GENERAL BACKGROUND
We answer your questions below. We wonder whether you may have misunderstood the telecommunications facilities provided to students of the University. We suspect that your belief is that the University had fixed geographic numbers for all of its student lines but then “overlayed” 0870 numbers as a way of generating income for the University. This is, of course, the way many organisations use 0870 numbers but this is not the case for the University, as we trust our answers below will make clear.

YOUR SPECIFIC REQUESTS
Q1: WHAT ARE THE EQUIVALENT GEOGRAPHIC NUMBERS (I.E. OVERLAY NUMBERS) FOR ALL SERVICES THAT CURRENTLY OPERATE USING 0870 NUMBERS. IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT ROOM NUMBERS, RATHER HOW AN 0870 XXX XXXX NUMBER IS TRANSLATEED TO AN 01 OR 02 GEOGRAPHIC EQUIVALENT.

The University does not hold this information because the provision of 0870 numbers as direct line numbers for students is part of a general telecoms package under which the University has made arrangements for facilities to be available to students.

Q2: WHY DID THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM INTRODUCE 0870 NUMBERS FOR HALLS OF RESIDENCE/STUDENT ACCOMODATIONS? PLEASE PROVIDE ANY SUPPORTING INFORMATION, FOR EXAMPLE, MEETING NOTES ETC.

In order to improve facilities for students the University made a decision in about 1997 to use an external telecommunications service provider to supply telecommunications services to its students.  The numbers used are the responsibility of the telecommunications service provider (ntl Midlands Limited) and not the University.

Q3: HOW MUCH REVENUE/REBATE DOES THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM RECEIVE FROM THE USE OF NON-GEOGRAPHIC NUMBERS?

The University does not hold this information.

Had the University simply set up 0870 numbers as an income generating-means then we could understand your request and provide information. However, in this particular case, the University has entered into a general telecommunication services contract with a service provider in which the University secured high quality telecommunications facilities and services for students as part of an overall package.

The University’s main concern is that it should not cost students to receive telephone calls and that the student telephone architecture should allow students to make calls “internally” at no cost in addition.

Although your request does not address the following specific point, we are providing this to you to assist you in seeking answers to your questions. We can tell you that the University contracted with Diamond Cable Communications (UK) Limited (now known as ntl Midlands Limited) in 1997 to provide telephones and data links in private study rooms for students. Pricing and other operational information under that contract is classed as confidential information. Accordingly, even if we did hold the type of information that you have requested, we would not be able to supply it to you without being liable to ntl for breach of confidence. Accordingly, we would be bound to refuse any request that you might make for more detailed information under the exemption provided for in section 41 of the Act.

Q4: WHICH COMPANY SUPPLIES THE NON-GEOGRAPHIC NUMBERS.

NTL Midlands Limited provides telecommunications services to students.

Q5: IS THE UNIVERSITY FULLY AWARE OF THE DIFFICULTIES EXPERIENCED BY OVERSEAS CALLERS ATTEMPTING TO DIAL NON-GEOGRAPHIC NUMBERS AND THE INCREASED COSTS FACED BY UK CALLERS IN CONTACTING THESE NUMBERS? IF SO, WHY DOES THE UNIVERSITY PERSIST WITH SUCH TELEPHONE NUMBERS.

The University was not aware of these issues and would like to thank you for bringing them to its attention. We have now  drawn this to the attention of ntl.

We know that you have already raised the issue with Ofcom. You might also be interested in considering the website of the International Telecommunication Union at http://www.itu.int/home/index.html.

Q6: THE USE OF 0870 NUMBERS FOR PUBLIC ENQUIRIES CONTRAVENES THE GOVERNMENT’S OWN ADVICE REGARDING THE OPERATION OF PUBLIC SERVICES (SOURCE: COI HTTP://WWW.COI.GOV.UK/CCG/DOWNLOAD.PHP “COST TO CITIZENT” UPDATE). WHY IS THE COI’S ADVICE BEING IGNORED IN THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM, AS A PUBLIC BODY, CONTINUES TO OPERATE 0870 NUMBERS? HAS THE COI ADVICE BEEN CONSIDERED AND IF IT HAS, PLEASE PROVIDE MEETING MINUTES AND ANY OTHER SUPPORTING INFORMATION THAT RELATES TO THIS ISSUE.

The University does not use 0870 as contact numbers for the University itself. We attach a print from the “Useful Contact Information” page on the University’s website at http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/contacting/useful-contacts.phtml. You will see that the numbers listed are geographic numbers.

The numbers to which you refer are for use as direct line numbers for students and not for contact numbers for the University and so the University does not hold information of the type that you have requested.

In addition, the University does not consider that the guidance to which you refer is relevant in the circumstances to which your questions relate.