Well, that's where things get a bit tricky. Certainly, there is no longer such a thing as 'local rate' (a lower charge for a local call) for calls to 01 and 02 numbers.

In 2004, most landline providers scrapped the price differential between local and national calls and moved subscribers on to call plans with inclusive calls to geographic 01 and 02 numbers.

In framing the regulations on call costs for 03 numbers, just three years later, Ofcom were wholly justified in using the phrase 'charged no more than a national rate call to an 01 or 02 number' as this is unambiguous.

However, when users of these numbers declare their call costs, there is a different emphasis. Users should start off by mentioning that calls to 03 numbers are inclusive on landlines and mobiles as that is how the vast majority of these calls are made. After that, they should continue by saying that non-inclusive calls are charged at geographic rate - and leave the caller to find out from their phone provider exactly how much that actually is.

Any declaration of call costs should not say 'national rate' because at one time there was one landline provider that did charge different rates for national and local calls to 01 and 02 numbers and charged calls to 03 numbers at the same rate as a local call to an 01 or 02 number.

This is very subtle. Not everyone gets it.

Sunderland AFC has today dumped their premium rate 0871 number:

http://www.safc.com/news/club-news/2016/december/safc-new-phone-numbers