MikeCapon
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| posted on 7/11/08 at 08:25 PM |
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08701 Dialling code.... How much?
As some of you already know I am working on a project creating a new motorcycle product. As many of the potential suppliers are UK based I took out an
internet phone subscrition with unlimited free calls in Europe.
Tonight I received a mail from my ISP explaining that there was a query on the VAT rate applied to "special" numbers with dialling codes
0870 and 0871.
Checking back on my calls I found just one number with an 08701 code. A large UK company specialising in oils, particularly for the motorcycle market.
The number was on their website without any indication that it was charged at a higher rate than usual. Having been absent from the UK for over 10
years I know that things have changed. The company with whom I am working in the UK has an 0845 number but as I understand it this is a local call
rate number...... I guessed that the 08701 was another variant of this.
On searching via Google I found this link which explains (I think) that this premium rate
service gives earns money (for each minute called) for the lineholder at the additional expense of the caller.
My question is as follows. How much does it call to call these numbers? And, are the users of these "premium" numbers not obliged to
mention next to the number that the calls will be charged at a premium rate?
Right now I'm pretty much bouncing off the rev limiter. My "free call" phone subscription costs me 50€ each month and I must have
spent about 90 minutes in total on this number with various calls to chemists, sales people, admin etc etc. All this to potentialy spend a lot of
money with them.
Before I rip into their poor sales people can anyone confirm if indeed this is a "premium" service with higher than usual charges?
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blakep82
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| posted on 7/11/08 at 08:28 PM |
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6p a minute
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IVA manual link http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1081997083
don't write OT on a new thread title, you're creating the topic, everything you write is very much ON topic!
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Benzine
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| posted on 7/11/08 at 08:29 PM |
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http://www.saynoto0870.com/ ?
The mental gymnastics a landlord will employ to justify immoral actions is clinically fascinating. Just because something is legal doesn't make
it moral.
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blakep82
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| posted on 7/11/08 at 08:30 PM |
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0870#0870_prefix
0.5p to 8p per minute, same as 0845
[Edited on 7/11/08 by blakep82]
________________________
IVA manual link http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1081997083
don't write OT on a new thread title, you're creating the topic, everything you write is very much ON topic!
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speedyxjs
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| posted on 7/11/08 at 08:43 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0870#0870_prefix
0.5p to 8p per minute, same as 0845
[Edited on 7/11/08 by blakep82]
I thought 0845 was local rate?
How long can i resist the temptation to drop a V8 in?
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MikeCapon
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| posted on 7/11/08 at 08:44 PM |
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Thanks guys. Good links.
At least I've now got a number I can use to tell them where to stick their oil on Monday morning.
Just one question remains unanswered. Are these crooks not obliged to mention that the number they are advertising for you to ring is charged at a
premium rate?
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blakep82
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| posted on 7/11/08 at 08:48 PM |
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i don't think its a 'premium rate' premium rate is like 50p a minute, or £1.50 a minute for those 'specialist phone
lines'
0.5 - 8p is hardly premium!
christ, had a woman on the phone at work demanding she was refunded £1.27... was all ready for just telling her i'll give her it out my own
pocket...
er, how much is local rate?
________________________
IVA manual link http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1081997083
don't write OT on a new thread title, you're creating the topic, everything you write is very much ON topic!
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mangogrooveworkshop
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| posted on 7/11/08 at 08:48 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by MikeCapon
Thanks guys. Good links.
At least I've now got a number I can use to tell them where to stick their oil on Monday morning.
Just one question remains unanswered. Are these crooks not obliged to mention that the number they are advertising for you to ring is charged at a
premium rate?
they are supposed to have an announcement but here people just lie down and take it like a lot of other sneaky charges
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oldtimer
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| posted on 7/11/08 at 08:57 PM |
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As a reply above, I use www.saynoto0870 it often can give local, free or non-special-tarrif equivalent numbers......and it's FREE.
