My Bank The First Trust ( Part of The Ailed Irish group ) has switched to an 0845 no. for my branch & every other branch  , now I used to be able to call it free from my free calls on my mobile or via my 24/7 call package, now its a non regional No so is not included & must be paid for , as my branch is in a suburb of Belfast I can see no need for this as who is going to be calling them from outside the local area or at best from out said the city , I would wager that 90% of their account holders at that Branch live with in a 2 -3 mile radius of the branch.
To me this is the most blatant example of trying to earn money from telecommunication yet , I could see their National enquiry lines point in changing to an 0845 No but a local branch will more than likely always only have customers from with in that city  

Have to disagree a bit with you. When someone opens an account with a bank and then moves house, there is no reason for the customer to keep changing their branch, indeed I opened my account 40 years ago and have never been back to the branch which is over 30 miles away. My local branch is more than adequate as is the on line facility. Why would I or anyone need to? Everything is centralised and very little if anything of the customer, is held at branch level, (except perhaps documents held in the local strong rooms.)

Of course what should happen is that every local branch should have their own geo number but I would dispute your theory that 90% of their account holders at that Branch live with in a 2 -3 mile radius of the branch. I wager the reverse is probably correct.

I'd still beg to differ sherbert & I'd say you would be the exception to the rule & up to Nov the Branch had a standard Belfast STD No. starting 02890 & each branch still has its own number but they are all 0845 prefix now, BTW cool avatar  ;)

Whether a customer lives 'locally' to their bank is irrelevant anyway.  A call to any 01 or 02 number in the UK costs the same from wherever you're dialling (it costs the same to call a Belfast number from Belfast as it does to call a Belfast number from Glasgow or Dover).

Hence, there's no need to use an 084/087 number.

Heinz wrote on Jan 24^th, 2008 at 2:09pm:

Whether a customer lives 'locally' to their bank is irrelevant anyway.  A call to any 01 or 02 number in the UK costs the same from wherever you're dialling (it costs the same to call Belfast number from Belfast as it does to call a Belfast number from Glasgow or Dover). Hence, there's no need to use an 084/087 number.

So my Original point is correct its a "Blatant Money Making Exercise "

Heinz wrote on Jan 24^th, 2008 at 2:09pm:

Whether a customer lives 'locally' to their bank is irrelevant anyway.  A call to any 01 or 02 number in the UK costs the same from wherever you're dialling (it costs the same to call Belfast number from Belfast as it does to call a Belfast number from Glasgow or Dover).

Indeed, you seem to believe the myth about local calls. You find me a provider which charges more for national calls and I'll put you in touch with a poor plumber!

BT Together changed to one local/national rate in 2003 and it makes no sense to suggest that any [smaller] competitor telco would start to charge different rates.

Why does a bank need a 08 number?
Because calls are all routed through a call centre (possibly 24/7) where staff have exactly the same information as is available at the branch, including the manager's appointment diary.
(They do not however know whether it is raining, or what colour eyeshadow the pretty girl on the enquiry desk is wearing today).

Why can I not speak to someone at the branch?
The call centre may be able to put you through, if it is necessary.

Why does the call centre need a non-geographic number?
Because it could be anywhere in the world.

Why is it not a 03 number?
THAT IS THE QUESTION - The previous answers were only guesses.


May I respectfully suggest corrections to a previous posting?


Heinz wrote on Jan 24^th, 2008 at 2:09pm:

A call to any 01 or 02 or 03 number in the UK costs the same from wherever you're dialling (it costs the same to call a Belfast number from Belfast as it does to call a Glasgow or Dover or (perhaps) Bangalore number from Belfast).