My local jobcentre in Basildon have recently switched to using an 0845 number, although not as bad as an 0870, will still amount to a lot of money on your phone bill by the time you get through to the right department!

Most people who need the jobcentre can hardly afford to be on the phone without getting hammered by call charges, I still have their real number 01268 363000 and it works!!

It seams like we can not escape as more and more companies and departments switch to non-geo numbers, thankfully, we have saynoto0870 or should that be - "saynotonon-geo.com"? [smiley=wink.gif]

0870sucks wrote on Feb 7^th, 2007 at 8:18pm:

My local jobcentre in Basildon have recently switched to using an 0845 number, although not as bad as an 0870, will still amount to a lot of money on your phone bill by the time you get through to the right department!

But the bizzare thing is that in a year's time, you may wished they had opted for 0870 as it will be reduced to geographical rates. So in ascending order of price from a BT landline they will be:

0870, 0845, 0844, 0871

Work that one out!

0870sucks wrote on Feb 7^th, 2007 at 8:18pm:

I still have their real number 01268 363000 and it works!!

Has this been added to the DB?

trubster wrote on Feb 7^th, 2007 at 10:54pm:

0870sucks wrote on Feb 7th, 2007 at 8:18pm: I still have their real number 01268 363000 and it works!! Has this been added to the DB?

I will check and submit if necessary.

Dave wrote on Feb 7^th, 2007 at 8:49pm:

0870sucks wrote on Feb 7th, 2007 at 8:18pm: My local jobcentre in Basildon have recently switched to using an 0845 number, although not as bad as an 0870, will still amount to a lot of money on your phone bill by the time you get through to the right department! But the bizzare thing is that in a year's time, you may wished they had opted for 0870 as it will be reduced to geographical rates. So in ascending order of price from a BT landline they will be: 0870, 0845, 0844, 0871 Work that one out!

This may be the reason they chose 0845, not to loose out! [smiley=evil.gif]  

Quote:

This may be the reason they chose 0845, not to loose out!

That assumes a level of intelligence and forward thinking that I am totally confident has NEVER been forthcoming from Jobcentre staff......

;D

mikeinnc wrote on Feb 8^th, 2007 at 6:15pm:

Quote: This may be the reason they chose 0845, not to loose out! That assumes a level of intelligence and forward thinking that I am totally confident has NEVER been forthcoming from Jobcentre staff......;D

Who no doubt couldn't get a job anywhere else. [smiley=happy.gif] [smiley=laugh.gif]

0870sucks wrote on Feb 8^th, 2007 at 3:21pm:

Dave wrote on Feb 7th, 2007 at 8:49pm: But the bizzare thing is that in a year's time, you may wished they had opted for 0870 as it will be reduced to geographical rates. So in ascending order of price from a BT landline they will be: 0870, 0845, 0844, 0871 Work that one out! This may be the reason they chose 0845, not to loose out! [smiley=evil.gif]

I think that the changes will confuse even those who understand it is as it is now. Those who chose 0845 because it, a the time, it provided a genuine advantage for most, will now find themselves at a disadvantage to those who were greedy and opted for 0870.

Dave wrote on Feb 8^th, 2007 at 9:09pm:

I think that the changes will confuse even those who understand it is as it is now. Those who chose 0845 because it, a the time, it provided a genuine advantage for most, will now find themselves at a disadvantage to those who were greedy and opted for 0870.

Ofcom's pathetic excuse for not also making 0845 charged the same way as 01/02 numbers in Feb 2008 (as 0870 then will be) is that it would destroy the business of dial up internet companies.

The reality is that by Feb 2008 dial up connections will only be used for a tiny fraction of the number of minutes they once were and also that changing the phone number on a dialup connection to an 0844 number is a simple job far easier than setting up a broadband router that any customer can be talked through by technical support if they fail to correctly follow the instructions given in an email.

Ofcom's real agenda seems to have been to not destroy all of the NTS industry in one blow and/or it may have been acting on New Labour orders, given that agencies like the DVLA can probably stomach moving from 0870 revenue share to 0845 revenue share but not losing their revenue share altogether.  Also the Inland Revenue uses 0845 for all their call centres and offices.

