SAYNOTO0870.COM - i wish to set up a FAIR 0845 number, suggestions?

bbb_uk Global Moderator Offline Posts: 2,041	Re: i wish to set up a FAIR 0845 number, suggestio Reply #15 - Aug 23^rd, 2006 at 5:52pm Anynow, I hope this has helped Jason and if you have any other questions/queries, please feel free to post them.
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jasonc310771 Newbie Offline Posts: 6	Re: i wish to set up a FAIR 0845 number, suggestio Reply #16 - Aug 23^rd, 2006 at 6:15pm also just wanted to add that i will have both my landline and the 0845 number, so callers can decide what number to call depending on the cost they incur, or might incur (if they have free minutes to call an 02 or 01 number.
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Tanllan

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Re: i wish to set up a FAIR 0845 number, suggestio
Reply #17 - Aug 23^rd, 2006 at 6:41pm

Good idea, but whatever tariff they use 0845 will ALWAYS be more expensive to/for them, even if more (much more) profitable to your telecoms company or supplier.
The optimum combination is to show an 0800 or 0808 number and a normal geographic number. Landlines can call 080X (there are several inexpensive suppliers for you - others on this site will probably advise) without charge and mobile users can use the geographic (01/02) number.
Good Luck - and thank you for asking first and not falling for the lies.
PS - there is no such thing as a fair 0845 number.

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bbb_uk

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Re: i wish to set up a FAIR 0845 number, suggestio
Reply #18 - Aug 23^rd, 2006 at 6:55pm

jasonc310771 wrote on Aug 23^rd, 2006 at 6:15pm:

also just wanted to add that i will have both my landline and the 0845 number, so callers can decide what number to call depending on the cost they incur, or might incur (if they have free minutes to call an 02 or 01 number.

It is fairer but the problem is that some people still believe that 0845 is cheaper for them (like you) despite my pointing out links from Telewest, Ofcom and the ASA, etc which all state that 0845 type numbers (known as NTS numbers) are dearer. If people can't take in and therefore accept what government departments like Ofcom, ASA, etc state about 0845/0870 (ie they cost more than a geographical) then I'm afraid there is no hope!

This all comes down to those that can't accept change and therefore accept that an 0845 will always be more expensive than a geographical.

Again to prove (although it seems useless) that 0845 isn't "local" rate, Ofcom have announced that a new number range 03x will shortly be available that WILL be charged the same as geographical calls (ie cheaper than 0845) and included in any price plans, etc. Why would Ofcom start releasing a new number range like 03x if 0845 was actually local rate?

Well at least Telewest/NTL will benefit from your 0845 anyway which may explain why they have conveniently forgot to remove the references that 0845 is local rate - it's not in their (NTL/Telewest) interest to do so!!!!

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« Last Edit: Aug 23^rd, 2006 at 6:58pm by bbb_uk »

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jrawle

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Re: i wish to set up a FAIR 0845 number, suggestio
Reply #19 - Aug 23^rd, 2006 at 8:32pm

jasonc310771 wrote on Aug 23^rd, 2006 at 6:15pm:

also just wanted to add that i will have both my landline and the 0845 number, so callers can decide what number to call depending on the cost they incur, or might incur (if they have free minutes to call an 02 or 01 number.

While I agree fully with all the other posters in that a geographical number is never worse and often cheaper than an 0845 number, is there not an issue of customer perception here?

If a large proportion of the general public still belive, like Jason here, that 0845 numbers are cheaper, even if the company has its customers' interests at heart, it may lose custom if they think they have to use an 01/02 number, while Competitor & Co. next door are using a cheap 0845 number. I'm sure there are many cases in business where products are made technically inferior just to conform to customers' preconception of what the product should be like. The same can apply to phone numbers. Therefore, perhaps we can't blame companies if they want to display an 0845 number alongside their geographical number.

If Jason really wants to set up an 0845 number, I'd check out some of the advertisers on this site. All 0845 numbers will cost the same to your customers, it doesn't matter who provides it. There are many companies that will forward calls to your line.

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Dave Global Moderator Offline Posts: 9,902 Yorkshire Gender:	Re: i wish to set up a FAIR 0845 number, suggestio Reply #20 - Aug 24^th, 2006 at 6:51am Jason, you do seem to have been taken in by the spin put out by telcos 'local rate'. So please stop thinking that 0845 is local rate, because it's not !!! If you want to know why it was known as local rate, then I suggest you read this page I put together.
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Heinz

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THE COST OF CALLING 01/02 NUMBERS Vs. 0845 NUMBERS
Reply #21 - Aug 24^th, 2006 at 10:40am

jasonc310771 wrote on Aug 23^rd, 2006 at 5:12pm:

ok, how much is it likely to cost if you call from the top most part of the UK, say Scotland, to a 020 number in south london?

now, how much does it cost to make that same call but using the 0845 number?

