Is the war on 0870 over? As of January 2008 OFCOM say that landline and mobile operators have to repair the national geographic link. Therefore calls to 0870 will be the same price as calls to standard national numbers.  :)

OFCOM also say that they will tackle the 0845 NTS in the next two years.
Or have I misinterpreted all this  :o

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/nts_forward/statement/statement.pdf

Does anyone know about the new 03 number range? I believe thery are available this October.

Hi Number6,

You have interepreted it correct.  There is no gurantee that telecom providers will charge normal rates for 0870 numbers though but if they choose not to charge normal rates then a free pre-announcement has to made.

This was discussed here.

Number6 wrote on Sep 20^th, 2006 at 4:19pm:

Does anyone know about the new 03 number range? I believe thery are available this October.

Where did you hear that?  I remember glancing through the NTS Way Forward statement that you link to and cant remember it giving a date of when 03x numbers will be introduced.

OFCOM Website says:

1.52 These consultation measures are covered in Annexes 2 to 8 of this document. We will aim to conclude those consultation processes rapidly, if possible by the start of October 2006, at which point the new framework for conservation of geographic numbers should be in place, and communications providers will be able to apply for 03 numbers. We expect that 03 numbers might be available to be dialled in early 2007.

This can be found at the OFCOM site

Quote from Number6 20 SEP 2006


Quote:

Is the war on 0870 over? As of January 2008 OFCOM say that landline and mobile operators have to repair the national geographic link. Therefore calls to 0870 will be the same price as calls to standard national numbers. OFCOM also say that they will tackle the 0845 NTS in the next two years. Or have I misinterpreted all this?

Don't be deluded, Number6! The revenue from NTS calls - which currently
includes 0870 and 0845 - is pure heroin flowing in the veins of the telcos,
especially BT. What an absolute master stroke this was - offering a pittance
back to its customers in return for maintaining revenue from voice calls, in
the face of competition. And since there is a small fee paid back to the call
receiver, other companies cannot undercut BT's monopoly. Add to this the sheer
genius of making the numbers appear to be "similar" to the well known Freecall
number, and a weak, ineffectual and totally compromised regulator - and the
coup is complete! Do you REALLY think they are going to give this up? Just like
that junkie, they are totally, absolutely hooked! Just look at the efforts they
will make to hide the underlying geographic number. Why? It's not the company
who has the 0870 number that is generally doing this - you will probably find
that the Telco has threatened them with all sorts of dire and legal
consequences if that number is exposed. They'd lose their revenue! That's what
is key. Junkies really need that fix!

See, even that great white charger, voice over the Internet (VoIP) is set up to
be a failure in Rip-Off UK because so many calls use the NTS numbers. Result?
They can never be "free" - it's that charge again, and BT keep laughing all the
way to the bank. Keep that drug flowing, guys......

No, they will make a big issue of how benevolent they are; how wonderful and
customer focused their call plans are.....and all the time, they will be
frantically selling their NTS customers on the "new, increased benefits" of 0871
or 0844 numbers. Why, we can even afford to give you a little more revenue per
call. (thinks) After all, we are going to make a heap more!" Can't lose that
fix!!

War over? 'Fraid not Just a minor tactical withdrawal whilst regrouping and
mounting a new offensive at the weakest point - the couldn't care, doesn't
understand mug UK-telephone-user punter! ("What do you mean, 0871 is a premium
number. It's free, ain't it?")

The battle cry is 'Onward with 0871'. They REALLY need that fix!!

>:(

pauld wrote on Sep 20^th, 2006 at 10:06pm:

OFCOM Website says: 1.52 These consultation measures are covered in Annexes 2 to 8 of this document. We will aim to conclude those consultation processes rapidly, if possible by the start of October 2006, at which point the new framework for conservation of geographic numbers should be in place, and communications providers will be able to apply for 03 numbers. We expect that 03 numbers might be available to be dialled in early 2007.

A new framework for these numbers was going to be put into place by "early" 2005 according to what Matt Peacock, Ofcom's Communication Director said in an interview in November 2004. He even agreed with the interviewee that the were "premium rate numbers, but by another name."

So I don't believe a word they say and I think that the best thing we can do is lobby our MEPs and more information on this can be found on this thread.