I found some old paperwork from a bank and british gas.  
Numbers were 0345 and 0645.  Were these charged like 0845 and when did the numbers change to 0845?  Also, why were there 05 freephone numbers?  
Were there ever any 04 numbers?  

intercity125 wrote on Jul 16^th, 2007 at 3:45pm:

I found some old paperwork from a bank and british gas.   Numbers were 0345 and 0645.  Were these charged like 0845 and when did the numbers change to 0845?

Yes.

0345 was migrated to 08457 and 0645 to 08459. So 0345 123456 is now 0845 7123456 and 0645 123456 is now 0845 9123456

0345 was BT's 'local rate' code. 0645 was introduced as Mercury's equivalent. Mercury is now Cable & Wireless.

Today, different 0845 numbers are allocated to loads of different providers and not just BT and C&W.


Quote:

Also, why were there 05 freephone numbers?

Same reason as 0645 existed alongside 0345. 0500 is C&W (formally Mercury) and all numbers are 10 digits long, ie 0500 123456.

0800 was originally BT only, and was also only 10 digits, ie 0800 123456. There are no new 0500 numbers, but new 11 digit 0800s are being allocated, which is why you see some 10 and some 11. 0500 numbers have never been moved from there, probably because 0500 is a memorable prefix.


Quote:

Were there ever any 04 numbers?

Not that I'm aware of. 04xx numbers only ever existed before Phoneday which was in 1995. Details on both Phoneday and The Big Number of April 2000 are on Ofcom's website here.

Thanks :).  Very informative.  So this scam has been going on for years!

Way back then 0345 etc wasn't a scam. It was an actual benefit to customers. Those were the days before "inclusive" call packages and 0345 was charged exactly like a local call. Long distance calls were more expensive than local ones. A company could use an 0345/0645 number so that customers anywhere in the country could phone them at local rates. There was a scam number, 0990, which was later changed to 0870, where all callers paid national rates.

It should be remembered that, from 1st August 2007, residential BT customers who still make their calls via BT will be charged 61½% per minute less between 6am and 6pm on a weekday to call 0845 numbers than they will to call 01/02 numbers.

0845 - 6p connection + 2p/minute (6am-6pm Monday to Friday)

01/02 - 6p connection + 3¼p/minute (6am-6pm Monday to Friday)

The changes don't resolve the issue of inclusive call packages or 5p per call use of 1899/18185/18866 but are a small gain.

Heinz wrote on Jul 17^th, 2007 at 9:40am:

It should be remembered that, from 1st August 2007, residential BT customers who still make their calls via BT will be charged 61½% per minute less between 6am and 6pm on a weekday to call 0845 numbers than they will to call 01/02 numbers. 0845 - 6p connection + 2p/minute (6am-6pm Monday to Friday) 01/02 - 6p connection + 3¼p/minute (6am-6pm Monday to Friday) The changes don't resolve the issue of inclusive call packages or 5p per call use of 1899/18185/18866 but are a small gain.

Heinz, is it not the case that from that date BT will be doing the 6am-6pm times over a 7 day week? i.e. the customer will lose the cheaper ½ppm rate at weekends.

derrick wrote on Jul 17^th, 2007 at 12:47pm:

Heinz, is it not the case that from that date BT will be doing the 6am-6pm times over a 7 day week? i.e. the customer will lose the cheaper ½ppm rate at weekends.

Indeed it is - which is why I only mentioned the 'peak rate' prices.

Of course, the post-1/8/07 BT Together Option 1 rate of 4½p for an 01/02 call of up to an hour evenings and weekends means (except for very short calls) 0845 calls will be more expensive then.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=5357468&postcount=59

derrick wrote on Jul 17^th, 2007 at 12:47pm:

is it not the case that from that date BT will be doing the 6am-6pm times over a 7 day week? i.e. the customer will lose the cheaper ½ppm rate at weekends.

I knew BT were increasing their connection charge and ppm but didn't know that they were introducing the 6am - 6pm for the entire week and not just weekdays.

It definitely is the case of "one had giveth, the other hand taketh away" and lets hope customers don't notice where we are taketh it away from.

Thanks for that anyhow.

bbb_uk wrote on Jul 17^th, 2007 at 8:05pm:

I knew BT were increasing their connection charge and ppm but didn't know that they were introducing the 6am - 6pm for the entire week and not just weekdays. It definitely is the case of "one had giveth, the other hand taketh away" and lets hope customers don't notice where we are taketh it away from.

I've assessed 'best post-1/8/07 options' (for Orchid users but anyone can use them) and, although the weekend use of 18185 is a compromise, have concluded the cheapest routings will be as shown in points 1 & 2 HERE.