'per minute' that is

?

Using a BT residential landline (the vast majority of BT residential customers are on BT Togther Option 1 so, although most people on these forums have far cheaper ways of making such calls, quoting BT's standard prices will be the clearest way of explaining charges. In any case, BT is the cheapest mainstream provider for calls to 0845 numbers).

Calling ANY UK number starting 01 or 02 from ANYWHERE in the UK currently costs:

6am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 3p per minute (subject to a minimum call charge of 5.5p);
At any other time, a flat rate of 5.5p for up to an hour (plus 3p per minute for over an hour).

Calling an 0845 number from ANYWHERE in the UK currently costs:

6am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 3p per minute (subject to a minimum call charge of 5.5p);
At any other time, 1p per minute (subject to a minimum call charge of 5.5p).

BT charges are changing from 1st October 2006 and they will then be:

Calling ANY UK number starting 01 or 02 from ANYWHERE in the UK:

6am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 3p set up fee plus 3p per minute;
At any other time, a flat rate of 5.5p for up to an hour (plus 3p per minute for over an hour).

Calling an 0845 number from ANYWHERE in the UK:

6am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 3p set up fee plus 3p per minute;
Weekday evenings, 3p set up fee plus 1p per minute;
Weekends, 3p set up fee plus ½p per minute

(amended thanks to jrawle's post below)

Bear in mind too that calling an 0845 number is vastly more expensive than calling an 01 or 02 number from a mobile phone or call box.

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« Last Edit: Aug 24^th, 2006 at 3:57pm by Heinz »

After years of ignoring govt. guidelines & RIPPING OFF Council Tax payers using 0845 numbers, Essex County Council changed to 0345 numbers on 2 November 2015

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jrawle

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Re: THE COST OF CALLING 01/02 NUMBERS Vs. 0845 NUM
Reply #22 - Aug 24^th, 2006 at 11:35am

Heinz wrote on Aug 24^th, 2006 at 10:40am:

BT charges are changing from 1st October 2006 and they wil then be:

...

Calling an 0845 number from ANYWHERE in the UK:

6am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 3p set up fee plus 3p per minute;
At any other time, 3p set up fee plus 1p per minute.

From 1 October, 0845 numbers will only be 0.5p/min at the weekend, so for certain calls will be cheaper than geographical numbers at the weekend for those on Option 1 (calls <= 5 minutes or calls >= 71 minutes)

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Shiggaddi

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Re: i wish to set up a FAIR 0845 number, suggestio
Reply #23 - Aug 24^th, 2006 at 2:58pm

jrawle wrote on Aug 23^rd, 2006 at 8:32pm:

jasonc310771 wrote on Aug 23^rd, 2006 at 6:15pm:

also just wanted to add that i will have both my landline and the 0845 number, so callers can decide what number to call depending on the cost they incur, or might incur (if they have free minutes to call an 02 or 01 number.

While I agree fully with all the other posters in that a geographical number is never worse and often cheaper than an 0845 number, is there not an issue of customer perception here?

If a large proportion of the general public still belive, like Jason here, that 0845 numbers are cheaper, even if the company has its customers' interests at heart, it may lose custom if they think they have to use an 01/02 number, while Competitor & Co. next door are using a cheap 0845 number. I'm sure there are many cases in business where products are made technically inferior just to conform to customers' preconception of what the product should be like. The same can apply to phone numbers. Therefore, perhaps we can't blame companies if they want to display an 0845 number alongside their geographical number.

If Jason really wants to set up an 0845 number, I'd check out some of the advertisers on this site. All 0845 numbers will cost the same to your customers, it doesn't matter who provides it. There are many companies that will forward calls to your line.

That is very true. It's not just telcos that charge more, and make customers think they're paying less. It happens in almost every sort of business.

Before Jason came on this site, he was under the impression that 0845 was cheaper than 01/02 numbers, therefore if he saw an advert for 2 competing companies, his preference would be to the one that uses the rip off 0845 number, even though the one offering the geographic number is not ripping off the customer (well certainly not at the initial contact stage)

The best idea would be to display both numbers, but don't use the term local rate, but quote the cost per minute. Then customers like those on this forum would always use the geo number, and those customers who really do believe that 0845 is cheaper can use that number, but at least they've been given a choice, and choose to be ripped off, rather than being forced to use that number, because there's no other number to call.

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