Dear All,

Ofcom have given us a unique opportunity for up to five members of the SayNoto0870 discussion forum to attend a Workshop to discuss consumer issues associated with Ofcom's Consultation Document - Number Translation Services: A Way Forward at their offices in London this Thursday 24th Nov between 3pm and 5pm.  There are currently still places available for members of this forum if anyone is interested?

Ofcom have made this invitation through me because I have previously chased them rather hard about the fact that although they have held a variety of focus group on NTS issues for employees of the telecoms companies they have not previously provided any such Focus Groups for the views of ordinary uk consumers or uk consumer organisations.

Somewhat foolishly I naturally assumed that a fairly good proportion of our top 25 or so posters in this forum would take up the invitations I have previously sent them by Private Message but it seems to turn out that many of you live in the far flung nether regions of the uk 200 or more miles from London and so the prospect of a whole day off work and a £50 return rail fare is not proving quite as enticing as I perhaps had expected it to be.

So if anyone reading this works in London and can get the rest of the afternoon off on Thursday or if there is even anyone reading this in a a far flung region of the uk who is prepared to make a 3 or 4 hours return journey each way and spend £50 or £60 on train fares to have an opportunity to tell Ofcom what you really think about their proposals to reform 084/7 numbers then this is your golden opportunity.

Anyone interested should either respond to this Private Message or email me at ngm@grenehurst.plus.com.  If you have not previously made many posts in the forum some information on who you are and why you think you would have useful opinions to express at this Workshop would also be very helpful.

Below are details of the invitation I received from Gareth Davies at Ofcom.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

NGM
 
-----Original Message-----  
From: Gareth Davies [mailto:Gareth.Davies@ofcom.org.uk]  
Sent: 10 November 2005 10:55  
Cc: Matt Peacock; Roger Lowry; Steven Davidson; Clive Hillier  
Subject: Invitation to Ofcom Workshop  
 
I write to invite you to an Ofcom workshop to discuss consumer issues in relation to our consultation document:  Number Translation Services: A way forward (28-09-05)  
 
The event will be hosted by Ofcom Partner Sean Williams at Ofcom on Thursday 24 November, 3.00 - 5.00 p.m..  The event is for consumer groups, NGOs, consumer activists and other interested parties, and we have reserved 5 places (out of around 30 in total) for people who post on the www.saynoto0870.com forum. I would appreciate it if you could ask on the forum if anyone else would be interested in attending.  We would very much like you to join us, and would appreciate it if you could confirm whether you are able to attend this event by contacting Thesla Breban (thesla.breban@ofcom.org.uk / 020 7981 3624) as soon as possible.  
 
If you are unable to attend and would like to nominate an alternative representative please let Thesla know the name and contact details of your nominee.  We look forward to seeing you at the workshop.    
 
Kind regards,  
 
Gareth Davies  
Director of Competition Policy  

*** Thread title edited by Dave ***

omy,

There seems to be a massively non South East theme to the SayNoTo0870 forum regulars apart from me!

Norfolk, Yorkshire, Liverpool, Blackpool, Chesire, Scotland.  Anywhere but the South East or even London it seems.

Does this perhaps mean that most people in the South East of England get so well paid that they don't have to worry about the cost of calling 0870?  Those well paid enough not to have to worry about the cost of 0870 calls of course seem to naturally include all of the senior management of Ofcom.  Which is why they don't seem to even begin to understand the problem.

omy wrote on Nov 22^nd, 2005 at 11:20am:

I have asked Daniel but no response so far.  Dave lives in Yorkshire and seems to think it is too far to come.

Anyway, from your knowledgeable posts over the last months, I am sure you could do the job of five men if required

Be with you in spirit, of course.

omy wrote on Nov 22^nd, 2005 at 11:39am:


I haven't asked Ofcom yet but suspect they might agree to such a request to pay travelling expenses.

It might make a difference to a number of the potential attendees looking at £50 or £60 train fare bills.  After all most members of this forum are rather inclined to watch the pennies.

With all the members on this site i for 1 would quite happily say two or three quid into a kitty to help a valued member from up north or south for that matter who has more knowledge than I to attend the offcom meeting.  If alot of members thought the same as I travelling expenses would then be sorted.

]]] Quote:


Sorry i did not think of the work issue as i am registered disabled and do not work any more that thought never crossed my mind

beginner wrote on Nov 24^th, 2005 at 7:24am:


I have a feeling MSE_Martin knows about today's meeting too.

For whatever reason it does not seem to suit the agenda of either Messrs - or Lewis to attend such meetings.