A relative is currently in hospital for a medium length stay and as we live hundreds of miles away it is not easy for us to visit frequently so yesterday I used the bedside phone to speak to her. This turns out to be a premium rate number beginning with 0704. Does anyone know whether there is a way around paying the min 50p per minute charge (from a BT landline and considerably more from a mobile) please? Is there an alternative geographical number? http://www.saynoto0870.com/forum/Templates/Forum/yabb21/angry.gif

Without being pedantic, why not get your relative a cheap mobile phone and phone on that. ;)

Dixiepeach wrote on Oct 12^th, 2013 at 10:09am:

A relative is currently in hospital for a medium length stay and as we live hundreds of miles away it is not easy for us to visit frequently so yesterday I used the bedside phone to speak to her. This turns out to be a premium rate number beginning with 0704. Does anyone know whether there is a way around paying the min 50p per minute charge (from a BT landline and considerably more from a mobile) please? Is there an alternative geographical number? http://www.saynoto0870.com/forum/Templates/Forum/yabb21/angry.gif

Welcome to SayNoTo0870

In short, no there is not... Because that's how the system is paid for. By caller's ringing the expensive 07 numbers.

The system is likely to be provided by Hospedia.

I would suggest what sherbert has suggested and find a way to get them a budget mobile phone that you can call them on.

Sorry but that's most likely the best method.

No, you won't get around the premium charge.

There are quite a few small mobile providers out there that offer pay as you go SIMs with free calls to others with the same provider.

giffgaff and White Mobile are to such examples. I did start compiling a list of mobile operators but it's not been finished because there's so many!

Dave wrote on Oct 17^th, 2013 at 2:58pm:

There are quite a few small mobile providers out there that offer pay as you go SIMs with free calls to others with the same provider. giffgaff and White Mobile are to such examples.

I keep a spare basic mobile phone with a Giffgaff SIM in it in my car for emergencies.

It would be ideal for just such a hospital use BUT calls to it are only free from another Giffgaff mobile if that other mobile has added credit in the preceeding 3 months.

Heinz wrote on Oct 18^th, 2013 at 7:30am:

It would be ideal for just such a hospital use BUT calls to it are only free from another Giffgaff mobile if that other mobile has added credit in the preceeding 3 months.

Do other operators that offer free on-net calls impose such a restriction?

There are plenty of small operators to choose from.

("On-net calls" are calls to other customers of that operator.)

Dave wrote on Oct 18^th, 2013 at 7:44am:

Heinz wrote on Oct 18th, 2013 at 7:30am: It would be ideal for just such a hospital use BUT calls to it are only free from another Giffgaff mobile if that other mobile has added credit in the preceeding 3 months. Do other operators that offer free on-net calls impose such a restriction? There are plenty of small operators to choose from. ("On-net calls" are calls to other customers of that operator.)

Vectone dont http://www.vectonemobile.co.uk/pay-as-you-go/offers/Free-Calls-And-Texts.aspx

Unlimited minutes’ are subject to a fair-use policy of 3000 minutes per month.‘Unlimited texts’ are subject to a fair-use policy of 3000 texts per month.

Vodafone Family is another product that could be used in this sort of scenario.  http://www.vodafone.co.uk/discover-vodafone/extras/vodafone-family/

bigjohn wrote on Oct 19^th, 2013 at 2:46am:

Vodafone Family is another product that could be used in this sort of scenario.  http://www.vodafone.co.uk/discover-vodafone/extras/vodafone-family/

There is also O2 Family or O2 Unlimited PAYG which offers unlimited calls & texts to other o2 mobiles for a month for £15 topup and you also get to spend the £15 topup as well.

"Hospedia spokewoman Charlotte Collins said: "Ofcom wish to phase out 070. So we will therefore be moving off 070 over the next few years as new numbering systems become available.

http://www.scunthorpetelegraph.co.uk/Cheaper-calls-hospital/story-23196107-detail/story.html

I think that this site putting pressure on Hospitals to publish proper numbers might help.

Start with a data protection request for the hospital for the income they received from the Hosmedia service (many lose money from it).

Then a letter to the Chief Exec asking them to reconsider using this awful service, and replace it with a VOIP system.  A member of my family is in a care home and that is what they use.  No expensive calls showing on my bill.

Buying a £15 disposable mobile is not often a solution for the elderly who have trouble with them.

Assuming the patient's phone doesn't go through a PABX of some sort, dial 1470 17070 from it and see what number it reports back. (If it's not a BT line it's a geographic number, which escapes me for the moment).

You can always complain directly here: http://www.hospedia.co.uk/patients-section-hospedia-complaints-46.html

I did read somewhere that Ofcom want to abolish they 070 numbers (this is recently) and Hospedia were looking at another alternative.

The other option is to ask the hospital if you can ring the ward (at a suitable time) and check on the progress of the patient.