Source: Dumfries & Galloway Standard

http://www.dgstandard.co.uk/dumfries-news/local-news-dumfries/local-news-dumfrie...

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Drugs agency boss hits out at council phone call charges

Dec 11 2009 by Craig Robertson, Dumfries Standard Friday

A DRUGS agency boss claims he’s been left out of pocket by council phone call charges.

David Grieve, who runs Over-Count, says since the authority changed to a new phone number, his bills have rocketed by 400 per cent.

Last August officials set up 030 33 33 3000 which takes callers through to a call centre at the Crichton where calls are redirected.

It replaced the old 01387 number but Mr Grieve insists it is more expensive.

His agency supports people who are addicted to prescription drugs.

Mr Grieve said: “Because of running Over-Count, I phone various council departments quite a lot, but it was only recently that I noticed that my cost of calls to the council had dramatically increased by over 400 per cent.

“I used to be able to phone the old 260000 number on my BT Option 2, as a local call rate, for just 1p a minute daytime rate, but as the new 03 phone number is rated as a National Geographic Call Rate, I am now having to pay 4.4p per minute, just like the rest of the local population.

“A recent phone call lasting just 11 minutes, cost almost 50p to make, where in the past, it would have cost me just 11p.”

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This is total and utter nonsense. The daytime rate on BT "Option 2" (the Evening & Weekend Plan) is 5.25pence per minute and this applies whether it be a 0300, 01387 or any other number beginning 01, 02 or 03.

Surely if the majority of his calls are to this number, which I presume they are if he's making such a fuss over their costs, then he's making them in the daytime.  In which case why on earth is he on "Option 2" anyway, which used to be an evening and weekend package? 

It's total carp anyway.  With the constant tinkering BT keep doing to their call costs, nobody, personal or business, should be paying more than a fixed amount a month for a suitable package that covers the majority, if not all, of their calls.

It sounds to me, especially given the reference to "Option 2", that he's not looked at his 'phone bill for years, has finally done so, and been shocked ti find that his calls package is no longer suitable for his call patterns.  Unfortunately the council gets the blame, and probably only because that's whom he calls most.