Quote:

I raised this with them on 9th July as follows:

"You gave 0870 4299783 as the number to call from abroad.  Please note that 0870 numbers cannot normally be called from abroad and the same applies to most numbers starting 08.  For example, following the recent London bombings, there has been considerable condemnation in the press at the use of an 0870 number for the Central Casualty Bureau, as it cannot be dialled by friends and relatives of victims from outside the UK.  As a result, the Metropolitan Police have been forced to publish a normal 020 number.  Likewise, you will need to operate on a number starting 01 or 02 for it to be universally accessible."

Chislehurst Medical Practice declined to respond to this particular point.

Quote:

Chislehurst Medical Practice originally failed to provide information in response to either of my FOI questions (to reveal the underlying 020 number and to disclose how much revenue they receive from the 0844 number) until I requested an internal review. Following that, they told me they earn 2p/min from the 0844 number, but they said they did not know the underlying 020 number. They said that NEG provide the physical incoming line (so the practice does not receive a bill from BT showing the 020 number). I therefore suggested that they try dialling 17070 to hear the line’s number or alternatively dialling 1470 followed by a mobile number to see what number appears on the mobile’s display, but they will not even tell me whether they have tried this procedure. In any case, it relies on the NEG-provided line(s) having outgoing call capability, which may not be the case. The question therefore becomes one of whether the practice cannot or will not divulge the number. To date, I can only speculate on the answer to this important question. Without knowing whether the practice is capable of obtaining its underyling 020 number, I do not yet know whether it is appropriate to refer the matter to the Information Commissioner's office. Perhaps someone with knowledge of the NEG setup can advise.

Not wishing to appear negative, I would point out the obvious scenario that nobody has yet foreseen, and that is that the switchboard may now be using VOIP. 



Sorry to say but it seems like that's an obvious route to go, but it puts the kybosh on anyone wanting the underlying Geo number - it won't have one !!

Try looking for their domain IP address if it's fixed, which if info I have is correct, it should be.

Now all we need is a Telecoms engineer to assist us from here. Didn't we have one join us recently  ???

I escalated this to the Healthcare Commission for an independent review in October 2005, and a year later, I have just received the decision of this review (on 4 sides of A4).  The Healthcare Commission has unfortunately concluded that Chislehurst Medical Practice "is within its rights to operate the telephone system that it currently has", but it has also stated that the practice should "investigate whether the number it has advised for it to be contacted from abroad can be accessed" and that "if it is found that it is not possible to contact the practice from abroad, under the current system, it should consider implementing a way for patients abroad to contact it by telephone".  It would be very helpful if members of this board could give anecdotal examples of foreign networks (fixed line and mobile) from which UK 0844 numbers cannot be dialled.  If anyone can specifically test +44 844 477 8989 from networks abroad, that would be really helpful.

I also note that the CLID on outgoing calls from Chislehurst Medical Practice is their 0844 number.  Because of this whole issue, we switched GPs a few months ago, although with some reluctance given the friendliness and competence of one of the doctors in particular.

NFH wrote on Oct 21^st, 2006 at 7:26pm:
Ofcom's own NTS statement may provide some useful background regarding terminating calls to +44 844:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/nts_forward/statement/statement.pdf

4.50 As discussed in more detail in Annex 4, Ofcom has also obtained information from
BT and C&W (the two largest TCPs) on the proportions of incoming 084 and 087
traffic, which originates abroad. Based on this information, Ofcom estimates that
between 1.5% and 5.5% of 0845 and 0870 traffic originates abroad. BT told Ofcom
that it blocks almost all international inbound traffic to 0844 and 0871 numbers
because of concerns about fraud and C&W told Ofcom that they block some traffic
because historically there had been little demand for these ranges to be opened for
international access. It was not possible to estimate reliably the proportion of 0844
and 0871 calls that originate abroad because it is unclear whether BT and C&W are
typical in blocking international access to 0844 and 0871 numbers. If BT is typical it
would suggest that the vast majority of traffic is blocked. However, this hypothesis is
somewhat at odds with the results of the sample survey, which shows that 0871
numbers can be accessed from approximately 20% of foreign networks and C&W,
indicated that it only blocks some inbound traffic to 0844 and 0871 numbers.

Annex 4
4 International access to 0844 and 0871

A4.1 Some CPs and resellers believed that the 0844 and 0871 ranges would be a poor
substitute for some SPs migrating from the 0845 and 0870 ranges because those
ranges can not always be called from abroad. Views on the extent of international
access varied but there was general agreement that it is much more restricted than
for 0845 and 0870 which were generally thought to be accessible from most foreign
networks. Some CPs and resellers believed that 0844 and 0871 numbers can not
be accessed from abroad at all.

A4.9 BT told Ofcom that it blocks almost all inbound international calls to 0844 and 0871
numbers but not calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers because of concerns about fraud.
C&W said that it blocks some inbound international calls to 0844 and 0871 numbers
principally because demand had not been so high historically. Neither BT nor C&W
place any restriction on inbound calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers.

A4.10 Ofcom was unable to produce a reliable estimate of the proportion of 0844 and
0871 traffic that is originated abroad because it is unclear whether BT and C&W are
typical in blocking some/all international inbound traffic to 0844 and 0871 numbers
and because C&W was only able to provide an estimate for 0845 traffic. If BT is
typical it would suggest that the vast majority of traffic is blocked. However, this
hypothesis is somewhat at odds with the results of the sample survey which shows
that 0871 numbers can be accessed from approximately 20% of foreign networks
and C&W indicated that it only blocks some inbound traffic to 0844.