Non-geographic telephone numbers

[Nick Trollope]

If, like me you are forced to call 0870 numbers in the UK on a regular basis, you will realise how much you are charged for them, by the likes of FT, Lesminutes & the like.

Listening to R4 the other day, I got this web address;

http://www.saynoto0870.com/company_search.php

And it works, everyone I need to call is in there. Using Lesminutes, calls to the geographic numbers are about 5x cheaper than ringing the 0870. I also discovered that the DVLA makes in excess of £1M/year for their cut of 0870 calls. Beggars belief.

Then again, you probably knew this anyway.

 

[Teamedup]

At least in the UK lots of numbers are still local rates. In France we have had just about everything converted to stuff that charges us inflated rates for several years now. No way round it, it drives me potty.

Now if anyone can tell me how to find numbers in France that don't have a stealth surcharge, I would really appreciate that.

[Nick Trollope]

[quote]At least in the UK lots of numbers are still local rates. In France we have had just about everything converted to stuff that charges us inflated rates for several years now. No way round it, it drive...[/quote]

Quite so. However, if you call an 0845 number from France, it costs much more than a call to an 01xxx number. Also, isn't it the case that all French non-geographic numbers must have the price printed next to the number?

08 numbers in the UK is a huge industry, and they are generally very useful; but, calling them from here is a bl**** rip-off.

[I1]

I understand that Oftel is investigating the non-geographic numbers as, due to the “kick-backs”, the are effectively a type of premium rate number (all be it somewhat cheaper than the true premium rate numbers). The idea of the numbers was clearly to be non-geographical. However, at the same time rules for them were introduced that all (UK) Telcos must charge the caller the same rate for calling them.

[Teamedup]

Drat Drat Drat, I have just checked my tiscali telecom bill and the 0845 numbers are expensive, I am really unhappy about that.

 

 Whereas the 0871 ones cost just the same as any other call I make back to the UK. Which are 0.058 ht, with a charge for the first few seconds, can't remember how long. So maybe you should take out an account with tiscali telecom too. I have to dial 1626 each time I want to dial numbers with them, they don't 'run' my line.

[Baz]

"However, at the same time rules for them were introduced that all (UK) Telcos must charge the caller the same rate for calling them."

If you are referring to Non-Geographical in the UK the above is not true. Many UK Telcos charge more than BT and if you discuss this with them they will admit that for Non-Geographical calls always use BT as they are the cheapest. I use a telecom provider where my calls are set up at the BT exchange to automatically divert them via my provider and when using Non-geographical numbers I have enter a prefix code so my calls are diverted BT. If anyone can find a provider of these numbers that are ever less than BT there must be a catch.

Baz

PS Nick I fully support your advice with 

http://www.saynoto0870.com/company_search.php I have supported this site from day one, hopefully others will give any geographical numbers they know,

[I1]

Maybe there is a minimum charge then. I was last told about the rules when setting up a non-geographical number for my UK company and talking to the UK telephone companies. Maybe I mis-remembered and it was that they were not allowed to discount it or maybe the rules have since changed. Certainly it never occurred to me they would charge more than the permitted rate.

When I had to speak to Inland Revenue a few weeks ago (Self Assessment time), they could not give me a proper UK number to call and I had to use an 08xxxxxx number.

[Ecossais]

Teamedup,

 

Interesting that dialling 0871 numbers from France costs you the same as dialling a ‘normal’ number as dialling 0871 numbers from within the UK is more of a rip off than 0870 – calls typically cost 10p per minute.

 

Full details of 08XX call charges:  http://www.bt.com/Pricing/pis_info.jsp?PRICE_OPTION=Residential/PIS_Specialised_Numbers/innertext/&showsub=PIS_Residential&showsub2=PIS_Specialised_Numbers&c_index=08