Hi
this site is excellent.  I have forwarded it to all my family and friends in the UK.  It is not clear though how these numbers are found.  Are the numbers added by forum members or is there a special Google (magic) search term which is used to find the 'real' numbers?

I live in the Netherlands and cannot find any of our 0845 equivalent numbers, "0900" on this website.  Can this be added to your listings?  I have 'found' a couple of Dutch company numbers which I would like to report, but the reporting page does not mention 0900 format.

Thanks in advance
Mitch

mgybran wrote on Mar 10^th, 2007 at 8:46am:

It is not clear though how these numbers are found.  Are the numbers added by forum members or is there a special Google (magic) search term which is used to find the 'real' numbers?

Welcome.

Numbers are added by forum members, visitors, etc.

I'm afraid there is no special Google (magic) search that is used although it would make our job a lot easier if there was.  The 'real' alternative numbers are found by checking old directory enquries websites, old/cached copies of webpages and using google to see if another company/organisation provides the 'real' underlying numbers instead of any new(er) 084x/087x number.

This is really only successful because in some cases companies just get new 08x/087x numbers whilst still keeping their old 'real' number and just basically divert calls to their new 08x/087x number to their old 'real' number.

However, there are some companies out there that go through all the trouble (and expense) of disconnecting their old 'real' numbers and getting brand new 'real' numbers and then divert calls from their 084x/087x number to their new 'real' number.  Companies that do this have most likely purposely from the outset wanted customers to only ring them on their 084x/087x number so (if applicable) they can earn money from the call without their customers knowing they are making money from the call.  This, method as mentioned, involves more work and expense for the companies concerned but these companies then know that no-one would still ring them on their 'real' number because it's brand new that only them and the telephone company would know so therefore customers have no alternative to ring the 084x/087x number(s).

It maybe possible to do similar a similar thing to find 'real' numbers where you're from

Thanks for the tips

Here in Holland even the unemployment benefit office has an 0900 (cheap rate sic..) number.  After two hours searching (and lots of deadends) I found it at the New Zealand Embassy website.   Work that one out....

Anyway, if anyone is ever in Holland and needs to contact the unemployment benefit office (UWV), the tel no. wef 10 March 07 is:

+31 11 375 0350  (not to be confused with the Job Centre CWI )

I use VOIP phone calling so, it did not cost me a penny

Mitch

See Guide to finding geographical numbers for search tips.

You can Google post code followed by dialling code or company name followed by dialling code as examples. You may also find the numbers on the Internet Archive which goes back as far as 1996 with some websites. This may show the geographical number before they introduced the non-geographical one, and it will work assuming that they haven't replaced it as bbb_uk mentions.

Quote:

Here in Holland even the unemployment benefit office has an 0900 (cheap rate sic..) number.

My impression (no more) is that in Holland the unjustified use of premium rate numbers is less widespread than in the UK.

Sometimes I find international organisations, e.g. airlines, where in the UK they use 087 premium rate numbers but they can be called in Holland on geographic numbers for a fraction of the cost.  One example is here:

http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1172149565

You say that 0900 in Holland is equivalent to 0845 in the UK. As a matter of interest what is the actual charge for calling 0900 numbers in Holland and are there different tiers of premium rate numbers like 087, 0845, 0844 ,09 in the UK?

lompos wrote on Mar 10^th, 2007 at 3:23pm:

Quote: Here in Holland even the unemployment benefit office has an 0900 (cheap rate sic..) number. You say that 0900 in Holland is equivalent to 0845 in the UK. As a matter of interest what is the actual charge for calling 0900 numbers in Holland and are there different tiers of premium rate numbers like 087, 0845, 0844 ,09 in the UK?

The frustrating thing about Holland is that the mobile phone operators actually offer quite good deals (especially Telfort) and very often a contract will offer X amount of free call minutes.  The problem is that you can't really use these minutes when phoning companies and authorities.  You get charged a nominal 10 cent fee (in normal cases) PLUS any charges that the mobile phone company 'may' charge.  Bit of a double whammy.  Customer help desk typically charge between ca. 50-100 cents per minute

Ref the distinction of the different types of premium rate numbers; there are three (prices on all three vary):
0900 paid information numbers
0906 Paid adult numbers
0909 Entertainment

It would also be nice to know if there is a French equivalent!