westie69 wrote on Sep 3^rd, 2009 at 9:29am:

If this is a request for help, then perhaps you could provide all the help you can rather than leaving forum members to do spadework. 

This instructions explain that information such as a company's address, web address, business type should be given where possible.

Unless we are given to understand that you have been given this 0844 number for "Let Sense" with no idea what business they are in, why you need to call them...

Try this number and please let us know how you got on.....

01603 264 500

Glad it worked for you. The answer to their question would be, 'because it is cheaper!'



Dave...one for the database?

westie69 wrote on Sep 3^rd, 2009 at 1:12pm:

Thanks for the further information; this is useful.

The 0844 numbers have been around for 10 years now. Now that the "revenue share" premium has been removed from 0870 numbers, organisations are switching to 0844 and 0871 to continue benefiting from the higher revenue from callers.


sherbert wrote on Sep 3^rd, 2009 at 1:49pm:

Not so fast !!

I note that the 0844 numbers are all 0844 902 99xx and that the geographical number is 01603 264500.

We know that they asked why the 01603 264500 number was called, rather than the 0844 one. Either the geographical number isn't the one underlying the 0844 one or they know which number you dialled (assuming that the 0844 number does direct to 01603 264500). I believe that in general companies don't have any notification of which 08xx number has been dialled at the point of the call, although some larger operations may have the facility.


Maybe, just maybe, the company operates subsequent geographical numbers, 01603 264501, 502 etc. Maybe (and this would require some testing) 0844 902 99xx maps to 01603 2645xx. So customer services 0844 902 9901 could be 01603 264501.


westie69 wrote on Sep 3^rd, 2009 at 2:00pm:

The process facilitating revenue sharing on 0870 has now been removed. Unfortunately some telephone companies such as Virgin Media and the mobile operators continue to charge above the price of geographical calls.

So if you are with BT or another provider that has reduced its 0870 rates, then you are OK to call them.


westie69 wrote on Sep 3^rd, 2009 at 2:00pm:

Mobile providers charging a premium for 0800 calls is a scandal. This is just the same as I described with 0870 today.

For 0870 and 0800 (in the case of mobiles), the companies receiving calls (and their telephone providers) aren't the ones who are levying premiums on us.

You can call 0800 and other freephone numbers from a mobile at your normal geographical rate using the dial through number 020 0222 0900.