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Useful Links and References (Read 12,400 times)
Dave
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Useful Links and References
Jan 9th, 2007 at 11:32pm
 
Useful Information & Say no to 0870! Hot Topics
» Useful Links and References


Useful Links and References


There are a number of links to different sources which keep getting mentioned so I have listed them all below. These will be useful as references when writing to organisations and people (eg MPs) and to anyone doing research in this area. If you know of any others that can be added to the list, please post on the discussion thread here.

The following links are in the following categories:
  • Ofcom
  • Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) & Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP)
  • Government
  • Other Links

Ofcom


  • Number Translation Services (NTS)
      http://www.ofcom.org.uk/telecoms/ioi/nwbnd/ntsindex/
    A brief guide and timeline to consultations and reviews on NTS. The following paragraphs explain it nicely:
    Quote:
    Committee of Advertising Practice guidance on advertising call charges for 08 numbers

    Prior to July 2004, the 0845 and 0870 ranges were designated as ‘local rate’ and national rate’ in the National Telephone Numbering Plan. In July 2004, Ofcom modified the designations to reflect the fact that most callers now pay higher charges for 0845 and 0870 calls than for calls to geographic numbers. At the same time, Ofcom advised that the ‘local rate and ‘national rate’ terms may be misleading and should no longer be used to describe 0845 and 0870 call charges.

    Ofcom subsequently contributed to Advertising Standards Authority/Committee of Advertising Practice (‘ASA’/’ CAP’) guidance on advertising call charges for 084 and 087 numbers which also advises that the ‘local rate’ and ‘national rate’ terms should not be used.



  • BBC Radio 4 You and Yours interview with Matt Peacock, Director of Communications for Ofcom 8 November 2004
      http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1100455710/11#11
    This is a transcript of the interview that is 6 minutes 30 seconds into the report which can be listened to using RealAudio here:
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/ram/youandyours_20041108_1.ram

    Quote:
    Waite [Presenter]: I spoke to Matt Peacock from Ofcom this morning, I asked him if he agreed with Roger there that 0870 numbers are in fact premium rate numbers, but by another name.

    Peacock: Absolutely. And that’s something we’re very aware of. And what we’re proposing is that they won’t be able to do that any more. You won’t be able to advertise something as a local call rate number or a national call rate number.

    [...]

    Waite: Then how long will this, as it were, regularising of this ... How long will that take before customers don’t feel ripped off as they clearly do now?

    Peacock: Well the consultation will close quite soon, very much in the early New Year, and we would hope to have the new framework up and running before the end of the first quarter, before the end of March next year [2005].



  • Response by Leicester City Council Trading Standards to an Oftel consultation on 0845 numbers - 26 September 2003
      http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/oftel_0845/responses/leicester_cc.pdf
    Quote:
    Leicester TS carried out some research and came to the conclusion that describing 0845 and 0870 as ‘local rate’ and ‘national rate’, respectively was misleading within the meaning of Part III of the Consumer Protection Act 1987. Refer to paragraph 1.3 for more information. See also the Advice Leaflet by East Sussex Trading Standards in the Other Links section which makes reference to the same legislation.



  • Landline Phones - Cost of calls - FAQ 08 numbers
      http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consumeradvice/landline/costofcalls/08faq/


A list of relevant Ofcom consultations, along with discussion thread(s) on them can be found in the Useful Information & Say no to 0870! Hot Topics thread here.
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« Last Edit: Apr 7th, 2009 at 12:26pm by Dave »  
 
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Reply #1 - Jan 9th, 2007 at 11:33pm
 
Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) & Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP)



The thread for discussing ASA is here and CAP's is here.
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« Last Edit: Aug 10th, 2008 at 3:42pm by Dave »  
 
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Reply #2 - Sep 8th, 2007 at 1:04pm
 
Government


  • Central Office of Information (COI): Better practice guidance for government contact centres - Third edition February 2008
      http://www.coi.gov.uk/documents/gcc-third-edition.pdf
    Relevant paragraphs are 3.51 through to 3.67 under the "Cost to Citizen" heading on pages 35 to 38 (36 to 39 of the PDF).
    Quote:
    3.60  0844 and 0845 are still appropriate tariffs, but it should be noted that they can be charged at up to 5p per minute (from BT lines) and that this may be seen as a barrier by some individuals, so migration to the new 03 numbers may be considered. Revenue share on 0844 and 0845 numbers is possible, but should be avoided by public sector bodies to avoid criticism. Ofcom will be reviewing 0845 again in a couple of years (at which point revenue share may be prohibited). 0844 and 0845 tariffs should never be referred to as ‘local rate’ in any publicity or by agents.

    Discussion on these guidelines is here.


