How can an 0845 number be charged at 30p per minute (I assume they mean from a BT line) as the Mail article alleges?
Also, aren't all revenue-sharing calls over 10p per min meant to be on 09 numbers regulated by ICSTIS?

Did OfCom really say:
Quote:
as reported?
Doesn't sound like OfCom!!

trevord wrote on Apr 16^th, 2006 at 2:25pm:


All 0845 numbers are charged at the same single peak daytime rate to BT Together customers and another single peak daytime rate to BT "Standard" rate customers who are in fact totally non standard and on its "Light User" scheme.  The only difference is that some 0845 numbers qualify for Friends and Family discount and others do not.  The other difference is in the Off Peak rates for 0845 which are violently more expensive than BT Option 1's 6p for 1 hour.

As to costing 30p per minute this can only be achieved on a Pay As You Go mobile phone as on a BT landline the most they will cost you are either 3p per minute in the day time on BT Standard and 4p per minute on BT Options 1, 2 and 3.   Of course if you call the 0845 number on BT Option 3 for 15 minutes and pay 45p that's still infinity percent more than if the call could have been made using an 01 or 02 number for free on BT Option 3.

These two women reportesr are clearly not clued up or informed like the Mail's two regular telecoms reporters (Sean Poulter and Dennis Rice) who know exactly what they are talking about.

Of course the cost of calling an 0845 number on a mobile with many providers compared to what the call would have cost to an 01/02 number is still a cause for massive outrage.  For instance on my Vodafone SmartStep tariff a 30 minute offpeak call to an 01/02 number will cost 15p but a 30 minute call to an 0845 number will be £3.00 or 1,900% more!

As to useless wasters, liars and permed hair do wearers Ofcom, who are apparently quoted as saying
Quote:

then why does the said entirely bloody useless, deceitful and hijacked regulatory organsiation not use its "backstop powers" under the Telecommunications Act 2003 to prevent telecoms providers such as BT from still listing 0845 numbers as being "Lo-Call" on every one of its phone bills.

Either Ofcom are totally incompetent (unlikely) or they are two faced liars and charlatans who are at the back of allowing all these scams to continue whilst pretending that they they actually care if a newspaper telephones them to get a quote.

derrick wrote on Apr 17^th, 2006 at 10:58am:
I agree derrick, it sounds as though the decimal point has been missed off - it would obviously explain the 30 (3.0p) as well.  Either that, or it they are referring to calls from mobiles!

"We can't be too mad at the authors - the article was written by two women, after all...      

(private joke) "

Be careful of what you say. They were inflating the size of the item for our benefit!
You ask any woman - size does matter

********  ALERT  ***********

**** TEMPORARY NAME CHANGE ****

*** A VERY NICE MAN IS TO BE FORMALLY KNOWN AS "MAD (YOU LOOKING AT ME?)RIP YOUR THROAT OUT, AXE MAN ***

*** THIS IS ONLY A TEMPORARY WHILE HE DEALS WITH OFCOM, GADDAFFI, BLAIR AND THE GIRLFRIEND'S MOTHER ***

(Second thoughts, we'll leave her mother out of this, I'd rather face Gaddaffi!)

Quote:

On a related topic, NGM, I've often wondered why you are Non-Geographical Man - which could imply you are in favour of non-geographical numbers - rather than Geographical Man!