I will try to have a go at Part One quickly.


A non-geographic number removes any association from a particular locality. This can be useful for a national or regional service that does not wish to be associated with a specific town or area.

Non-geographic numbers provide ready access to certain features of the telephone network through what are known as intelligent switches. These features can be applied to geographic numbers, but less readily.

When a 03 number is used, the user of the line pays for whatever services they use; callers are charged at Geographic Rate. The availability of 03 is very important because it enables a distinction to be made between the functional and financial benefits of using non-geographic numbers.


When a 084, 087 (except 0870), 070 or 09 number is used the telephone company that originates the call (known as the OCP) pays an additional sum of money (per minute) to the telephone company that terminates the call (known as the TCP). Part of that money is used to offset the cost of the services provided, the remainder is passed on to the user of the line. Because this revenue is "per call", whereas some of the costs are fixed, there are various arrangements in place to determine exactly how this works. For example, DWP recently switched from paying for the services in full and then receiving a revenue share for each call received to simply paying at a reduced rate - this enabled it to claim that it had given up benefiting from "revenue sharing", whereas this change in the detailed arrangements with its telephone service providers made no difference whatsoever to what callers paid their providers.


Whether or not the user "profits" depends on the cost of the services used. With infrequently called 0845 numbers (on which the additional payment is only at the rate of around 1.7p per minute) it may be that the cost of the service is not fully covered.

One must also remember that handling incoming telephone calls is a cost for a business - in terms of staff etc. My general take is that for 084 and 087 ("Business Rate") numbers users are subsidising their costs, whereas for 09 ("Premium Rate") numbers they are earning money from each call received. Subsidy of costs that would otherwise have to be met does however make a positive contribution to the bottom line.

If I don't find a geographical number on here, I rarely give any company offering an 0843/4 number my business.  

If an 0871/2/3 number is offered, there is almost no chance.

I wonder what % of the population does the same?

In response to the previous comments - customers are being encouraged to use alternative methods of contact, rather than the telephone. Call centres are expensive to staff, largely because they require an immediate and competent response. This is one reason why subsidy of the costs and redirection of customer enquiries may be deliberately sought.

If Ofcom's proposals for unbundling of charges and mandatory declaration of the "service charge" element (currently out to consultation) come into effect then the percentage who refuse to pay an unreasonable service charge would be expected to increase - AND QUITE RIGHT TOO.

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Prompted in part by the Part Two question, I have collated and polished some relevant data into this blog posting.

If anyone spots any error that needs correction - PLEASE let me know BY EMAIL. Information on my campaigning blogs may provide a useful source of reference for individual members of this forum, but they are quite separate from this site.

Heinz wrote on Feb 4^th, 2011 at 8:22am:

There may be some who would never fly because every airline uses 0871 numbers for some purpose or other, or use the NHS because NHS Direct uses a 0845 number, however it is unlikely that many would take such a principled stand.

Using a "Business Rate" number in a B2C situation as a means of winning business would probably be seen as a rather foolish strategy. This is however done with "booking" services, where the concept of a "booking fee" is not entirely foreign (Ticketmaster is the obvious case). Near-monopoly providers also do it with enquiry services (e.g. TfL) The common complaint however is that the Business Rate and Premium Rate numbers only appear once one is looking for after-sales support.

I would expect that if required to clearly state the service charge (as current proposed by Ofcom) then many would regard the dissatisfaction readily and obviously caused as being worth enough to offset the subsidy gained from using Business Rate numbers. The proposal at least has the merit of ending attempts to hide the premium charge by implying that every Telco other than BT is ripping off their customers.

There are probably also quite a number of cases where users of 0845 numbers genuinely do not realise what they are doing. I am certain that there are many who still believe that a 0845 number enables most callers to make a national call at the (lower) local rate. They may be losing business from some, but there will be other customers who believe this to be true. Indeed, BT callers either pay the same or less to call a 0845 number.

sherbert wrote on Feb 4^th, 2011 at 9:53am:

SCV's statement is correct as those on inclusive packages pay the same (no incidental cost). Those who make a call at a time when it will be chargeable (i.e. not inclusive) will pay more to call geographic numbers.

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Feb 4^th, 2011 at 7:16pm:


Evenings and week ends option does not seem to be advertised on the BT site. However there is no charge for this 'extra' if you sign up to a 12 month 'rolling contract'.

Firstly thanks to everyone who has contributed so far. 

From what I can establish so far, to the consumer there is little benefit in calling an 084 number (excluding BT's reduced rates) to contact a company. It benefits them more than us, and in some cases can be hugely expensive.

As an example, IF 0845 calls on BT were charged (ie not part of any call plans) at the same rate as an 0844 call ANY caller to these numbers would pay 6p per minute (rounded up) PLUS a 11.50 pence connection fee! Where as calling a 01/02/03 number outside a call plan is 7p per minute (no rounding needed) plus the same call set up fee! That's the difference of 1 pence per minute... !

Standard Calls
No Geo Calls

As pointed out the largest part of the overal price is the call set up fee!

bigjohn has posted elsewhere that the call set up fee is due to rise as of April - here

Also noted are price rises by other call providers.

Under these circumstances callers wishing to contact companies are being penalised for NOT using calls plans, and obviously for calling 084 numbers!

I think it's time we started to highlight directly to companies and friends and family the EXACT costs of calling these companies! Perhaps the deluge in complaints will force/convince them that the sales tactics of telecom's companies are just sales tactics!