Something has puzzled me, which perhaps someone here can answer...

I was in contact with a company recently over it's use of an 0844 number, they advised me that they also have an 0800 number which goes to the same IVR Menu as the 0844 number...

So here is my question, is there any benefit in having both numbers?  Is the "revenue" made on the incoming calls to the 0844 number offset by the "cost" of the incoming calls to the 0800 number?

I just wondered 

There's no point in them having both numbers. They either want people to be able to call them for nothing on the 080 number and are prepared to pay for that, or they want callers to pay for the running of the non-geographic 084 number by making them pay an additional Service Charge. To promote both numbers is nonsense.

It's odd that no 03 number is available; most people call these for nothing within inclusive allowances and the called party pays lower running costs than for an 080 number.

Deals with telecoms providers vary greatly. One scenario could be that the called party has to pay...
- around 1p per minute for incoming calls to an 03 number,
- around 2p to 3p per minute for incoming calls to an 080 number when those calls are made from a landline, and an extra couple of pence per minute when those calls are made from a mobile,
- nothing on incoming calls to an 084 or 087 number; the first couple of pence of the Service Charge paid by the caller pays the running costs of the non-geographic number and the remainder may be available to be paid out as revenue share or as a discount off other telecoms services supplied to the called party.

They clearly haven't thought about what it is that they are actually doing.

Ian01 wrote on Dec 28^th, 2015 at 12:54pm:


I really fail to understand how bad companies can be in regards to their telecoms and their contact numbers...

surely it would make sense to have one contact number (ie: 01/02/03) that covers all their needs!

Hastings Direct are another bizarre example of how to screw up your contact details... with a mixture of 080 084 and 03/01 numbers!

Having once worked for them, I can fully understand why they have no clue! 

Many organisations using 084 numbers are still working under the (incorrect) assumption that calls are charged at the 'local rate'. This was only ever true for 0845 numbers and only for calls made from landlines, and it ceased to be true in 2004.

Both Ofcom and ASA issued a note about this in 2005. See http://tinyurl.com/asa0845cap

A large number of the telecoms companies that supply 0845 numbers to businesses still refer to these numbers as being 'local rate'. A Google search quickly reveals many dozens of such cases.

Carmichael and Co wrote on Feb 11^th, 2016 at 6:21pm:

When introduced in 1996, 0845 numbers were a good thing for landline callers as they were charged the same as a local call.

They were already expensive for the small number of people using mobile phones, but mobile phones were very much seen as a luxury item, not yet a necessity.

0845 numbers became a burden for landline callers at the exact moment that phone providers introduced inclusive call plans for calls to 01 and 02 numbers. This was in 2004.

By then, mobile usage had massively increased and many people now had inclusive calls to 01 and 02 numbers and to mobile numbers from their mobile. Calls to 084 and 087 numbers were generally extortionate.

Ofcom introduced 03 numbers in 2007. These numbers are inclusive from landlines and from mobiles, else charged at 'geographic rate' - the same as 01 and 02 numbers.

03 adoption rates remained low until various guidance by the Cabinet Office and regulations by BIS at the back end of 2013 forced adoption of these numbers by public services and customer services. Latterly, regulations from the FCA have done the same for financial services.

The reforms introduced by Ofcom on 1 July 2015 brought transparency to 084, 087, 09 and 118 call prices, making clear that there's a benefit paid to the called party and their telecoms provider - something that many users had spent most of the last decade denying.


Anyone calling your old 0845 number will be charged for the call.

Your telecoms provider can set up a 'free to caller' message on the old number telling callers to hang up and re-dial the new number. This will also free up a geographic line into your premises.

What made you adopt an 0330 number rather than the matching 0345 number?

I too remember the day's of 0345 numbers.... and also 0990 numbers which were National Rate.  The famous HMV Direct number 0990 33 45 78 (the speeds of record playback).

here is a great page on Wikipedia detailing some of the changes made.

I also remember two distinct "special" numbers that were created.  Childline 0800 1111 (is "missing" two digits) and the now old NHS Direct 0845 46 47 (technically "missing" three digits) which has now been replaced by NHS 111.