Ofcom has published a data on call volumes, types and revenue by operator, amongst other things. See here:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/cm/tables/q1_2007/

The data shows that BT originates about two in every three "other calls" which include 08, 09 and directory enquiry numbers. If we consider that when such calls are originated from a BT landline that BT must only retain an amount on cost-basis and pass the rest to the telco providing the number, then it follows that any other telco will have to pay pretty much what BT pays. Thus, there is really no way that terminating payments are going to fall, and helps explain why the retail price of 0845 and 0870 have not fallen.

I therefore regard 0845 and 0870 as remnants of BT's monopoly to which many public sector (and private) bodies consider as being local and national rate and pass the buck to the (originating) telcos for not charging them inline with their respective geographical rates.

Ofcom has now published data for the second quarter (April to June) of 2007:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/cm/tables/q2_2007/

Market data is now available for the third quarter (July to September) of 2007:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/cm/tables/q3_2007/

Ofcom has published market data for the fourth quarter (October to December) of 2007:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/cm/tables/q4_2007/

Market data for the first quarter of 2008:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/cm/tables/q1_2008/

Market data is available for the second quarter of 2008:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/cm/tables/q2_2008/

And for the third quarter:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/cm/tables/q3_2008/

Market data for the final quarter of 2008:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/cm/tables/q4_2008/

Market data for the first quarter of 2009:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/cm/tables/q1_2009/

Market data for the second quarter of 2009:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/cm/tables/q2_2009/

Market data for the third quarter of 2009:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/cm/tables/q3_2009/

Market data for the fourth quarter of 2009:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/cm/tables/q4_2009/

Market data for the fourth quarter of 2009:

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/market-data/communications-market-reports/tables/q1_2010/

Market data for the second quarter of 2010:

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/market-data/communications-market-reports/tables/q2_2010/

Market data for the third and fourth quarter of 2010:

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/market-data/communications-market-reports/tables/q4_2010/



How is the figure, quoted elsewhere, of 25% of non-commercial calls being origated from BT lines arrived at?  :-?

Dave wrote on Jul 4^th, 2011 at 9:28pm:

... How is the figure, quoted elsewhere, of 25% of non-commercial calls being origated from BT lines arrived at?  :-?

This is never given (by me) as the share originated from BT lines, that would be much greater, it is the share of non-business calls originated by BT (i.e. subject to BT tariffs).
The term "residential" works fine for a landline installation, but seems a little odd for a call from a mobile phone.


The calculation is a little tricky because Ofcom does not separate the Mobile totals into Business and Residential. It can however be done.

In its latest annual Communications Market report (August 2010) Ofcom provides, at figure 5.60, a breakdown of Business call volumes between Mobile and Landline - 64.6% / 35.4%. When the next report is published, this figure may have to be updated.

All the figures which follow are for Q4 1010 (Jan 2011 - Mar 2011) as published hereand are expressed in millions of minutes.

1. Multiply the figure for Business Landline Calls (Section 2 Table 13, p13): 8,999 by 64.6/35.4 (see above) to give a volume for Business Mobile Calls = 16,422.

2. Subtract this from the Total of Mobile Calls (Section 3 Table 2, p19): [6731 + 10,136 + 10,906 =] 27,773, to give a volume of Non-business (residential!) Mobile Calls = 11,351.

3. Add this to the Total of Residential Landline Calls (Section 2 Table 8, p9): 22,478 to give the total for all Non-business calls = 33,829.


The total of BT Residential Landline Calls (Section 2 Table 8, p9) is 8,969, nearly 40% of the total of landline calls.

As a share of the Total Non-Business Calls, using only the latest figures published by Ofcom, it is 26.5%.


Not all calls are included in the published Ofcom figures - calls from around 10% of mobiles are excluded. One therefore feels content to trim a little off. My more detailed figures make a proportionate allowance for the omitted mobile calls to give a BT share of 24%.

All statistics at this level include a degree of fudging, so I am content with 25% as a rough, but fair, figure.

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Jul 5^th, 2011 at 8:11pm:

Dave wrote on Jul 4th, 2011 at 9:28pm: ... How is the figure, quoted elsewhere, of 25% of non-commercial calls being origated from BT lines arrived at?  :-? This is never given (by me) as the share originated from BT lines, that would be much greater, it is the share of non-business calls originated by BT (i.e. subject to BT tariffs).

This is in fact what I intended to mean when I made my posting.



SilentCallsVictim wrote on Jul 5^th, 2011 at 8:11pm:

The term "residential" works fine for a landline installation, but seems a little odd for a call from a mobile phone.

The mobile operators usually classify tariffs as "personal" and "business".

Dave wrote on Jul 7^th, 2011 at 7:54am:

This is in fact what I intended to mean when I made my posting.

Forgive me for being picky, but it is a common mistake for people to think that the BT share is based on its proportion of installations or line rentals. I am always very careful to try to avoid making false statements, even if some readers are able to apply a corrective interpretation. If you see some of the arguments that I get into, you may recognise that "that is not what I meant!" would not serve me well as a response.


Dave wrote on Jul 7^th, 2011 at 7:54am:

The mobile operators usually classify tariffs as "personal" and "business".

I have considered talking about "personal" calls, but it somehow suggests something more particular than all non-business calls. I fear that one may think that a patient calling a GP surgery to book an appointment or calling NHS Direct for advice was excluded from a category named "personal calls" - it suggests contact with a particular person. Furthermore, a home landline (unlike a mobile) is generally a shared, rather than personal, resource.

I am open to suggestions, although the ugly "non-business" probably expresses the meaning accurately.