneybox  Equipower do actually offer fantastic prices for most customers (not just those who only want to pay by  cash or cheque) and allow you to clear your balance in full each quarter on a direct debit instead of having to choose one of thoss horrible rolling monthly payment plans that always accumulate vast debits or credits.  And unlike Scottish Power their cheap energy price doesn't rely on a once a year bonus that you won't get if you leave them early.  Having said that they do use an 0845 number and I am currently trying to explain to them why this is a mistake.  As they only have about 10 employees I am reasonably confident of success.  There is a geographic alternative number listed in the Unverified section on this website.

Hydro Electricity is pure printing money.   I used to work for these guys.  They don't rate their turbines in kWH  but in £/H.

Whilst I appreciate 0800 numbers being offered, they are still a rip-off both to the user but also to the consumer.  If I have to contact them on my 02 PAYG mobile phone then it's 35p per minute.  This is a complete rip-off and totally unacceptable.  Interestingly enough, if I register my PAYG mobile with 1899 and dial their Geographical access number, the call via 1899 to an 0800 number is free of charge.  If 1899 can do it, then why not 02 and all the other mobile telecom providers.  When will the scam stop?!

Alternative wrote on Apr 4^th, 2006 at 12:00am:

Interestingly enough, if I register my PAYG mobile with 1899 and dial their Geographical access number, the call via 1899 to an 0800 number is free of charge.  If 1899 can do it, then why not 02 and all the other mobile telecom providers.  When will the scam stop?!

Hmmm.

If I make 1899 calls on my BT landline it suggests that 1899 does not carry calls to these numbers.  Are you sure you are right?  As I don't have my mobile registered with 1899 I can't check this out.

Yes, my mobile (02 PAYG) is registered with 1899.  It seems that you can register as many numbers as you like, either fixed landline or mobiles.  If one uses one's free minutes at the weekend & evenings (I am registered for 02's 'talk a lot more 150/300) then you only incur 1899's rates.  That means in effect that one can use one's mobile to phone Australia / NZ for only 3-4p per minute or whatever it is and a UK 0800 call is also free of charge,  but you must remember to use 1899's geographical number to access the service which is 020 7001 9696 in order to be covered by 02's free minutes.  How ironic if you phone an 0800 using one's mobile directly then it's 35p per minute, but if you do it using your free minutes and via 1899 then it's free of charge!!

Seems strange to me when if I call an 0800 number using 1899's 1899 code on my BT line it says they don't carry calls to 0800 numbers.

Well, 1899 do have a different price list for calls via the CPS code and the geo/free access numbers, so they obviously differenciate between the two access methods.  But I agree that it's strange that they should accept certain call types by the geo route and not via the CPS route.

Alternative, I presume they still charge the 3p connection fee even for a freephone number call?

wrote on Apr 4^th, 2006 at 11:42am:

Seems strange to me when if I call an 0800 number using 1899's 1899 code on my BT line it says they don't carry calls to 0800 numbers.

I can only assume their system is detect you are calling via 1899 (for different billing prices) and blocks 0800 calls simply because you can dial them from your landline anyhow which it knows you are calling from.

NGM, try calling the Call1899 freephone number (or geographical assuming you get inclusive mins) and see if that will allow you to call another freephone number.

UPDATE:

Trevord and I posted just seconds apart but I just wasn't quick enough.  ;)

I just tested it from my BT line (before I saw bbb_uk's last post!):

• 1899 + 0800 xxx gives "Does not offer service to this number"
  
• 0808 1 708 708 + 0800 xxx gives "10p per minute"
  
• 02081 804 804 + 0800 xxx also gives "10p per minute"
  

These are obviously 1899's daytime rates.
It means that using the 020 access number from a mobile for an 0800 call could be worthwhile.
But it doesn't explain where Alternative's FREE call comes from ...   :-/

Yes, I assume that the 3p connection charge still applies. I just never looked at my bill so I can't be sure.  I just remember phoning an 0800 number once or twice and remembering hearing 'zero p per minute' 8-)