I've just seen something horrid from the Belfast beer festival, fro CAMRA, one of the country's major consumer rights groups.  They have a poster in which they list a number, 0845 603 0208, as a "local call".

Before I write a nasty letter to CAMRA, I just want to confirm two issues:
(1) There is no currently-available domestic tariff that charges the same for a 0845 number as a 01/02 -"local"-rate (ie. existing and adjacent charging regions), and
(2) There is no currently-available phone tariff that charges less for an 08* number than an 01/02 number

Thanks
Kain

0845 rates are interesting, to say the least.

For an 01/02 call, a BT Together Option 1 customer would pay 3p connection and 3p/minute weekdays (i.e. the same a to call an 0845 number at the same time).

But their off-peak rates differ (as do NTL's and 18185's):

0845

NTL - 6p connection plus:
5p/minute weekdays
4p/minute evenings
3p/minute weekends

BT - 3p 'set-up fee' plus:
3p/minute weekdays
1p/minute evenings
½p/minute weekends

18185 - 4p connection plus:
3p/minute weekdays
½p/minute evenings
½p/minute weekends

OverlordKain wrote on Nov 17^th, 2006 at 11:16pm:

(1) There is no currently-available domestic tariff that charges the same for a 0845 number as a 01/02 -"local"-rate (ie. existing and adjacent charging regions)

No, there isn't.  The 'closest' match is daytime only calls to 0845 and geographical numbers (for those without an inclusive plan as well) are charged the same - 3p/min as pointed out by Heinz.  However, for those on inclusive price plans or that make calls during the evening & weekend then geographical numbers cheaper than 0845.  This only applies from a BT landline as most other landline providers charge more for calls to 0845 than BT do.  Some mobile networks charge upto 40p/min.


Quote:

(2) There is no currently-available phone tariff that charges less for an 08* number than an 01/02 number

No.

You may want to take a look at the following:-

ASA/CAP Article - Advertising 0845 and 087 numbers
ASA/CAP Article - Hanging on the telephone.  On and on and on..

And also see here from Ofcom's website and from it I
Quote:

Ofcom will continue to provide support to the Advertising Standards Authority/Committee of Advertising Practice (‘ASA/ CAP’) to ensure appropriate guidance on how 08 numbers and other NTS numbers should be advertised. The guidance requires that adverts should provide consumers with pricing information for calls to NTS numbers, and that adverts should not refer to 084 or 087 numbers as being charged at the “national” or “local” call rates.

OverlordKain wrote on Nov 17^th, 2006 at 11:16pm:

(1) There is no currently-available domestic tariff that charges the same for a 0845 number as a 01/02 -"local"-rate (ie. existing and adjacent charging regions), and

The only such tariffs (where 0845 is the same as local all the time) are BT ones that a tiny minority of people are on. The main one I refer to is Light User Scheme on which you must not have internet access or a mobile phone in the household.

These are the tariffs that local and national rate still apply on and thus 0845 and 0870 rates are linked there.

BT Together Option 1 charges 3p/min during the daytime to 0845s and all 01/02 numbers, although 01/02 are billed per whole minute and 0845 are billed to the nearest whole second. Evening and weekend rates are different. BT Together option 1 is now the most basic package one can be on when renting a BT line.


Quote:

(2) There is no currently-available phone tariff that charges less for an 08* number than an 01/02 number

Only those I mentioned in (1) in so much as a national 01/02 call will cost more than a 0845 number.

The only such tariffs (where 0845 is the same as local all the time) are BT ones that a tiny minority of people are on. The main one I refer to is Light User Scheme on which you must not have internet access or a mobile phone in the household.

Naturally they can tell if you have an internet connection, as you would be either dialling up, or your broadband company would have registered your number.  Both of which BT would be able to monitor.

However, how can BT know if there's a mobile in the house, especially PAYG, that will never be mentioned on a credit file.  A contract phone will appear on a credit file, and BT can check that way, but you can always connect a mobile afterwards.  Surely BT don't credit check light users every few months.

Shiggaddi wrote on Nov 19^th, 2006 at 11:13am:

However, how can BT know if there's a mobile in the house, especially PAYG, that will never be mentioned on a credit file.  A contract phone will appear on a credit file, and BT can check that way, but you can always connect a mobile afterwards.  Surely BT don't credit check light users every few months.

They ask you.  I've heard that sometimes they just plainly ask you right-out, have you got a mobile?, and I've even heard of them doing it sneakly and asking if you had an alternate contact number like a mobile in case something happens to your landline.