Hi, the company I work for currently use an 0870 number for a 24hour helpdesk function.  It was the best for the job back at the time because we use quite complex time of day routing and so on.  

I, like most people here, detest these numbers and want to ensure our customers get a fair deal when calling us, however, the 0870 number makes us a little bit of money (not important or significant) but we've been told we'll have to pay for every inbound call on 03 numbers.  Is this true? Surley we may as well go for 0800 if we're going to have to pay several pence per minute!
Do you know of any providers who do not charge for inbound calls?  We currently dont pay any sort of line rental charge on our 0870 number either.

Many thanks in advance

It would depend on how your system worked, but if it was completely VoIP, there are a number of providers who will only charge you basic line rental (about £2 a month) for the 03 number, and then nothing else as it is being routed for free over VoIP. However, if you are wanting to route it to normal geographic numbers, then there will be a charge involved (as with 0800 numbers).

speedbird001 wrote on Jan 11^th, 2008 at 6:37pm:

the 0870 number makes us a little bit of money (not important or significant) but we've been told we'll have to pay for every inbound call on 03 numbers

Many of us are interested to know if the total cost to be paid for the 03 (rental plus incoming call charges) equates to the surcharge that is currently being paid by callers, less the income to your company. i.e. is the cost of providing the telephone service, with all of its features, simply being transferred back to where it belongs or is the telco looking to receive more for providing a 03 than a 0870 number?

(When I refer to the "surcharge" I recognise that not all of the excess charge to the caller imposed by the OCP is passed on to the TCP, but I am trying to keep this simple.)

We can see OCPs profiteering on 0870, by the differences in published surcharges. We are anxious to see whether TCPs are effectively looking to receive the same income from 03 as from other NGNs, according to the particular services provided and call volumes handled.

If they are, then those who are looking to change must swallow hard and blush on recognising the extent to which their callers were subsidising their business.

If TCPs are able to charge excessive rates for provision of 03 numbers in a competitive market, then Ofcom must be required to investigate in the interests of the consumers (potential 03 users), whose interests it has a duty to further. (Ofcom's duty to consumers covers corporate bodies, not just citizens.)

In reply to Spedbird001 - there are providers out there that do not charge a connection fee for 0800 numbers, they only charge for the price of the call on a per minute basis.

I provide my clients with 0800 numbers and they are only charged for the duration of the call on a minute by minute basis.

I do not charge a rental or connection fee, if the client does not receive any calls on a particular month then they will not be charged for the service.

So if anybody out there requires an 0800 number I can oblige and you will be charged XXp per minutes used, NO RENTAL NO CONNECTION FEE.

See also Cheapest provider of 03x numbers.