I must register my total dissent from some members on here who choose to seek gratification from the abuse and ridicule of company employees.

What is perhaps more ridiculous is the belief that these members apparently consider those employees are the ones who set company policy on telephone numbers.

Clearly, there are some who see a brash approach as being much more likely at yielding assistance from those that they are speaking to. Are they themselves more amenable in cases where others intercourse with them in that way?


Where customers demand that those they are speaking to either put them through or give out an alternative number, they may be making a demand that they break company policy and leave themselves open to disciplinary action as a result. What a distasteful self-centred approach some people take!

bazzerfewi wrote on Mar 15^th, 2011 at 8:19pm:

It's very important to bear in mind that, even though many will put calls through, that there are those who are prevented from doing so.

Virgin Call Trapper

Now they have created an  unlimited 0845 plan for either £3 or £5 per month sounds good but I fear that sales agents will encourage unsuspecting callers to sign up and probably not use it to its full extent

0845 inclusive packages do not work in my view

japitts wrote on Mar 22^nd, 2011 at 1:53pm:

According to distance applicable for those who make their calls with BT (which was the majority).


japitts wrote on Mar 22^nd, 2011 at 1:53pm:

Revenue sharing has not been removed on 0845 numbers; it was only taken away on 0870 numbers.


japitts wrote on Mar 22^nd, 2011 at 1:53pm:

The underlying problem is the way in which the users (and providers) of these numbers cling to the out-dated idea that BT charges are the norm.

This is despite the so-called "free-market" where different telcos interconnect (thereby allowing callers of one provider to ring customers of others). It means that providers and users of these numbers show little regard for any free-market choice when making their selection of numbers.

The sooner the regulation on BT is lifted which means it charges a low level for Business Rate numbers, and a system with clarity is introduced that works equally with all call providers, the better.

It is a pity some National Paper with a Good Reputation - if there is one still - couldnt sit down with a Techie that Knows Proper details on this 0845 NOT lo-call and 0870 NOT Nat. and all the other rip-offs and put a big article on the Front page and really let the People know. There must be millions like myself and neighbour that didnt have a clue.

I must admit I didnt, until having got Broad/B after Dial-up old metered charges package and started to have a nose around Web sites and found this Forum and found the GP's 0844 money grabibng and further looked at other Threads and Sites - I had no idea of the enormous Rip-off problems in the Telephoney Business

Through 0844 GP for a Elderly Neighbour, she was on BT Evening & W/end with £38/40 p month bills I helped to go Anytime £18.60 and had to tell her if Trademen gave Mobile number to say I want the Office No. and they can phone Trademan. Mine went from £40/58 month also to £18.60 once I stopped my Son phoning Mobiles.

On advice ten years ago I had hung on to my BT Rental but had calls from TT Friends and Family with 10% disc and extra 20% for Prime Number my 0845 metered dial-up and of course no contract - they hadnt been invented 10 years ago, so after I found a Fantantisc small ISP Fast.co.uk this year - no Big Boy Bandits with Support in India or Africa for me I changed to the BT Anytime for calls - I know I pay a little more for ISP but my overall set-up suits me perfectly but without this Forum and ISP Reviews I wouldnt be the Happy Bunny I am now     

Thanks all for help and advice given

Freserve was my first dial-up Internet which was bought by Wanabee but we kept our freeserve address then bought by Orange who changed the number from 0845 to 0844 which is when I jumped ship to yahoo webmail because I was getting 30% off 0845 dial-up which finally cost 0.5p p.min after 7pm in old TT Freinds and Family all other calls metered - after I got BB from a small ISP in April I switched to BT Anytime for calls because Now it fitted my needs

When I told TT that I was moving to BT now I had my BB -I got the Sales speil about their BB and told both that I didnt want Support from India and dared BT who tried to get my BB that if they touched my BB I would come and get them and proscecute for negligence - I am getting faster speeds than TT, Sky and BT locally with my little ISP. and very happy. 

I still very occasionally come across a frserve.co.uk address-
the good old days - no spam then and no calls from Microsoft  India trying to get remote control on your PC.