kk wrote on Oct 6
th, 2006 at 6:18am:
BT claim to have reduced the price of 0870 calls, but the smoke and mirrors reduction is in reality a price rise. They claim to have reduced the price from 7.51p/min to 7p/min, but 99.9% of consumers paid 7p/min anyway.
Calculations for 500 random length calls from 6 seconds to 20 minutes, to 0870, now with the 3p connection charge:
No connection charge, but 5p min charge - £348.93 (average 70.41p) at 7p/min (per sec billing)
3p connection charge, no min charge - £369.30 (average 73.70p) at 7p/min (per sec billing)
An increase of 4.7% for 99.9% of consumers.
Suggest you send these figures to your MP and ask him to refer the matter to the Parliamentary Ombudsman as an example of Ofcom failing in their duties to promote competition and protect the UK Citizen Consumer.
Ofcom outline the procedure for complaining about them via the ombudsman on their own website:-
www.ofcom.org.uk/about/accoun/complaints/ Quote:Other ways to complain
Ofcom is accountable to Parliament. You may ask your Member of Parliament to take up your case on your behalf. Your Member of Parliament may also refer the case to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (the Ombudsman).
The Ombudsman is independent and impartial, and provides a free and confidential service.
General information on making a complaint to the Ombudsman – which, under current legislation, can be done only by a Member of Parliament – can be obtained from:
Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Tel:
0845 015 4033
(enquiry line)
Fax: 020 7217 4000
Website:
www.ombudsman.org.ukEmail: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
I had hoped Ofcom was out of date on the Parliamentary Ombudsman using an 0845 number but unfortunately can see that sadly they are not. You might therefore care to throw in an additional complaint with your MP to get the Ombudsman to investigate their own inappropriate use of a number that hugely discriminates against citizens calling from overseas and mobile phones and from anyone with a fixed price 01/02 landline calling plan.
The fact that the Parliamentary Ombudsman uses an 0845 number surely says it all!