SAYNOTO0870.COM - MSE HAVE raised awareness of 0870 consultation!!!

dorf

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Re: MSE fail to raise awareness of 0870 consultati
Reply #15 - Nov 9^th, 2005 at 4:47pm

It has been extremely clear for some while that the reality is that Martin has gone cold on the whole business of fighting the NGN scam. He has for some reason done a complete "U" turn.

A year or so ago he was writing voraciously about how he was going to organise a collective MSE protest movement, with a number of key facets. He even set a date at one point. Then it was put off ..... and off ..... and off. Virtually all mention of campaigning against the scams then disappeared, although from time to time several people asked him what had happened and why the promised campaign was not occurring.

So I don't think you should hope for much in that direction. The mention in the MSE newsletter is probably about all there will be.

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omy

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Re: MSE fail to raise awareness of 0870 consultati
Reply #16 - Nov 10^th, 2005 at 7:39am

I,also remember Martin (MSE??) promising to take on 0870 numbers, and then reneging.
It seemed to coincide with when he became a 'TV star'. He was obviously told "Don't bite the hand that feeds you".
So much for independent journalism - as we have seen from the comments on this site, there is little evidence of that around anyway.

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andy9

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Re: MSE fail to raise awareness of 0870 consultati
Reply #17 - Nov 10^th, 2005 at 3:10pm

Quote:

It seemed to coincide with when he became a 'TV star'. He was obviously told "Don't bite the hand that feeds you".

It dosn't appear that obvious from what he said recently.

He sent this to hundreds of thousands of people

Quote:

The end is near for disgraceful 0870 numbers

0870 numbers hideously cost as much as eight times normal calls, even though they're called National Rate. Thankfully, communications industry regulator Ofcom revised original proposals to address consumers' concerns,

Perhaps the words disgraceful and hideously did not register with some people.

It is said also that this site is sponsored by him.

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omy

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Re: MSE fail to raise awareness of 0870 consultati
Reply #18 - Nov 10^th, 2005 at 3:32pm

But he is only saying this because, in his opinion, Ofcom are about to clear up the whole thing after their 'consultation - which we all know is rubbish.

Martin (MSE) must be sharp enough to understand this as well, so why (as dorf pointed out) did he prevaricate about a 'campaign'??

His was a perfect site to assist this campaign against covert premium numbers, disappointing he wouldn't do it.

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andy9

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Re: MSE fail to raise awareness of 0870 consultati
Reply #19 - Nov 10^th, 2005 at 3:54pm

I don't think we are entitled to prejudge what Ofcom's conclusions and actions will be. Perhaps there will be some overdue rather more widespread reconstruction of numbering systems, that lead to clearer understanding of charges.

As for Martin, he has informed all his email subscribers; it is prominently featured on a number of threads on his forum, including links to here by people who are members of both.

He is obviously very busy all the time, and as some people suggested to me after certain events, perhaps has become a victim of his own success and doesn't have enough time to devote to everything.

Certainly I thought his article about roaming abroad with your mobile would have benefitted from more research time; he did modify it with more information from some members, but not as much as suggested; you can save much more.

Perhaps he thinks he has done enough; or perhaps he too thinks that his average subscriber is of the low intelligence that people here have cliquishly suggested, and would not cope with the issues; perhaps he remembers other remarks ...

Or perhaps after bringing it back to attention in this newsletter, he will develop the issue more in the near future.

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« Last Edit: Nov 10^th, 2005 at 4:02pm by andy9 »

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idb

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Re: MSE fail to raise awareness of 0870 consultati
Reply #20 - Nov 10^th, 2005 at 4:01pm

Quote:

As for Martin, he has informed all his email subscribers; it is prominently featured on a number of threads on his forum, including links to here by people who are members of both.

He is obviously very busy all the time, and as some people suggested to me after certain events, perhaps has become a victim of his own success and doesn't have enough time to devote to everything.

He may well be busy however his site used to protest very strongly about the NGN abuse. The email sent out implies that, at last, Ofcom is addressing the issue and will provide a satisfactory conclusion. This may or may not be the case. The real failing, in my opinion, is that he failed to draw attention to the Ofcom consultation (which would only require the pasting of a couple of urls into the email), and given the huge circulation of this email, even if a small percentage of recipients responded, it would have been highly beneficial. Irrespective of one's views, I feel this is a wasted opportunity.

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andy9 Supreme Member Offline Posts: 505	Re: MSE fail to raise awareness of 0870 consultati Reply #21 - Nov 10^th, 2005 at 4:04pm I think you are probably right. However, I've just edited my last sentence in to hope that there is more to come
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idb

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Re: MSE fail to raise awareness of 0870 consultati
Reply #22 - Nov 10^th, 2005 at 4:11pm

Quote:

However, I've just edited my last sentence in to hope that there is more to come

Let's hope so. Perhaps unfair to criticize him from afar, and I acknowledge that his resource does a lot of good. From the NGN perspective, he is one person who can make a real difference. Whilst some of us here chip away at certain bodies and specific subjects according to our particular interests and varied areas of expertise, the MSE has real clout together with respect for his journalistic abilities and awareness of key issues - clout that I suspect we really don't have!

