bbb_uk wrote on Apr 11
th, 2010 at 11:55am:
The aim of 0800buster is to stop mobile users from paying really expensive rates for calling freephone numbers from mobiles and hence being ripped off on carrying what is meant to be a free call.
0800buster provides geographical numbers to use from mobiles which are either included in any inclusive allowance or if outside any inclusive allowance, are charged at geographical rates.
0800buster is similar to dial-through international providers that allow you to call internationally at a lot lower rates than making the same international call directly from your own landline provider like BT, VirginMedia, etc.
To be fair
(and as mentioned in #2 above),
this particular service is a spin-off from one of the dial-through international providers. Contrary to what is suggested on its website, for those who pay for calls to geographic numbers, there is a charge, although this may be less than that for calling 080 numbers. It should also be noted that 0808 80 numbers and some other 080 calls are in many cases exempted from charges by agreement.
SilentCallsVictim wrote on Feb 19
th, 2010 at 1:09pm:
There are many providers of dial-through services on geo numbers to call 080 and other "reverse revenue sharing" numbers. Many have been mentioned in various threads in the forum.
Essentially they are performing the same role as personal injury claims companies; they provide "customers" with a "free" service because they get paid by somebody else. As the service is only the connection of a telephone call, it may not be easy to distinguish between them. If anybody wants to promote one of these over another, then the "Call Providers" area is the place to do it.
I would personally love to see some charity set up such a service, so that one could feel more comfortable about who else was benefiting from the call. For landline callers with inclusive geographic calls they too could put their 080 calls through such numbers so that the charity could benefit at the expense of their telephone service provider and the person being called, but at no cost to the caller.
SayNoTo0870 is indeed a commercial operation - whether or not the income from advertising and other sponsorship exceeds the operating costs. Members are free to promote and attack commercial operators in the telecoms world. I know that some would disagree, but I feel that the site itself would probably wish to remain neutral on such arguments.
A more enterprising proposal would be for SayNoTo0870 to set up such services for itself. Alternatively, it could be bought out by Localphone Ltd or some similar enterprise. A more commercial approach might lead to the data being voluntarily added to the database of alternative numbers from being distributed by others for profit.
At the risk of raising too many issues in a single posting, there is a further point.
If Ofcom's current proposals for mobile operators to rely less on income from call charges come to fruition, there may be the possibility that call recipients will be happy to meet the cost of calling 080 numbers from mobiles, so that these could be truly offered as "free to caller".
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Should the home page promote 0800 buster (Read 62,842 times)
