I get certain information from an 0870 number.  I want to be able to use this number while abroad particularly North America.  I thought you cannot phone an 0870 number while abroad. The people running the line assure me their provider says it's possible. Is that true?

It depends on the foreign telephone provider, whether they connect calls to to +44 870 numbers.

no5colin wrote on Jan 12^th, 2008 at 12:50pm:

The people running the line assure me their provider says it's possible. Is that true?

I agree with Dave here.

What your provider may mean is that it's possible to receive calls from abroad but at the end of the day it's up to the network used abroad as to whether they choose to allow calls from their own network.

The reason why it's possible that networks abroad may not allow calls to a UK 0870 (or any non-geographical number) is because of the cost to themselves (ie the foreign network) and Ofcom (the telecommunications regulator) have stated this.

Remember that because the cost of calling an 0870 is significantly higher than a geographical number (01 and 02), it's possible that networks may not allow calls, or if they do allow calls will charge significantly higher than they would normally do.

Even calling an 0870 from the UK is significantly more than calling a geographical number so imagine how much it costs foreign networks when you take into consideration the cost of routing the call via different providers and from one country to another!

This is why some companies and government departments have realised this and provide geographical numbers for those calling from abroad.  A quick example is banks.  Banks, on the back of their ATM cards, generally have a number to call when abroad and this number is a geographical number because that is the only type of numbers guaranteed to work from abroad.

no5colin wrote on Jan 12^th, 2008 at 12:50pm:

I get certain information from an 0870 number.  I want to be able to use this number while abroad particularly North America.  I thought you cannot phone an 0870 number while abroad. The people running the line assure me their provider says it's possible. Is that true?

You need to tell us what the service is and what information you need to get and we may be able to come up with an alternative number to call from abroad starting 01 02 or 03 that you will always be able to dial and will normally cost much less than calling an 0870 number from North America.

Even if you can connect to 0870 is is likely to cost a fortune.

For instance if you are a Vodafone Passport customer then calling a normal 01/02/03 number in the rest of Europe it will cost you 75p plus the calls then come out of your bundled minutes (for contract customers) but calling 0870 it will cost you 75p per minute or £45 per hour to call an 0870 number.

Ask this service provider for their 01 or 02 or 03 prefixed alternative for calling from overseas highlighting the above problems.  If they don't have one then write to their Chief Executive to complain.

NGMsGhost wrote on Jan 12^th, 2008 at 1:21pm:

...alternative number to call from abroad starting 01 02 or 03 that you will always be able to dial and will normally cost much less than calling an 0870 number from North America...

I disagree about 03x numbers at this time.

03x numbers are still new and not all networks abroad may connect to them at this moment.  This is not because of the cost as calls to 03 cost the same as calls to 01 and 02 but simply because it's a brand new number range that may not be enabled on all networks abroad.

bbb_uk wrote on Jan 12^th, 2008 at 1:25pm:

03x numbers are still new and not all networks abroad may connect to them at this moment.  This is not because of the cost as calls to 03 cost the same as calls to 01 and 02 but simply because it's a brand new number range that may not be enabled on all networks abroad.

And because the despicable slimeballs at Ofcom have failed to do anything to properly publicise the launch of this number range and its charging structure to overseas telecoms companies.

5 months is more than enough time for these teething troubles to be resolved.

NGMsGhost wrote on Jan 12^th, 2008 at 1:37pm:

...Ofcom have failed to do anything to properly publicise the launch of this number range and its charging structure to overseas telecoms companies...

I agree.

Thanks everyone.  When in North America I can use my Vodafone with worldwide roaming but this is very expensive to both send and receive calls.  My calls to my special 0870 number rarely last more than a couple of minutes and perhaps only one per week.

I also have a 'Pay as you go' cellphone with Cingular which has a Florida number.  I have never used it to phone the UK although my son borrowed it last April and did make calls back to the UK which were very reasonably cheap.  Should I contact Cingular?

Certainly 8 years ago there was very poor coverage in the States.  I remember back in 2001 I couldn't make calls on my Vodafone in Oshkosh Wisconsin but had to borrow a locals Cellphone that was with a company called Einstein.

Colin.

no5colin wrote on Jan 13^th, 2008 at 12:47am:

I also have a 'Pay as you go' cellphone with Cingular which has a Florida number.  I have never used it to phone the UK although my son borrowed it last April and did make calls back to the UK which were very reasonably cheap.  Should I contact Cingular?

It may well be cheaper to use the Cingular mobile than using your UK mobile to call a UK 0870.  If that is they connect the calls at all.

Whatever the rate is it will be far higher than to a normal uk landline starting 01 or 02.

You seem a litlle secretive about what exactly your "special" uk 0870 phone calls are for?

Rather than the Cingular tariff, you could use either callthough or callback services to make cheaper calls. Most US VoIP providers charge about the same or slightly more for +448 numbers than for UK mobiles. Most Betamax VoIP brands charge 10 eurocents for 0870, 0 or 1 cent US mobiles, both + 19% vat.