The technology exists to have a fair queueing system when calling a number, before accepting to be placed in a queue you are given your position in that queue.
"You are being placed in a queue there are ## people before you". then every so often a message saying how our place is progressing.
Its in use in Holland and voluntarily by some companies in UK.
I think companies with queuing systems should be forced to use it then its our decision if we wait on or not or try later.
No more endless waiting in the unknown

Hi AJR,

I am afraid that I do not agree at all! Why should a Premium be charged to speak to a real Human Being? That is what the telephone was originally invented for!

Ordinary conversation on the telephone is not an added value service. It is a normal telephone call. I do not accept that a Premium should be charged unless there is a true added-value service provided, which the caller actually wants to purchase; and even then it should not be permissible for a Premium to be charged until the receiving subscriber has specifically confirmed that they wish to pay for it, by means of a PIN or something like that, which would stop the scams with reverse charge calls, unwanted Premium text messages and Trojan Diallers etc. That is the normal legal basis of purchase.

You would not accept being charged for goods just because you entered a shop and browsed them - would you? The current situation with telephone scams is identical to that absurdity, but most people have been hoodwinked into not seeing it for what it is.

I'm with dorf on this one - a telephone call to another person has no 'added value' in the vast majority of cases, so why should we all pay this extra premium?
As my submission to Ofcom said, only the total removal of 0870/0845 with all premium calls going to 09 will be satisfactory.

I think, AJR, that dorf was meaning the 0870 rate is a Premium charge rate, so when you are connected to the human you are still going to be charged the covert premium rate of 8p or more per min).

I thought it looked pretty clear that AJR was suggesting time spent in the queue was not chargeable to the caller, and once answered they were paying for the call.

No mention was made of premium rate or not, or what type of number might be used.

Perhaps if a new 08 prefix was used, and once connected, calls cost 1 or 2p per minute, few people would complain (only 18866 etc customers?)

Yes, Shiggaddi, I remember them well! Button A and B in call boxes - bring it all back. Calls were 2d each for 3mins and this was MUCH more expensive, comparatively, than now, so maybe I don't want to go back!!

Andy9, I used the term 'premium' in my first post as 'premium rate' is how BT refers to 0870 call charges.

I would be OK with your idea of no charge for waiting then 1p/2p once speaking to someone - but pigs might fly as well

Looking back I think I should have placed this original post in a different category.
My idea of a fair queueing system should be for all queues. Not just 0870 or 0845 numbers.
I think that where ever we are paying for a call we should have a right to know our place in the queue so we can make an informed decision as to wether we are willing to wait that long or not.
I've waited 30 minutes without a connection before now with the dillema of should I stay, maybe it will answer soon or shall I quit and accept the loss I already made.
My god thats soo frustrating and so very wrong

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I hope we realised that. In fact my ISP has been doing this as long as I can remember - certainly on its present phone company anyway - whether you ring on 0845 or 0207