0870 rip-off / Oftel Consultation

"Jonathan Bryce" wrote

I actually meant what the OP had said in full (but unfortunately I didn't copy it all!) :- "national rate ... non-geographical numbers"

Which * "national rate" * non-geographical numbers are not 0870 / 0871 ??

Reply to
Tim
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Er, yes, but you miss the point that while his normal national calls might be effectively costing him 7.5ppm (apportioned monthly charge), his 0870 calls will be costing him that 7.5ppm *plus* whatever the mobile charges for 0870, probably at least 8ppm, so probably over 15ppm.

Reply to
Andy Pandy

Considering the amount of effort BT have put into selling BT Together (I remember getting about 5 calls in a month about BTT), I really doubt there are many BT customers who haven't either moved across to BT Together, or started using an indirect access carrier. It appears if you ask BT for a new line, the tubbies usually deny all knowledge of the standard tariff!

Reply to
Andy Pandy

But 0871 has never been classed as "national rate" by Oftel.

Reply to
Hiram Hackenbacker

Yes, I'm not sure how many people would actually choose their bank account based on what 08* number they had to dial to contact them

Reply to
Sunil Sood

"Andy Pandy" wrote in message news:S8jAb.17613$ snipped-for-privacy@wards.force.net...

I believe just under half of BT's consumer base have a BT Together now.

Regards Sunil

Reply to
Sunil Sood

Lets cut to the chase - Inweb would be unable to offer the excellent service they do if 0870 didn't cover their costs. There is nothing wrong with 0870 itself when used to do things that 01 and 02 numbers can't easily. Voice to email, hunting, time based routing, fax 2 email etc that services like inweb, flextel and other provide are already on tight margins I would imagine so would be lost if 0870 was forced to be charged at the same price as geographic.

That said there are people that abuse 0870 (sky for one) and keep people on hold to make money, think its acceptable to hold people for ages, cut people off, have complicated options etc. Perahaps some regulation of this kind of behaviour is whats needed.

You've got to remember that whilst big businesses may be able to afford stupidly high charges for phone costs (which would be passed on anyway) not everyone using 0870 is a big business.

Sam

Reply to
Sam Albrow

When I had a contract, 0870 was charged at 10ppm, but had no effect on the inclusive minutes. Either those 0870 calls are covered, or are charged, you don't really mean to say the minutes will reduce the 200 inclusive minutes *and* be charged (if so, then that is surely an "unfair contract" and should be challenged!!) Peter

Reply to
Peter Morgan - 0870 432 9631

Well, I did tell one of the credit card firms that they should consider an 0800 like another card firm, and the lady in CS said she would pass on the suggestion - I guess they get a few complaints about using an

0870. Mostly I ring them at the weekend so don't care about cost.
Reply to
Peter Morgan - 0870 432 9631

Most banks & credit card companies are usually willing to give out an 01/02 number.

Quite a few can be found at

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Thanks Daniel

Reply to
Daniel

yes, I have Fresh and Virgin SIMs so get billed in arrears for calls that I make but have no monthly fees to pay. That's *free* line rental and a fee of 10p/minute for calls to landlines on Fresh, with some more complex calculations to do on Virgin - 15p for the first 5 minutes, then 5p/minute for subsequent minutes. There's really little reason for light users or those having a mobile for incoming calls to be paying 10 or 20 quid each month. There's a lot of flexibility you see, even without a PAYG. Peter.

Reply to
Peter Morgan - 0870 432 9631

I have three accounts, none on BT Together, and have had no calls from BT to try to push BT Together options. Peter M.

Reply to
Peter Morgan - 0870 432 9631

Are you on TPS?

Reply to
Andy Pandy

So you're dividing his line rental by his geographic calls but not by his 0870 calls, to arrive at a ppm cost? What a load of bollox. He *is not using all his inclusive minutes*, that is the point, so that fact that 0870 numbers don't reduce the inclusive minutes is irrelavent.

Whatever way you look at it, he *is* paying more for calling 0870 than he is for calling national geographic numbers, therefore he is being lied to by companies that tell him he is being charged "national rate" for calling 0870 numbers.

-- Andy

Reply to
Andy Pandy

Any idea how many of those not on BT Together use indirect access providers?

Reply to
Andy Pandy

Saying there are dozens of lower tariffs doesn't make the "national rate" any lower than 7.91p - that's the benchmark against which all other carriers compare their rates, not 2-3p. Hence the ability to claim significant savings against BT rates.

Have you considered a complaint to the ASA/ITC about the Tele2 ads on TV which compare their rate of 2.5p with 7.91p? After all, you claim that 7.91p is not "national rate" while Tele2 clearly gains from the comparison. Peter M.

Reply to
poster

Yes it does - 7.91ppm is the "BT Standard national rate".

No, most adverts I've seen are reasonably honest and compare against the nearest equivalent BT tariff, which may be a BT Together tariff.

I've not seen that advert, but if it doesn't specifically compare against the BT Standard tariff (rather than simply "BT") then a complaint is justified IMO.

Reply to
Andy Pandy

Does the same not also to geographic local and national numbers? That if you, from a BT phone call to an NTL or Telewest etc subscriber or vice versa that the cost of the call is apportioned between calling, transit and destination carriers?

Reply to
Graham Murray

No 07x numbers are premium. There are some with quite high call rates, higher than some premium rate numbers, but that doesnt make them premium rate rate in terms of the industry definitions.

Linus

Reply to
Linus Surguy

"Peter Morgan - 0870 432 9631" wrote

What if those tarriffs don't accept the "top-of-the-range" handset you want?

What if those networks don't offer the type of "handset" (eg XDA) you want?

Reply to
Tim

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