I am a Virgin Net Broadband Customer.I had a letter from their billing manager today saying that Virgin Media will collect my d/d in future as they are becoming part of that group.

It finishes by saying "if you have any questions or would like to talk to our team ,just give us a call on on 0870 013 0070.*

*Calls from UK Landlines will be charged at your standard local rate. Calls from mobiles may vary. Calls may be monitored and recorded.

Will these communication companies never learn. >:(

moneysavin wrote on Feb 5^th, 2007 at 10:43am:

I am a Virgin Net Broadband Customer.I had a letter from their billing manager today saying that Virgin Media will collect my d/d in future as they are becoming part of that group. It finishes by saying "if you have any questions or would like to talk to our team ,just give us a call on on 0870 013 0070.* *Calls from UK Landlines will be charged at your standard local rate. Calls from mobiles may vary. Calls may be monitored and recorded. Will these communication companies never learn. >:(

I have just received the same letter., and am going to e-mail them pointing out the error of their ways,(how/why should a telco get this wrong?,is it because they continually strive to deceive?).

Who would be the best person to address the e-mail to? no point with ASA or OfCon as they do not police personal mail, Trading Standards will not be interested!

derrick wrote on Feb 5^th, 2007 at 11:27am:

Who would be the best person to address the e-mail to? no point with ASA or OfCon as they do not police personal mail, Trading Standards will not be interested!

There is every point in taking it up with the ASA and Ofcon since it is only if they issue blanket guidance and rules that this lieing must be stopped that it will stop.  ASA and Ofcom count the total number of complaints - but make sure to copy in their CEOs and Board and Council members where these complaints score the greatest impact and may ultimately cause change.

You are never going to stop this web of deceit by dealing with the indiviudal companies on a one by one basis as you are up against a plethora of deceitful telco industry salesmen constantly persuading these companies to use these numbers and lie about the real costs of calling them.  And as long as they are not penalised for continuing to lie about the cost of making these calls then they will continue to do so.

NGMsGhost, there is no point talking to ASA (it is not advertising, it is a letter addressed to me), or OfCon, I have spent to much time previously on these same issues, they will not get involved and will point you towards TS, who are not interested.

derrick wrote on Feb 5^th, 2007 at 11:56am:

NGMsGhost, there is no point talking to ASA (it is not advertising, it is a letter addressed to me), or OfCon, I have spent to much time previously on these same issues, they will not get involved and will point you towards TS, who are not interested.

Then your MP is the place to take it as ultimately it is only the regulator who are capable of stopping this massive nationwide problem.  The fact they choose not to do so is the issue for your MP to look into.

Ask them if it's only "local rate" then why does it cost upto 10p/min to call an 0870 compared to 3p/min to call any 01 or 02 number from an NTL/TW/Virgin Media landline service?

You may also want to point them in the direction of this page and specifically the second paragraph:-


Quote:

Of particular concern is the lack of clarity surrounding 0870 and 0845 which, while advertised as national and local rate respectively, are in essence usually charged at rates exceeding the costs of a typical geographical national or local rate. For example, a caller on a standard package could pay 7.59ppm (pence per minute) for an 0870 call (equivalent to a BT standard national rate) but only pay 3ppm for a geographical national number.

But that documents ends less promisingly after some refreshing honesty by NTL Telewest in the opening paragraphs:-


Quote:

ntl:Telewest Business views the key success of NTS as the establishment of an efficient micro-payment system for the delivery of consumer services via telephony. We therefore believe that any shortcomings of the scheme should be addressed directly, rather than undermining existing, successful business by making disruptive amendments to the revenue sharing arrangements.  ntl:Telewest Business suggested that the majority of the issues regarded as primary by Ofcom could be addressed by providing appropriate consumer education and communication measures.

bbb_uk wrote on Feb 5^th, 2007 at 6:05pm:

Ask them if it's only "local rate" then why does it cost upto 10p/min to call an 0870 compared to 3p/min to call any 01 or 02 number from an NTL/TW/Virgin Media landline service?

I have e-mailed them about that and am awaiting a reply