Our landline is Onetel, directly through the exchange, using a BT line.  I also use 1899, 18185, and occasionally 18866.  For roughly the past week, I cannot use any of the '18' numbers, as I cannot get past the 2nd digit of the city/town code.  For example, I live in Hereford, and would dial 1899 01432 267***. Now I get "The number you've dialled has not been recognised" as soon as I dial the '1' of the Hereford code.  This is also happening if I try to dial London, Leicester, Loughborough, Bristol, etc.    I have checked my accounts with all three '18' providers, and they are all up to date. Is anyone else also having this problem.  Many thanks.

I suggest the ever incompetent and dishonest TalkTalk who have acquired Onetel have forcibly transferred you on to one of their wholesale line rental packages without your permission but not told you.  Hence why you can't call 1899 etc.

What happens if you dial 150 or 151 on your phone.  Do you get BT or get TalkTalk or get a message telling you to dial your telephone service provider's customer service number (a sure sign you are no  longer a BT line rental customer).

If 150 no longer gets through to BT call BT on 0800 100150 and check if you are still one of their line rental customers or not.

cranhill wrote on May 22^nd, 2006 at 7:41am:


There is no OneTel any more of course.  Its all now part of the evil TalkTalk empire run by Mr Charles Dunstone and co.  So watch out they don't move you to their Wholesale Line Rental product without your permission.  Although Ofcom have previously ruled that TalkTalk can't do this without the permission of a customer they seem to go ahead and do it anyway sometimes.

On Broadband for a quality service provider with good speeds at all times and fantastic customer service why not consider www.newnet.co.uk who have a broadband service with a 2Gb data cap for £12.99 per month (with another and any subsequent 3Gb data blocks buyable for £2.70 if you need them) or with a 25Gb data cap for £18.99 per month.

Or see www.adslguide.org.uk/isps/summarylist.asp?order=tco8192k for more information on the cheapest 8Mbps ADSL Max broadband providers.  Whatever you do though avoid Prodigy Internet at all costs as they have a horrendous reputation.  The discussion forums at www.adslguide.org.uk give you more idea of what customers think of each broadband provider's service.

Paula,

What you say doesn't quite make sense to me as if you are still with BT for line rental you should be able to use 1899, 18866 etc even if your calls with no prefix are diverted automatically via the CPS system (which dials the Onetel code automatically in effect if you do not use another code like 1899).

Have you tried dialling 12801899 and then the number or 1280 and 18185 and then the number?  It suddenly occurs to me that tricky anti competitive bovver boys TalkTalk who own Onetel have blocked use of 1899, 18185 etc in some way using the CPS system or some new anti competitive change in how it works that the saps at Ofcom have agreed to.

If you dial 1280 then 1899 that forces the call to route to 1899 via BT so TalkTalk can't get in the way to stop the call.  It seems TalkTalk will stop at nothing to try to force customers to pay their high prices.  I suggest you cancel with TalkTalk by considering one of the cheap phone calls options listed at www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1095003038,99872,#alone

By the way have you checked the credit card you are using to pay 1899, 18185 etc to make sure they haven't been closed down due to you being issued with a replacement credit card with a new Expiry Date that you haven't updated on the 1899 website?  If that had happened then you would just not be able to use the service.

Quote:

NGM, believe me, I have tried everything, and all I get is the message that the number dialled has not been recognised, or words to that effect.  Regarding Onetel, I have been wanting to get rid of them for a long time, as I am not a fan of TalkTalk, and actually don't want to divert any business their way at all (this can happen if one of us forgets to dial 1899 or 18185).  This evening I was trying to get through to my daughter in Leicester for her birthday on both landline and mobile, and could only get through after dialling 14577 and then her number - I used them ages ago and am still in credit!  If I just dial direct, that is no problem at all, but obviously then I don't have the advantage of the cheap call providers.
I will look at the other sites that you have recommended - once again, many thanks.

a very nice man wrote on May 22^nd, 2006 at 8:47pm:


They do state clearly on their website under Contact Us ( www.newnet.co.uk/pop/ ) :-  "Telephone call charges - Call charges to 0870 and 0845 numbers will vary according to your telephone line provider. Users with BT lines will not pay more than 8p/minute for calls to 0870 and 4p/min for calls to 0845 numbers - less during evenings and at weekends. Please contact your telephone service provider to determine exact charges for these services."

So it seems like unlike some companies they have even applied the ASA ruling to their website content.

Anyhow the geographic alternatives for their two NGNs are both listed in this website's verified numbers database:-

NewNet    0870 0599599 =    01329 226724    ISP. Tech Support
NewNet    0845 6840845 =    01329 226722    ISP. Sales

Can you name me one uk ISP who does not use 0845 and/or 0870 numbers for their tech support line these days?  At least unlike sharks like Plusnet they have not deliberately blocked the NGN alternative.

I admit that using an NGN for their Sales number does seem a bit like an own goal although both the General Enquiries and Accounts departments do quote normal 01329 Geographic Numbers for some reason though.  I think you will find that it all has to do with the number of calls and type of call handling equipment used to handle Tech Support and Sales vs the other two.  If only those useless - Ofcom/OFTEL had invented normally price 03 NGNS 15 years 11 years ago!

Paula wrote on May 22^nd, 2006 at 9:32pm:
I reckon it's time to take a step back before moving on.

1. Phone 0800 800 150 and tell BT you'd 'like to come back'.  They should then write to you and tell you the date on which your calls will again start to be routed via BT (2 to 3 weeks is typical).  OneTel (in one of their guises) may also write (more likely they'll phone) to try to talk you out of leaving.  Make it very clear (they record calls) you are going back to BT and wish to leave them.

2. If you haven't already, register for online BT account management and, a day or so after your calls revert to them, make a call on BT (i.e. no prefix).  Check online the next day that the call is shown.

3. If, after reverting to BT, you are still getting the same problem using 1899, 1815 etc., report it as a fault to BT (151).

Heinz & NGM, my line is definitely rented from BT. When dialling 150, I get through to BT.  I have already told BT that I would 'like to come back' and have had letters from both BT and Onetel, one thanking me, and the other asking me if I really want to leave Onetel!  I am already registered for BT online account management and should be back with them within the next 10 days or so.

Have just looked at the Primus website, and remembered that 14577 is actually Primus Planet talk - their prepay carrier.  I will definitely explore their Saver 2 package, but only wish that I could dial a prefix instead of having it diverted at the exchange - any suggestions?  (Between husband and kids, they get so confused with sometimes having to dial prefixes and other times not to, I would rather train them to use different prefixes ALL the time - yes, I have put typed reminders at both telephones.)

Many thanks once again - this website is a lifeline when I am thinking of throwing PC, broadband and phones out the window!  I also have a good laugh at all the different topics and answers.