BT phone charges

[rondeau]

Can anyone tell me how much it costs per minute, including VAT, to call an 0870 number at peak time?

[NazNomad]

6.7p a minute

[NazNomad]

http://www.08numbers.net/08_call_costs.html

[vivandorron]

This is something on which BT is not at all clear on its Internet sites. It seems to be a question of what 'calling plan' you have agree.

Sorry I can't help beyond suggesting you Telephone BT. free on 0800 800 150 for further billing information. If you do, make sure you have at hand your account number

Ron.

[dzug2]

Pretty sure the 6.7ppm is right.

It's free (well included) with some of their calling plans

[JonnyBoy12]

Is that the same rate for 08456 numbers like First Direct as well?

[NazNomad]

Isn't that an 0845 number? See my link ^^

[JonnyBoy12]

Sorry, NazNomad, I thought that link was only about 0800 numbers, and did not look at it properly. Yes, that does answer my question very well.

[Buenchico]

Including VAT, the charge is 7p per minute from 0700 to 1900, which is exactly the same as if you call a 'normal' landline number.

See page 42:
http://www.productsan...df/SpecialisedNos.pdf

Chris

[Buenchico]

For JohnnyBoy12:
08456 numbers are charged at 2.042p per minute from 0700 to 1900, and at 0.51p per minute at other times (unless you get free calls anyway, through a BT calling plan). Use my link above, and refer to Page 43.

[vivandorron]

If one is on a BT calling plan (as I am) and 0845 nos. are free for specific periods; they are still charged if the number is being used as a 'dial-up' connection to an Internet Service Provider.

Ron.

[dave80]

Since 2009, BT had 0845 and 0870 calls as "inclusive" within call packages. The calls are quite expensive in comparison if you haven't got a call package.

0843, 0844, 0871 and 0872 numbers are never included in call plans. They are quite expensive from non-BT landlines and very expensive from mobiles. BT are regulated to make no profit from these calls. The call price is the same as the revenue share that BT passes on. Other operators add a profit margin on top. Mobile operators charge up to 45 p per minute for these calls.

Whenever you see an 084 or 087 number advertised, replace the 08 with 03 (keeping the rest of the digits the same as before) and see what you get. It will either be answered by the correct company or will lead to a "number not yet in service" error message.

03 numbers were introduced in 2007. These are usable in inclusive minutes from landlines and, crucially, from mobiles too.

03 numbers cost exactly the same as 01 and 02 numbers if you have to pay for them (i.e. from pay as you go mobiles and from landlines without inclusive minutes).

034 and 037 numbers have been reserved for the users of the matching 084 and 087 numbers since 2007.

New users can choose 033 numbers, and certain organisations can use 030 numbers.

In 2013/2014, the Consumer Rights Directive will force many of the users of 084 and 087 numbers to move customer service and other similar functions to 03 numbers.

If the 03 number doesn't work then http://www.saynoto0870.com/ might list an 01 or 02 number that you can ring instead.

There's a lot of history behind the various 084 and 087 numbers.

Before 2005, 0870 was aligned to "national rate" and 0845 was aligned to "local rate". In 2005, landline operators scrapped the price differential for local and national calls, instead charging a single "geographic" rate for 01 and 02 numbers. They also introduced call packages with "inclusive" calls of up to one hour per call to all 01 and 02 numbers. At that point, "local rate" and "national rate" ceased to exist.

0845 and 0870 numbers, being chargable and non-inclusive, had overnight become expensive in comparison to calling 01 and 02 numbers. As they included a revenue-share element in the call price, they had in effect become "premium rate".

0844 and 0871 numbers had always been revenue share numbers and never had any link with "local" or "national" call prices. These were never inclusive.

Since 2009, 0845 and 0870 numbers are usable within "inclusive minutes" in BT packages. Ofcom removed revenue sharing from 0870 and made 0870 inclusive in 2009. BT expected Ofcom to remove revenue sharing from 0845 too. BT made 0845 inclusive but Ofcom didn't proceed with the expected changes. BT subsidises calls to 0845 numbers.

Ofcom propose cleaning up the 084 and 087 number ranges. In 2013, several changes are expected:

- 0870 will return to revenue share and align with 0871 and 0872 revenue sharing numbers.

- 0845 and 0870 will no longer be inclusive calls from landlines.

- 0845 will align with 0844 and 0843 revenue sharing numbers.

- Users of 084 and 087 numbers will have to publish the revenue share that applies to their number (details http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/numbering/s8_code.txt of amounts) under the new "unbundled tariffs" proposals.

If you see 084 or 087 numbers being described as "local rate", "lo-call" rate or "national rate" report it to the ASA. These are revenue share numbers.

The move to 03 numbers is significant. The price reduction of 03 calls to that of 01 and 02 numbers and the fact they are usable in inclusive minutes benefits landline and mobile users alike.