Since when have 070 numbers been "national call rate"? 247electrical

Is there any point complaining to Phonepayplus as it is on a website?

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

Since when have 070 numbers been "national call rate"? 247electrical

07004 numbers are "National NTS" on the BT Price List which is what 0870 numbers are (so the same rates apply to both). So that's where the (dubious) "national rate" comes from.


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

Is there any point complaining to Phonepayplus as it is on a website?

No. Although trading standards (Consumer Direct) might do something but it might take 6 or 12 months.

Dave wrote on Nov 17^th, 2007 at 12:50pm:

07004 numbers are "National NTS"  . . .

I thought 070 numbers where personal numbers? charged at up to £1.50 per minute, and that Ofcom had barred revenue sharing on them!

They are charged at up to 50 pence per minute from a BT landline. AFAIK, the cheapest are charged inline with that of 0870 numbers.

0700 4 247 247 is, indeed, charged at the same as 0870 calls are (at the moment) but, because that is less than 20p/minute, it is exempt from the newly-introduced requirement to have a pre-call charge announcement for 070 numbers.

Personally, I think they're daft to use such a number because, thanks to PatientLine, many people simply avoid dialling them because they're now wise to the fact that some 070 numbers are very expensive to call.

EDIT 22:22 17-11-07

Para 1 above amended to placate derrick.

Heinz wrote on Nov 17^th, 2007 at 4:41pm:

0700 4 247 247 is, indeed, charged at National Rate and, because it is less than 20p/minute, it is exempt from the newly-introduced requirement to have a pre-call charge announcement.

Here we go again, Heinz you are well aware that the term "national rate" is not a valid description, and is indeed misleading, especially as the cost is more than an 01/02 number, "national rate" is not to be used as defined by Ofcom,ASA,COI, Trading Standards.

 

another right con, most callers will think this is a mobile phone number, as mobile's start 07xxx.

The 070 range was originally part of Oftel's "Find-me-anywhere" range, on the mobile side of things, which included 076 for paging.

Allegedly, Ofcom's plan is to move them all to the 06 number range.

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/numberingreview/statement/summary/

Don't hold your breath though ...............

06?
What a waste of numbering resources.  :-[

Well, unless Ofcom decides to completely stop 070 numbers (bah! Like that is gunna happen!), at least it will be better if they are in a separate range that people can be warned never to use! Being in 070 just confuses people who aren't in the know... (I keep seeing 070 numbers being marketed as mobile numbers)

Other 070 numbers are about 17p peak 10p off-peak from BT landlines, not a lot dissimilar to tariffs to some mobiles. But others may be 40 or 50p

Whilst it's true that the tariffs can't be sized up from a quick glance at the prefix, they don't seem to be £1.50 a minute either

andy9 wrote on Nov 21^st, 2007 at 10:51am:

Other 070 numbers are about 17p peak 10p off-peak from BT landlines, not a lot dissimilar to tariffs to some mobiles. But others may be 40 or 50p

It's not just the cost but also the fact that because they look similar to mobile numbers and are even marketed as such in some cases it's entirely reasonable for consumers to think they are included in their mobile allowance and I'd hate to know the cost of calling a personal number from a mobile (assuming a network tells you the cost).

bbb_uk wrote on Nov 21^st, 2007 at 6:52pm:

It's not just the cost but also the fact that because they look similar to mobile numbers and are even marketed as such in some cases it's entirely reasonable for consumers to think they are included in their mobile allowance and I'd hate to know the cost of calling a personal number from a mobile (assuming a network tells you the cost).

I don't think they are marketed as mobile numbers though - the only place I've seen this claim is in a know-it-all VoIP internet blog from Singapore or somewhere like

The two most common uses seem to be temporary contact numbers for newspaper classified ads, where the tariff is mentioned, and Nigerian conmen spammers and who believes a word they say.

andy9 wrote on Nov 22^nd, 2007 at 1:27am:

The two most common uses seem to be temporary contact numbers for newspaper classified ads, where the tariff is mentioned, and Nigerian conmen spammers and who believes a word they say.

And the one-ring CLI dumpers on my cellphone (trying to get me to call back).

andy9 wrote on Nov 22^nd, 2007 at 1:27am:

I don't think they are marketed as mobile numbers though - the only place I've seen this claim is in a know-it-all VoIP internet blog from Singapore or somewhere like

I've actually seen it on the side of a small transit van as a contact number where it read, "Mobile: 070.....".  There are probably others as well that market them as mobile numbers.

The fact that some may not market them as mobile numbers though does not stop consumers ringing them thinking they are mobile numbers simply because they begin with 07 same as mobile numbers.  IMHO, this was stupid of Oftel (pre Ofcom days) to do this in the first place and allow revenue sharing on them even to the end user.