What do they have connected to the telephone line, except for their normal telephones? Do they have an automated alarm system? If so, it will be that "calling home".

Sorry Heinz, but as this comes up regularly you should have seen this comment from me before.

As the calls last roughly around 30 seconds and are made at night, the cost will be the evening rate of 0870 @ 1.5p/minute, which should then be adjusted to the basic connection charge of the Telco, normally around 6p.
So it matters not whether it's Geo or Non Geo, unless of course you have an inclusive plan in which case it costs extra.

Sorry to say though, unless you have a friendly Techie and the ability to reprogram the Eeprom with a Geographic alternative (which we do not have), I think you will be out of luck.

As a matter of interest, how much is the Telco charging for these calls ?? 

DaveM wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2008 at 10:19pm:

Or unless you have to pay Virgin's or Sky's outrageous rates for 0870 calls!

jack7755 wrote on Apr 26^th, 2008 at 12:39pm:

Well that answers the high call cost question (VM and Sky both charge 7p connection + 10p/minute daytime, 8p/minute evenings [with a minimum 1 minute charge] to call 0870 numbers)

15 calls a day @ 15p each = £821.25 a year!  Now that's one expensive alarm system.  I bet Virgin like your friend as a customer.

I'd say the system is not connecting/being acknowledged and is programmed to try again.  Your friend needs to contact the alarm company urgently - or he'll just keep getting these charges and no apparent benefit.