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MikeCapon
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| posted on 7/11/08 at 09:03 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by mangogrooveworkshop
[quote
they are supposed to have an announcement but here people just lie down and take it like a lot of other sneaky charges
Thanks for that. I thought they should be obliged to announce the higher charge.
Come Monday morning I'll explain to them how pleased I am and see what their reaction is. What really pi$$e$ me off is that I have been a
customer of theirs for nearly 30 years. I have recommended their product to no end of other people. I have ridden in competition with their products
since 1981. Was sponsored by them in 2003/2004. Won them 2 French championships.
And I was again ready to spend money with them. I'll keep you posted. If they don't do something pretty spectacular to put things straight
I will post the full details.
FFS what's wrong with an ordinary phone number? If you can't keep a company afloat without resorting to charging prospective customers to
talk to you you're in a bad way.
PS Excuse the rant but it's already making me feel better
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splitrivet
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| posted on 7/11/08 at 10:27 PM |
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An 0800 number is free the recipient picks up the tab, an 0845 is local rate if called locally the caller pays if long distance the recipient picks up
the tab for the difference, 0870 or 0871 is charged at BT national rate whether the caller is local or not an 08701 number is the same as an 0870
they just ran out of numbers.
If the subscriber gets the number from a 3rd party provider who's national rate is lower than BT's they would normally get an earner out
of the call, varies but 1.5p per minute is the normal rate.
If your calling from out of the UK as you are ,you would be paying the BT normal national rate plus the part that your provider would charge so it
wouldnt be a great deal of difference.
Cheers,
Bob
I used to be a Werewolf but I'm alright nowwoooooooooooooo
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MikeCapon
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| posted on 8/11/08 at 09:36 AM |
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Having dug through pages of html on my ISP's website finally I find that there are just two dialling codes for landlines in the UK for which a
charge is made
"Numéros spéciaux au Royaume-UniLes numéros spéciaux du Royaume-Uni commençant par 44870 et 44871, sont facturés de la manière suivante :
0,194 € HT soit 0, 23 € TTC par minute en heures creuses
0,268 € HT soit 0,32 € TTC par minute en heures pleines
Coût de mise en relation de 0,10 € HT soit 0,12 € TTC"
A rough translation amonts to 0.32€ per minute at peak rates plus 0.12€ at the start of each call. So my five calls with 95 minutes of communication
will have cost me 31€ or £25.36 in real money.
Where can I find the law that governs the obligatory notices accompanying this kind of number?
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JamJah
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| posted on 9/11/08 at 08:35 AM |
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The people you want are Ofcom. They are the regulators for the Communication industry in the UK.
The page that explains all is this one. Note the last paragraph though. might be
worth reading it before starting from the top.
To make a complaint see this page, however I don't think it is malpractice.
This is personal advise or personal opinion.
Constructive comments gratefully recieved, picking is left for noses.
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JamJah
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| posted on 9/11/08 at 09:37 AM |
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Sorry, you are right. It is malpractice of the general conditions (condition 14) for using a Non geographic number.
Complain to Ofcom as above. This is the preceedant.
This is personal advise or personal opinion.
Constructive comments gratefully recieved, picking is left for noses.
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MikeCapon
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| posted on 9/11/08 at 08:29 PM |
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Thank you JamJah. Your advice is much appreciated. Tomorrow morning I will now be able to ask the company involved what they intend to do to keep (a)
my business and (b) me off their back.
Cheers,
Mike
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JamJah
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| posted on 9/11/08 at 10:19 PM |
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Personally I would go in very calculated and very measured. Might be worth trying to get a good deal, then instead of adding in freebies to get extra
value gain mention the fact that you felt mislead.
Once they reply ask if they would contribute to the phone bill and after a responce ask for a 'proper' number.
The sales team should know who you are so it isnt worth mentioning, and the word illegal or malpractice is usually greeted by a brick wall.
Sorry if it sounds too much like teaching you to suck eggs, but just would hate for you to jump in with waders on.
This is personal advise or personal opinion.
Constructive comments gratefully recieved, picking is left for noses.
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