Ofcom's move against 0870 was part of the piecemeal approach it was following at that time. This inevitably caused many to migrate to 0871/2/3 or 0844.

The next target was to be 0845, which many thought would be subjected to similar treatment. Ofcom however changed its approach to hit the whole topic of "Simplifying Non-Geographic Numbers".

After 18 months and three consultations we are expecting the next stage to begin early in the New Year. We understand that this will be formal notice of the specific new regulations which will be put into effect around the middle of 2014.

The essence of the new approach is to leave the ranges largely as they are - indeed 0870 will be returned to its former status. The main difference will be that the two elements which are currently bundled together to create the charge for calling revenue sharing numbers 084/087/09 will be separated.

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The over-simplistic answer is that Ofcom recognises that this was the wrong approach and is now doing things differently.

One could say that part of the problem was a well-known website which, by its title, suggested that 0870 was the only issue. That would however be unfair.

There is no reason to even have 0870 and 0844 as we have the 0330 numbers now

catj wrote on Dec 9^th, 2012 at 5:02pm:

I believe it is fair to say that, in many cases, this was done unwittingly.

When offering a telephone service to a business, a telco is able to present a more competitive proposition if a 084/087 number is used. A buyer will naturally be drawn to the cheapest offer and may be reassured about the consequences, in terms of the cost to callers, in ways which (shall we say) "look on the bright side". A lot of the garbage about call costs found on web sites is unthinkingly reproduced from unreliable sources.

Many of the people I speak with are genuinely unaware of what they are doing to their callers. Of course that is an unacceptable failure in their duty, so it in no way lets them off the hook. It does perhaps give us hope that when they are forced to acknowledge what is going on, they will have to recognise that they must change their ways.

This is not easy. There are very few people who, when realising that they have unintentionally been ripping people off, would immediately own up to it and put the situation right by proposing that their business allows its costs to increase. It may not be possible to distinguish between the well-meaning, but irresponsible, incompetent and the deliberate rogue.

When they are forced to consider the likely reaction to declaring a "Service Charge", that could be the tipping point.