I saw this statement on PO Homephone site.

"Effective from 24th April 2006, the price of calling Premium Rate Services will be increased by 10%. This increase applies to calls to Premium Rate Services charged both by the minute and by the call. Additionally, the cost of using Operator Services will also be increased. For further information contact our Customer Care Centre”

I phoned their customer service to enquire what they meant by Premium Rate Services. He said all Non Geo numbers starting 084/087 ,and that calls to  them will  be increased by 10% in price.

The cost of calling is definitely not falling.  >:(

PS: At least the PO recognise that 0845/0870 are premium rate calls. :)

wrote on Mar 25^th, 2006 at 4:50pm:

The cost of calling is definitely not falling.  >:(

The Office of Incompetency would say that this is free competition, but I thought the point of competition was to bring prices down.

Silly me. It's all about perceived prices and that's what all the nice marketing is about. Boring price lists are of no interest or importance to Joe Public, and that's what the UK telephone industry plays on. So when a premium rate number is advertised and it states the price from a BT landline. All of those who have gone with another provider, such as the Post Office, look at the price to call eg. 25p per call, and call, thinking it will cost that. Because of ineffective regulation, the Post Office is allowed to add 10% onto what the caller thinks that they are paying.

wrote on Mar 25^th, 2006 at 4:50pm:

"Effective from 24th April 2006, the price of calling Premium Rate Services will be increased by 10%. ...” I phoned their customer service to enquire what they meant by Premium Rate Services. He said all Non Geo numbers starting 084/087 ,and that calls to  them will  be increased by 10% in price.

Well, that's inconsistent with their website - so you might have a good argument if they do increase 0845 & 0870 charges.

Their website (same page as the price increase info.) says:

Quote:

Other charges apply to premium rate numbers, directory enquiries, all non-voice calls (including internet) and non-geographic numbers (e.g. 0845, 0870).

So they specifically distinguish between "premium rate numbers" and "non-geographic numbers (e.g. 0845, 0870)".
Also, they have one price list for "Calls to local, national, international, ..." (which includes their charges for 0845 & 0870) and a separate price list for "Premium and Personal Numbering Services."

In my humble opinion, there would be a strong argument that their statement that "the price of calling Premium Rate Services will be increased by 10%." must apply only to the charges that their website identifies as "premium rate numbers" and their price list identifies as "Premium Services".

trevord wrote on Mar 25^th, 2006 at 7:27pm:

In my humble opinion, there would be a strong argument that their statement that "the price of calling Premium Rate Services will be increased by 10%." must apply only to the charges that their website identifies as "premium rate numbers" and their price list identifies as "Premium Services".

I agree.  Personally, I wouldn't go by what the call centre staff say as most of the time they don't know nor understand differences between geo local/national and so-called 0845 local and 0870 national.


Dave wrote on Mar 25^th, 2006 at 5:14pm:

The Office of Incompetency would say that this is free competition, but I thought the point of competition was to bring prices down. Silly me. It's all about perceived prices and that's what all the nice marketing is about. Boring price lists are of no interest or importance to Joe Public, and that's what the UK telephone industry plays on. So when a premium rate number is advertised and it states the price from a BT landline. All of those who have gone with another provider, such as the Post Office, look at the price to call eg. 25p per call, and call, thinking it will cost that. Because of ineffective regulation, the Post Office is allowed to add 10% onto what the caller thinks that they are paying.

I agree.

Although PO like other companies are allowed to charge what they like for these calls, you are 100% correct in saying these companies (mobile companies are worse) go by the perceived prices of calls so if they can (and they do) get away with charging more for calls but without having to make it clear and/or easy to find the cost of these calls then they'll continue to rip us off.

This is why mobile companies specifically should have call announcements at the beginning of calls to non-geo numbers, personal and premium rate calls (non-geo numbers at the very least) because there is a huge difference between an 0845 costing upto around 4ppm on average from a landline to the 35ppm charged by some mobile networks but as always ofcon looks like they've sided with the mobile networks that the cost of implementing call announcements is too high so in other words it is upto to us consumers to look on mobile companies' websites in the hope of finding the cost of these calls despite the fact that non-geo numbers have been known as local and national rate for years so it is perfectly reasonable for us consumers to think that calls to these numbers are in fact a lot lower than they actually are.

Mobile companies, obviously, on the other hand think there is nothing wrong with things as it is now!?!?!  This applies mostly to Voda who replied to ofcon's last consultation believing it is best to keep things the way it is now so they can continue to rip us off!

The Guy i spoke to definitely knew what he was talking about.He was reading it out from notes on screen, But if you  dont believe me its only a freephone number to check yourself ;).

wrote on Mar 26^th, 2006 at 1:23am:

The Guy i spoke to definitely knew what he was talking about.He was reading it out from notes on screen, But if you  dont believe me its only a freephone number to check yourself ;).

I didn't not believe you.  I was pointing out that the PO seems to be inconsistent about what they describe as "Premium Rate".  If their website and pricelist uses it with one meaning and then they try to use it with a broader meaning when notifying a price increase, I think that legally they are in a poor situation if someone were to challege the increase on numbers that are not in their "Premium Rate" price list.

In other words, if their website & Pricelist describe 0845 & 0870 as "non-geographic" and do not include them within the term "premium rate" (or similar), then they have to use the same terminology when notifying a price increase; otherwise they may not legally have notified it!

How about getting the PO to admit that 0845 and 0870 are premium rate numbers, preferably in writing, so the letter can be produced to companies that disagree that they're premium rate numbers.

I hope they don't bar 18185 during my 6 months with the Post Office to get my £65 then.  Presumably even the Dialaround number for calling 0870 on 0844 is going to cost 10% more. >:(

The numbskulls at Ofcom only consider the number of people moving to these other wholesales line rental providers as a mark of rather than looking at whether customers are actually getting cheaper line rental or call prices.

My gas, water and electricity standing charges are between £5.50 and £11 per quarter but my telephone standing charge is over £30 per quarter.  Something wrong somewhere surely.  But the Office of the Smart Suit and the Nice Business Lunch cannot see it. :o >:(