Whilst I agree with the points about the ASA, I'll leave that to others as the ASA is essentially a UK-centric organization. It may well be that I can lodge a complaint, however I suspect it would be better placed if such a complaint came from a resident.

idb wrote on Feb 8^th, 2006 at 2:25am:


I don't see that they can stipulate where you live.

The only requirement is that you have read the publication and been misled by it.

The ASA are very methodical and organised in always responding properly to any communication.   If they can't accept your complaint they will write to tell you.

Why not give it a go.

idb wrote on Feb 8^th, 2006 at 2:49am:


Post 1 on Page 1 of this thread refers to Posters, which would come within the ASA's jurisdiction for Complaints.  But I suppose we would need the person starting this thread to tell us where those Posters are published or what form they take to make a valid complaint the ASA can follow up.

I'm beginning to wonder if the reason the ASA reply by post to complaints filed on their website is so that they can sniff out the uk non residents?

idb wrote on Feb 8^th, 2006 at 2:49am:



It has appeared in print
As I mentioned in a previous post, this has been printed in Northants Police Home Beat publication which is distributed to homes in Northamptonshire. See http://www.northants.police.uk/pages/homebeat/Jan06_Page1.pdf for a copy of January's front page.
It's printed by Intermedia Corporate Services Ltd. with Milton Keynes phone number.
I kept hold of a copy precisely because this new number was front page splash. I normally put it in the bin TBH.

BTW, I got a reply by email from one member of the Police Authority. He says he'll relay a response to me when he puts the points to the police.

The original geo number which no one has mentioned yet is Northampton 01604 700700
or Wellingborough 01933 440333
Corby 01536 400400
Daventry 01327 300300
Kettering 01536 411411 all answered in the same contact centre as far as I can gather.

sixpence wrote on Feb 10^th, 2006 at 1:23am:


That's why we pay a large chunk of our council tax to the police authority. Precisely so they can provide a service. Mobile termination charges are as evil as non-geographic numbers in my opinion. Two wrongs don't = right.

To find out for sure where the revenue goes would mean a FOI request. you may even find that it is their telecom supplier that is taking all the revenue.


sixpence wrote on Feb 10^th, 2006 at 1:23am:


Simply by programming the appropriate telephone exchanges to route the calls in a certain way.
Exactly the same way as multiple Non-Geographic numbers are answered in single or multiple locations. It's a myth that geo numbers are inflexible created by the telephone carriers most likely simply because it's not as lucrative for them as Geo numbers.

It's as simple as me signing up for a VOIP service & having multiple geographic numbers in multiple locations or even countries. Telephone numbers do not have to physically exist. They can simply exist in software on a telephone exchange which may be programmed to handle calls to that number in many ways.

saynonto0871 wrote on Feb 11^th, 2006 at 1:42pm:


Surely since the telecoms service running the number make a profit on every call receive and/or pass some of that profit on to Northamptonshire Police the item in the newsletter does in fact constitute an advertisement.

Say you are not happy with their decision and ask what their escalation procedure is at the ASA for reviewing the way they have interpreted your complaint.

saynonto0871 wrote on Feb 11^th, 2006 at 6:03pm:


It seems the Chief Constable of Northants Police is Smart by name but not by nature.

And Windsor Telecom are some of the biggest rogues unhung in the NGN industry!  How did a Police force end up in bed with them.