Useful Information & Say no to 0870! Hot Topics » Explanation of the changes to 0870 and new 03 nos

---

Explanation of the changes to 0870 and new 03 nos

New 03 Numbers

Telephone numbers starting 03 are now available and are charged at the same rate as geographical calls, but they don't relate to a specific location. They provide organisations with the same benefits as 08xx numbers, such as routing calls to different places depending on location and/or time and so on.

A number of public sector service providers now use these numbers, including police forces and local councils and they are listed here.

Changes to 0870

On 1 February 2008 there was due to be significant changes with regards 0870 telephone numbers. Companies would not be able to earn revenue from them as they were to be reduced in cost to the same rate as calling a normal geographical (01/02) number.

This has now been suspended, possibly abandoned completely. Discussion about this is on this thread.

Discussion on the changes and the new 03 numbers is here.

Current Call Charges

The current rates are, from a BT landline*:

• 0844 ~ a variety of different rates, some varying by time period, upto 5 pence per minute (or per call) at all times
  
• 0845 ~ 3 pence per minute during the daytime
  
• 0870 ~ 7 pence per minute during the daytime
  
• 0871 ~ a variety of different rates, some varying by time period, upto 10 pence per minute (or per call) at all times

* Prices from mobiles and public payphones usually cost more. Other landline prices for 0845 and 0870 are frequently more than BT's. Generally speaking, 0844 and 0871 pricing rates are the same as BT across all other landline providers.

Calls to all 08 numbers (including 0800 and 0808 "freephone") are chargeable from mobiles outside any inclusive minutes which would otherwise apply.

To get an idea of how much other providers charge, see here for a comparison of 0845/0870 prices versus geographical rates.

Regulation of 0871 by ICSTIS

Telephone numbers beginning 0871 are to be regulated by ICSTIS. Details of the consultation which was published on 25 April can be found here. The deadline for responses was 28 June 2007 and the changes were due to take effect on 1 Feburary. Unfortunately these have also been suspended. We also have no publication of the responses to the consultation and the reason given is because there are so many.