  • HM Treasury - Service transformation: A better service for citizens and businesses, a better deal for the taxpayer 6 December 2006
      http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/prebud_pbr06_varney.htm
    Sir David Varney was asked by the Chancellor to advise him on the opportunities for transforming the delivery of public services. His Service Transformation review looks at how the channels through which services are delivered can be made more efficient and responsive to the needs of citizens and businesses. Recommendation number 29 (page 85/page 90 of the PDF) states:
    Quote:
    On 'contact centres': […] improving immediate access to public service departments and agencies and then to rationalise telephone numbers by: coordinating the implementation of a public sector wide number strategy utilising the new 0300 number range, to simplify access and tariffs for citizens and businesses to all departments and local authorities; […]

    Discussion on this is here.


  • Parliamentary update
      http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1130983483
    This thread on the forum contains references to the discussion of non-geographical telephone numbers (NGNs) in the Parliaments of the United Kingdom. This includes questions on which public bodies use NGNs and how much revenue they have generated.


  • Parliamentary Early Day Motions
    • EDM 930: Public body telephone charges 18 February 2008
        http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=35111
      Quote:
      That this House notes with concern that people on low incomes are having to pay up to 40 pence a minute to call public bodies, including the Department for Work and Pensions where, for example, a 15 minute call to the Benefit Enquiry Line can cost £6.00 if made from a mobile telephone or through a cable company; welcomes Ofcom guidance which recommends the use of normal geographical numbers alongside 08 numbers; and encourages all public bodies to use 03 numbers which cost the same as local calls.
    • EDM 1285: Accessing Government helplines from mobile telephones 31 March 2008
        http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=35520
      Quote:
      That this House notes many Government-run helplines such as the Tax Credit Helpline, Benefit Enquiry Line, Pension Service and Social Fund use numbers with an 0800 or 0845 prefix; further notes that these numbers are widely advertised and are recognised as free phone and local rate numbers, despite the fact that mobile network operators connect customers to these services at premium rates; is concerned that low income users of these helplines without access to a landline incur disproportionate costs in accessing taxpayer funded services; urges the Government to consider reviewing legislation so that 0800 numbers are genuinely free to all users; and calls on the Government to investigate providing all essential Government-run helplines, where no alternative face to face service is provided, free of charge at the point of use.

    Discussion on these EDMs is here. There was an EDM tabled in July 2005 on Government departments' use of 0870 numbers which is discussed here.


  • Mole Valley District Council - Minutes of Meeting 19 July 2005
      http://www.molevalley.gov.uk/media/pdf/1/s/Council_Minutes_190705.pdf
    See page 5 of the PDF, Motion 2/2005. Following the introduction of an 0845 telephone number for the wheeled bin information service, Mole Valley District Council adopted a policy of not using 0844, 0845, 0870 and 0871 numbers for public services.
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« Last Edit: Oct 17th, 2008 at 10:06am by Dave »  
 
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Useful Links and References
Reply #3 - Apr 11th, 2008 at 4:26pm
 
Other Links


  • Trading Standards Institute document 180805 - Special Services Telephone Numbers
      http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/business/tradingstandards/detail.aspx?ref=180805&da...
    This makes reference to the Consumer Protection Act 1987 which makes it an offence to provide misleading pricing information. It also mentions the fact that most people on BT are on the Together packages and don't pay 'standard' rates apart from a small minority. And there's also the point that most packages charge the same for local and national calls. Also refer to the response to Oftel from Leicester City Council Trading Standards above as this makes reference to the same Consumer Protection Act 1987 legislation.


  • Scotsman.com Business - BT calls on Ofcom to scrap 'rip-off' numbers 9 July 2005
      http://business.scotsman.com/business/BT-calls-on-Ofcom-to.2642029.jp
    An interview with Ian Livingston, Chief Executive of BT Retail:
    Quote:
    Ideally these numbers should just be swept away. Or if that can't be done, the regulator should insist that all operators charge exactly the same price for these numbers, as they do for a local or national call.



  • BT.com | Small & medium business | 08xx and 09xx numbers
      http://www.btbroadbandoffice.com/linesandcalls/telemarketing/overview
    BT provide these numbers and on the website, no where does it make mention of ‘local rate’, ‘national rate’ or anything similar.


  • Bob Tolliday of Which? gives an interview on BBC Radio 4's You & Yours programme (Thursday 7 June 2007)
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/ram/2007_23_thu_01.ram
    This is a RealAudio feed of the interview. Discussion on it is here.


More links to discussion on this site on Useful Information & Hot Topics thread.
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« Last Edit: Sep 13th, 2008 at 1:50am by Dave »  
 
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