Cost of telephone calls

[doug]

Been looking at the "saynotto0870numbers" Say no link that was posted on here recently and mean to give it a serious go. I'm on TT which gives free calls to 01 numbers for the first 89 mins. So I've been trying to find a list of the costs of premium rate numbers. Been browsing through the BT pricing BT call charges Although it gives many charges it doesn't appear to say which are 0845/ 0800/0870 numbers etc. Anyone got any info on this?

[-pops-]

I believe that 0800 are free to the caller (the owner of the number picks up the tab) - 0500 numbers likewise.

0845 are charged at the local rate.

0870 are charged at the national rate.

[doug]

Thanks pops again!

PS so if I locate the 01 version of the numbers I should still be able to get the free 89 mins on TT.

[catgate]

Yes...should.

Many people don't realise that there are many phone providers offering cheaper calls to standard telephone numbers (those beginning with 01 or 02), which don't apply to 0844, 0845, 0870 or 0871 telephone numbers. - Please see the links page and click on Cheapest Call Provider for price details. This shows that by using multiple providers, you can reduce your call cost on standard telephone numbers to as little as 3p fixed cost (regardless of duration), whereas the cheapest provider to 0870 numbers during the day that I am aware of charges 4p/min (+ 3p connection fee) to call.

Worst still some companies that use these numbers are actually receiving a cut of the phone call costs.

If you have an 'inclusive landline calls' phone package, then it is very rare that 0844, 0845, 0870, or 0871 numbers are are included in your 'free minutes' allocation, unlike normal numbers. Many mobile phone packages also exclude freephone 0800 and 0808 numbers for your bundled minutes.

source :- http://www.saynoto0870.com/

[doug]

Catgate, so it was you that provided that link. Couldn't remember lat night. I had the link bookmarked but did know how to acknowledge or send the royalties to. Thanks.

[andsome]

My package with Virgin gives free dialled land-line calls up to 60 minutes, then if you want to carry on with a free call you have to disconnect and redial.

[AlanHo]

Doug

It would appear that you are on a similar system to andsome and I in that you get free calls to normal terrestial phones for a limited period - in your case 89 minutes per call, in our case with Virgin, 59 minutes per call.

Calls to mobiles and the 0845 and 0870 etc number series are always charged at whatever rate and are not free - but I am not sure what the actual costs per minute are.

Looking back through my recent Virgin phone bills shows the following call costs :-

0870.....6 mins.....£0.61

0871.....5 mins.....£0.51

0845.....14 min.....£0.65

0845.....32 min.....£1.44

0870.....7.5 min....£0.71

0871.....5.2 min....£0.91

rates for TT may differ

I have heard that you need to understand exactly how your phone provider administers the free minutes per call. I gather that some charge only for any extra minutes above the allowed limit - others charge for the full time if you run over. I am not sure what Virgin do - never tested it.

[doug]

Talktalk charge the full whack after 90 mins. So they suggest ringing off and re-dialling

[catgate]

I seem to remember some story, maybe emanating from the 'sayno' site, to the effect that the cost of some, if not all 08....numbers was determined in some way by the company "renting" the number. Obviously the 0800 "Free" and the 0845 "local" calls are subsidised by the "renter" but in the other cases excess charges are made for the benifit of those running the scam.

Wherever possible I use the "sayno" site because usually if you are presented with a 0875 number you can be sure there will be a series of disembodied bimbos, giving you a series of numerical options, which will, as surely as night follows day, lead you to the hole in the wall round the back, where you will be dumped out on you ear into the back street.