But the fact that 0870 will become geographic priced but that once Lo-Call 0845 will remain a trojan NTS ripoff (especially on mobiles and payphones) is totally mad and illogical.  But what hope when the Parliamentary Ombudsman which is the only body that can censure Ofcom itself uses an 0845 number.  :o >:( :'(

NGMsGhost wrote on Feb 8^th, 2007 at 9:27pm:

Ofcom's pathetic excuse for not also making 0845 charged the same way as 01/02 numbers in Feb 2008 (as 0870 then will be) is that it would destroy the business of dial up internet companies. The reality is that by Feb 2008 dial up connections will only be used for a tiny fraction of the number of minutes they once were and also that changing the phone number on a dialup connection to an 0844 number is a simple job far easier than setting up a broadband router that any customer can be talked through by technical support if they fail to correctly follow the instructions given in an email.

ISPs could migrate their services to 0844 numbers (some are doing so now anyway) and put an information page on the 0845 number. So when the user connects via their 0845 number, choose which web address they type in, it displays a page telling them how to update their settings to the 0844.

Dave wrote on Feb 8^th, 2007 at 9:53pm:

ISPs could migrate their services to 0844 numbers (some are doing so now anyway) and put an information page on the 0845 number. So when the user connects via their 0845 number, choose which web address they type in, it displays a page telling them how to update their settings to the 0844.

And also telling them what 0871 number they need to dial if they still can't work it out. ;) ::) :'(

Quote from Dave on Feb 7th, 2007, 8:49pm:
But the bizzare thing is that in a year's time, you may wished they had opted for 0870 as it will be reduced to geographical rates. So in ascending order of price from a BT landline they will be:

0870, 0845, 0844, 0871

Work that one out!
___________________________________________

Hi all,

I'm new to the site so please excuse my ignorance both in my understanding of what's happening to 0845 numbers and also how to neatly put a quote from one of the other posts.

My company is considering changing from an 0870 number to an 0845 number, thinking it would be in the interests of our customers. I've read enough already to realise that probably isn't the case and that many of the issues with 0870 remain although the call cost per min would probably be less.

What I'm struggling to determine is how Ofcom's changes to 0870 will pan out in early 2008. So my questions are:

- is it just the cost per minute and ability to rev share that will be changed? therefore that the calls will be cheaper per minute but still ultimately not included as inclusive calls for most tarifs?

- the Ofcom press release from April 06 talks of no changes to 0844 & 0845 other than requiring companies to publish their rates more clearly. Has there been any update since then? Does that really mean as per Dave's comment that 0845 will be more expensive for customers than 0870 in 2008? Is there any more clarity on exactly when that's likely to happen.

- finally more of an open ended question. What's the ideal solution for UK customers? A new "03" number or a regular landline number based anywhere in the UK? or something else?

Thanks in advance

:)
James

jimmystewart wrote on Feb 12^th, 2007 at 6:07pm:

My company is considering changing from an 0870 number to an 0845 number, thinking it would be in the interests of our customers. I've read enough already to realise that probably isn't the case and that many of the issues with 0870 remain although the call cost per min would probably be less.James

If that's what your company really wants but doesn't want to spend money providing 0800 numbers, just publish 01 or 02 numbers as your contact points (no 0844, 0845, 0870 or 0871 numbers are included in any landline 'inclusive' packages so cost those with such packages more to call than ordinary 01 or 02 numbers).

That's why people like many on these forums avoid dealing with companies which use such numbers if at all possible.

This thread seems to have moved on from the original topic raised by 0870sucks. While local jobcentres retain normal geographical numbers the "Benefit Delivery Centres", centralised offices where benefits are worked out, are all using 0845 numbers. So for Basildon, as an example, using the jobcentreplus website, you get a different number for your postcode depending on whether you are asking about making a new claim (the call centre at Derby- 0845), phoning to say you can't make an appointment at the actual Jobcentre (the local Jobcentre number 01268 365400), or enquiring about, or reporting a change of circumstances for, your benefit claim (the benefits centre, in this case also in Basildon, now using an 0845 number).

See the discussion about JCP under the FOI section.