I emailed which a week or so ago suggesting that they take up the cudgels against NGNs I am posting the reply which seems hopeful Here it is:
I'm glad you have contacted us with your comments about non-geographical phone numbers.

We have commented on the use of 0845 and 0870 numbers in the magazine previously, highlighting how some phone companies often charge slightly more for non-geographic local rate and national rate calls than those using an equivalent geographic code, and that many of us are unaware of this.  Phone companies can decide how much to charge for each type of call within certain limits.

The National Telephone Numbering Plan defines a Local Rate as "an indication that the price for the call is equivalent to the rate for a Local call as set by the relevant Originating Communications Provider, where such a rate exists".  A local call is defined as a "call made from one geographic number to another geographic number within a limited geographic range".

You are right to say that the revenue from such calls is sometimes shared between phone providers and the company being called.  0870 numbers are generally revenue generating and 0845 numbers can be.  The ability for the company to create revenue generation from these numbers id determined by the volume of call minutes used on the services.    Your comment that callers are paying the company called as well as the communications carrier is likely to be valid for 0870 numbers and maybe valid for 0845 numbers where revenue for the company may also generated.  However, in the case of 0845 numbers, usually the caller is not paying more that they should if they had made a local call.  In theory and usual practice, local rate calls are the cheapest rate to all customers (other than free) that a company can provide.

When these numbers were first introduced, there were not the large number of alternatives to BT offering cheap calls.  This meant that all customers paid the same for a call, irrespective of where they were dialling from. 

We have several 0845 numbers that we use for connection to our customer service centre, and we do not presently generate revenue from these.  We actively encourage our membership to call us and an 0845 number is a convenient way for us to be accessible to all of our customers without penalising, in terms of telephone charges, those who live at a distance from our offices.  We do, of course, appreciate that some members have special rates with their telephone companies and we are very happy to provide them with a telephone number with a geographical dialling code.  For your reference, this is 01992 822800 and this number is quoted within the magazine and on our website.

The points you raise are clearly very pertinent and I have passed them onto the researcher dealing with this subject, so that they can feed into our ongoing research on this issue.

May I take this opportunity to thank you for your longstanding support of Which?

Regards,

Diane Hacker
Which?

Yes Reggie,

I contacted "Which"/CA about these over 1 year ago. At that time they stated that they were about to look into and report on the abuse of these, which is what prompted me to write to them. I gave them all my findings at that time. Clearly they never did anything more about it, since they have got on the bandwagon themselves using at least 0845 numbers.

I think their reply really demonstrates that so many people just do not understand the full implications of this scam. They still relate everything to BT's rates and think that these call charges are therefore not expensive. What you have to explain to them in simple terms which they can understand is the difference in the cost between an hour long call (including queueing) made at peak time, via BT and via 18866. The hour long call with 18866 of course costs only 1 p. The BT call costs a small fortune by comparison!!

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OK, so they haven't adopted DVLA's flawed argument.

The point is their e-mail reply to reggie still included that  "..... an 0845 number is a convenient way for us to be accessible to all of our customers without penalising, in terms of telephone charges, those who live at a distance from our offices" flawed argument more than 3 months after it became flawed.  For an organisation such as the Consumers' Association not to be aware of the 1/7/04 change is amazing.

I wonder what changes they'll make?

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I doubt that they'll make any because as I already pointed out
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so what are you still moaning about ! 

Just for , try the following numbers taken from the range of 01992 822800 - 899, which would seem to be part of their exchange system.

Phone: 01992 822804, 806, 808, 816, 817, 818, 819, 823, 825, 830, 842, 844, 864, 881, 882.
Faxes were found on 01992 822832, 834, 837, 838, 839.
Other Which? numbers are already listed in our database.

Dont ask me which? departments these are for (sorry !!)   

I failed to see your 'moaning' either, Heinz.
But when his 'red-mist' descends DaveM cannot help offending anyone in sight/ on site?.

I would like to see WHICH have an explanatory article, about their number & NGN so that people would know which method would cost them less - and maybe start to question the whole setup, as we do here!