a very nice man wrote on May 12^th, 2006 at 3:21pm:


Because with 18185 I don't pay if the call is not answered and I don't pay for non connection etc due to unreliable technology etc.  Also I have to remember the PhoneCheap number and the deal will only last for another 2 or 3 weeks before it goes back to 10p per minute.

At least 18185 is consistently cheap for mobiles plus also you get call itemisation which you do not get with these other services.  Plus of course the PostOffice HomePhone tries to stop me calling the PhoneCheap number directly by playing unobtainable and only if I add the 1280 prefix do I get through to PhoneCheap at all at a price unknown till I get my first HomePhone phone bill.

firestop wrote on May 12^th, 2006 at 6:45pm:


Because different 0844 number ranges are banded at different price levels.  You have to change the 0844 number to charge a different price for the sae service from day to day.  18185 can change the price without changing the prefix dialled although they rarely change the price as it happens.

My experience of Dialthrough number is that unless they are much cheaper than 1899/18185 (as is often the case for Spanish mobiles where Dialaround can be charging 7p per minute and 1899/18185 20p per minute) and you know you are going to be making a long call they don't save you anything because of all the wasted connection charge fees, including occasions when the number called is not available.  Plus also the lack of subsequent itemisation of where you called as well.

So hence why I prefer 18185 unless a Dialthrough is much cheaper.  18185 is cheapest all ways round for unavoidable 0870s of course.

jaydog wrote on May 15^th, 2006 at 12:11pm:


I wasn't at home so didn't make any calls with them yesterday but such occasional temporary faults with Finarea's various indirect access call services have happened before in the past.

As they only have very limited manpower it usually does take a day or two for such problems to get fixed on those occasions when they happen.

I have been getting a lot more problem with call echo (my own voice echoing back at me) on some calls with Finarea indirect access services in recent months so it does seem like the quality of their service is currently deteriorating.  As they fail to belong to one of Ofcom's Alternate Dispute Resultion Schemes (ADRs) and ignore complaints filed on their website (they send a standard email that just says that most problems usually go away in time) there is nothng more that one can do about this.

Hi Kiwi, look at my post - 'Is Onetel blocking 1899/18866/18185?'
Seems like your and my problems are identical, but mine has not gone away.  Are you still having problems?  Have you had any response from 1899 or 18185?