Quote:I complained to them about their use of 0870. They specifically stated that they "do not receive any income from the use of this number".
So, why is the number used? Any thoughts?
I suppose this could be a frequently asked question.
It all comes down to the fact that the telco originating the call, eg BT, TalkTalk, OneTel, is only allowed to keep a small amount to carry the call and must pass the rest to the terminating communications provider (TCP). The TCP is the telco providing the NGN.
This is the reason the cost of calling these numbers cannot fall, as TCPs require their cut. Thus, the caller is in effect subsidising the NGN by paying the TCP.
In some cases, TCPs share this revenue with the called party. Basically, the revenue sharing between the telcos and the terminating party is only the tip of the iceberg.