Listening to Radio 2 earlier, Steve Wright explaining that the cost of calling the 0370 number is, I paraphrase, geographic call charges, but from mobiles may cost more.

I have heard other presenters quoting the "08000" number as "free from most landlines" and that mobiles may cost more (or something to that effect).

It's hardly helpful to the 0800 and 03 brands that they persist with the confusing message about call charges, making them appear more complex than they actually are, doing disservice in the process.

Not just on the air, it would appear their website has the same "interesting" info.  From Zoe Ball Breakfast Show "Standard geographic charges apply and calls may be included in your telecom provider's call package. Calls from mobiles may be higher"

The mind boggles.

Dave wrote on Feb 17^th, 2019 at 11:23am:


This won't change unless those of us here who care email the BBC Director General and any other relevant members of senior staff as listed at https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/whoweare/staff (all bbc email addresses are firstname.lastname@bbc.co.uk unless there is more than one person of that name or except for one or two senior staff who have got fed up with emails from the public and adopted non obvious email addresses) plus the Presenter and Producer of the program (presenter is obvious and producer normally stated at the end of the program) in question pointing out why all numbers starting 01, 02 or 03 and are charged at standard geographic rate and always included in call packages on landlines and mobiles.

I suppose when you  think about the statement that "mobiles may cost more" this clearly stems out of the landline situation where unfortunately BT does not include mobiles in normal anytime call packages and continues to charge mobiles at much higher rates than landlines outside those call packages and/or than landlines for customers who do not have a call qualifying package.  But this shouldn't be at all relevant in respect of the call charges to 03 numbers as they don't cost more to call from either a landline or a mobile phone (under Ofcom General Condition 14).  So basically some very screwed up thinking aimed at back covering but that shows a total lack of comprehension of how phone charges work by many members of staff at the BBC.  And so far any central guidance documents on this subject at the BBC seem to be out of date and/or highly misleading to their staff (perhaps an FOI on that matter would also yield interesting results).

I think the phrase "calls are charged at standard geographic rates" in respect of the BBC's 03 numbers and "calls to this number are free from landlines and mobile phones" for their 080 numbers should in fact be entirely adequate.

What do others think?

Ian01 wrote on Aug 20^th, 2019 at 12:16pm:

Yes, but it would be really nice if the BBC didn't keep saying that there may be charges from mobiles and some landlines!

NGMsGhost wrote on Aug 20^th, 2019 at 2:24pm:

I have submitted a report of a fault on a BBC website, referring to this page, as follows:
Quote:

I hope that other campaigners have already reported this, and other similar errors, in the appropriate manner, and will take the opportunity to do so wherever they come to light.

This seems to be the only example of the reported problem with the BBC which has come to light in this discussion.
Unless there are other more serious cases, I do not see this as a matter of principle and BBC policy, but a simple error made when correcting text on a webpage. All such errors need to be reported to, and corrected by, the appropriate personnel.

Sadly there are many other similar errors around the internet. It is good to get them corrected wherever possible.

There also remains a serious (albeit diminishing) problem with the appreciation of the cost of calling 03 numbers. This will take some time to be eliminated, but we seek to do all we can, and encourage maximum support for this cause.

NGMsGhost wrote on Aug 21^st, 2019 at 7:18am:


The fair telecoms campaign is not about the actions of an exclusive group of individuals but what is done and achieved by all those who pursue the same aims. This includes, primarily, many contributors to this site who helped to inspire and guide me in taking up this cause.

Right or wrong, Ofcom has no power to direct how users of telecoms services express call charges. I agree that it could be much more helpful in its guidance. In particular, we have been pressing for some time for major revisions to the pages https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/costs... and https://www.gov.uk/call-charges. After earlier progress, but no conclusion, these efforts are now being renewed.

The "randomised" situation is an inevitable consequence of a free, as opposed to totalitarian, society. This means that good is achieved by engagement between individuals in all roles and at all levels in organisations. This does not deny appropriate executive responsibility, however most of what gets done should (and does) not require it to be exercised.