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« Last Edit: Nov 14^th, 2005 at 5:28pm by idb »

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gdh82 Full Member Offline Posts: 226	Re: MSE may yet raise awareness of 0870 consultn?? Reply #23 - Nov 10^th, 2005 at 4:39pm In keeping with this optimisim, I've amended the title of this thread. Having received two PMs from MSE Martin yesterday I've yet to receive a reply from my third PM but you never know.... my fingers are crossed anyway!
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beginner

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Re: MSE may yet raise awareness of 0870 consultn??
Reply #24 - Nov 10^th, 2005 at 7:46pm

Time is getting short for MSE to get involved. he has been ducking the issue for such a long time that I cannot see him doing something before the deadline, I agree with others who say he does not WANT to become involved (for whatever reason).
But I reckon his site will claim it was them if anything does get done!

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Shiggaddi

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Re: MSE may yet raise awareness of 0870 consultn??
Reply #25 - Nov 10^th, 2005 at 9:18pm

I think Martin does have ample time to include it in his next weekly e-mail.

The deadline isn't until the 6th December, which is just under a month away.

Now that he's been contacted by gdh82, I'm sure he'll make a more fuller feature in his next article, and ask people to respond to Ofcom.

Some people said about him being muted in his campaigns because of his TV appearances. He didn't back down over his campaign for no finance adverts in front of kids on TV. This was a campaign which ITV wouldn't have liked. I think he works for both ITV and BBC.

On this site, we're focusing on 0870 issues. On the MSE site, he's focusing on all sorts of consumer issues, and how big companies try and fleece those who are not wary, and he can't be an expert on every issue.

Now that he's been told about the OFCOM consultation, and has already been in touch with gdh82, he can hopefully give the issue more airing next week.

It was thanks to his site, that I got a cheaper deal with my car breakdown insurance, from a company that uses ONLY geo numbers I might add!!

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I realy hait itt wen peeple canot spel proply. Itt getts onn mye nervs sew mutch annd streses mee owt. Knot onley iz itt vary bade speling butt allso bade gramer.

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omy

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Re: MSE may yet raise awareness of 0870 consultn??
Reply #26 - Nov 11^th, 2005 at 10:04am

Yes, I hope he does chamge his mind, but I'm not hopeful. his last email did give the distinct impression that the Ofcom proposals will solve everything, and gave the feeling that we need do nothing (replying to the consultation never even mentioned!) and all will be 'put right' by the regulator.

If he REALLY feels this way he is living in cloud cuckoo land - I still get the feeling there are other reasons behind his prevarication.

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dorf Supreme Member Offline I hate Qs on Premium NGNs Posts: 575 UK Gender:	Re: MSE may yet raise awareness of 0870 consultn?? Reply #27 - Nov 11^th, 2005 at 2:13pm I agree with you omy. I sense that there are reasons that he has done a "U" turn.
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NonGeographicalMan

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Re: MSE fail to raise awareness of 0870 consultati
Reply #28 - Nov 15^th, 2005 at 5:58pm

andy9 wrote on Nov 10^th, 2005 at 3:54pm:

I don't think we are entitled to prejudge what Ofcom's conclusions and actions will be. Perhaps there will be some overdue rather more widespread reconstruction of numbering systems, that lead to clearer understanding of charges.

As for Martin, he has informed all his email subscribers; it is prominently featured on a number of threads on his forum, including links to here by people who are members of both.

He is obviously very busy all the time, and as some people suggested to me after certain events, perhaps has become a victim of his own success and doesn't have enough time to devote to everything.

Certainly I thought his article about roaming abroad with your mobile would have benefitted from more research time; he did modify it with more information from some members, but not as much as suggested; you can save much more.

Perhaps he thinks he has done enough; or perhaps he too thinks that his average subscriber is of the low intelligence that people here have cliquishly suggested, and would not cope with the issues; perhaps he remembers other remarks ...

Or perhaps after bringing it back to attention in this newsletter, he will develop the issue more in the near future.

The key point which most people in this thread seems to miss is that Ofcom now propose to retain 0845 numbers, which Ofcom encouraged the COI to get government departments to switch to from 0870, as a revenue share number excluded from BT Option 3 etc for about the next 3 to 4 years (i.e. at least 2 years longer than 0870 which are not themselves going to change for at least 21 months - that's 1 year from the date when Ofcom announces the clock starts ticking which is sure to be way into 2006). Also Ofcom proposals do not stop the ever increasing percentage of calls made from mobile numbers to 0845 and 0870 continuing to charge them as a premium rate call class. Of course if revenue share is ended then there should be no incentive at all for them to go on doing this but as the mobile phone companies operate in a cartel like manner, in respect of many business practices, the fact is that they will do it if they think they can get away with it and Ofcom allows them to.

So Ofcom's proposals are wholly deficient as most people in this forum well know (also allowing 0871 and 0844 to not be forced to move to 09 is a wholly deficient proposal) but Martin Lewis now portrays Ofcom as the heroes who have decided off their own bat to do sometihing. Whereas they and their predecessor siblings OFTEL are in fact the villains who have allowed this scam to continue for years longer than it needed to and only virtually at the point of a gun are Ofcom now actually doing the minimum they think they can possibly get away with so as not to upset all their telco friends too much.

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« Last Edit: Nov 16^th, 2005 at 9:26pm by Dave »

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dorf

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Re: MSE may yet raise awareness of 0870 consultn??
Reply #29 - Nov 15^th, 2005 at 7:17pm

NGM, I do understand that : "... absolutely key to such an appointment that one should not appear to be too militant or hostile to Ofcom telecoms consumer." Only a representative of a telco surely would be hostile to the "Ofcom telecoms consumer"? I can't see how Martin Lewis would be hostile to the Ofcom telecoms consumer, since he always takes the stance of saving consumers money.

In any case what is the or an "Ofcom telecoms consumer"?

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