Maybe I'm missing something here, but there figures don't make much sense (although they don't provide the basis for how the costs are calculated).

For example an Orange or T-Mobile PAYG customer calling Sky's 084* number, if waiting 9.09 minutes, and spending an average of 10 minutes on the call, the cost would be £8.00 not the indicated £2.29, A hell of a difference!

Cheers, Des.

allegro wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2010 at 7:52am:


Something worth praising first direct for. Also worth contacting them and highlighting the benefits to them and customers alike of having the 03 number instead of the 08 one.

Indeed both could be used with ease, for customers to get used to the "new" number.

Seems they have been running since 1989!

allegro wrote on Dec 23^rd, 2010 at 9:21am:

... a benefit that remained with 0845 numbers for BT customers whilst the distinction in charges between "local" and "national" rate calls existed.

In its "Simplifying Non-Geographic Numbers" statement Ofcom has re-designated 0845 as "Business Rate". This is accompanied by a proposal that the "service charge" and "access charge" elements, which exist at present, be unbundled.

I suggest that those who may wish to challenge banks and others with whom they engage on their use of 0845 numbers, use this re-designation and the fact that in future it is likely that they will be required to present the service charge (currently around 2p per minute, with access charges varying enormously) as the basis for getting them to change to "Geographic Rate" numbers - i.e. 01/02/03.