premium rate phone numbers

[John Rudd]

Dont know whether this applies to our Colonial cousins across the pond there.......

But it seems that more and more companies here in the UK are using p.r. numbers for help lines...

I got an email from Admiral about my car insurance week befor last asking me to call them to update my payment details ( my credit card was about to expire)...This was followed up with a letter...'Can you call us on 0844....?'

So I called them on a weekend ( cheap rate? yeah....I just got off the banana boat..)

'Please hold a representative will be with you shortly....' music follows....
Bugger this..I'm paying for this call and I aint listening to no music....Hangs up...

Followed this up with a strongly worded email suggesting they call me weekdays after 5-00pm and before 7-00pm...They called at 6-30 last Wednesday to resolve everything.

Tonight, 'Er indoors was expecting a delivery from one of yer catalogue warehouse thingies...
She placed the order on Saturday and delivery was next day for which there a payment...
Nothing came yesterday or today...Tried to ring them...another bloody automated service with voice recognition...'a representative will be with you shortly, current waiting time is 3 mins....'
Cue the music....Arrrrrrrghhhhhh not again....

Email sent to them so let's see what happens....

I hate p.r phone calls......

[andyf]

I share your dislike, John. Even some Governmental departmets/agencies use them.

Often, this helps: http://www.saynoto0870.com/ . It helps for 0845 etc, too.

Or I sometimes ring the 0800 freephone number some outfits use to lure in customers, and then ask to be put through to Customer "Service" (the quotes are intentional!) or whoever I'm anxious to speak to.

Andy

[John Rudd]

I share your dislike, John.
Andy

Andy,

I dont dislike them......I hate them with a vengeance!!!!

(I think the Victor Meldrew in me is about to come out...    )

[andyf]

I used to get worked up over things like this, John, but I've decided to keep calm and carry on. so I keep my BP down and not burst another blood vessel. The last time that happened required the services of a brain surgeon to put a clip on it.  It was a cerebral haemorrhoid or a varicose brain or something...

Andy

[John Rudd]

Andy,

There's an element of truth in what you say...I'm already on BP medication....

Sad truth of it all is that we accept that these things ............its all about greed...companies want more profit....but to what end?

No wonder the economy is in such a state....

I need to lie down in a darkened room...Where's my therapist? 

[andyf]

Searching for Admiral Insurance on the saynoto0870 site gives (freephone) 0800 600800  as an alternative for car insurance renewals on 0844 848 0049, if that's the number you were calling.

At renewal time, it's always worth consulting the meerkats or that awful opera singer for comparative quotes. Very often, you can get a cheaper deal with your existing insurer that way. These days, insurers regard loyal customers as suckers, and give cheaper quotes when they think it might be new business to be turned into another sucker in a year or two.

Andy

[Jonny]

Wholeheartedly agree with all above, its a shifty way of gettin dosh.

Many companies are using this, try the Government sites, 8 mins later to be told this number is no longer operational call this number! Rings new number 86 mins later throws the friggin phone down, next day 17 mins to be told theres industrial action.
Its also another reason why i am migrating to another ISP.

[Mike Cole]

I work for part of the  Home office and the cost of our 0870 numbers are 2.6p per min daytime and 0.8p evening. Why we use 0870 numbers i have no ideal, but we do also give out our direct line numbers and call back when requested.  The main problem with these numbers is that the charge per min can  be set at at any level( i think, could be wrong here) and the caller has no ideal what that is.

[buffalow bill]

I believe that 0870 number can be between 0,0d and £1 per min. 0890 numbers are from a limit set by the telephone co. and have no upper limit. But as always I could be wrong.
Problem with 0870’s if you call them, you have no indication of the charge.

[sparky961]

I do believe we're a bit spoiled in Canada (and probably the US) in terms of telephone costs.  Long distance plans are cheap enough that you can talk for days without being concerned with the cost.  Most government branches and large businesses have 1-800 (toll free) numbers but it doesn't make a huge difference on your phone bill if you call long distance.

-Sparky

[Jonny]

Ring HMRC and its an 0845 number. 13 mins later you might just might get to where you want after being forced to listen to the time consuming garbage recorded messages between extentions.
7 calls total 152 mins £6.46 and got no where plus audacity to charge VAT on it.

If a landline number was available it wouldnt have cost a thing apart from the 86 minute one!

[AdeV]

The main use of non-geographical numbers is so the company concerned can direct your call to the cheapest call centre, err, I mean the next available representative... With distributed phone systems, a geographical number might not even be relevant or remotely correct.... e.g. I have an 01268 VOIP number. If you look up that code you'll find it's Southend-on-Sea & environs, in fact it rings a phone in Birkenhead....

What p**ses me off, even more than the 0845/0870/0800 thing (all chargeable on most mobiles) is this new "personal number" scam. Until recently, all mobiles have been 07xxxxx numbers; but now, personal numbers are "070". and they cost getting on for £1/minute. I bought a part for my car recently & the garage number was 070. I thought it was a mobile. The 8 minute call added £5.11 (ex VAT) to my phone bill.

In the words of The Shamen - Naughty naughty, very naughty.

saynoto0870.com is a brilliant website, I use it all the time.

Must admit, I think OfCom are largely to  blame here, with their ridiculous assigning of cost codes. I think they deliberately make it confusing to allow unscrupulous companies rip-off unsuspecting punters.

[HS93]

6AM trying to get through to Blueyonder to try and find why my broadband was not working an 0845 no it says there is up to 10 min wait so as its early I waited and waited and waited listening to dreadful music blasting my ears 31 min later I got someone in India who then after giving my details for the third time that my broadband was off due to a modem failure in there system so I asked when will it be fixed to be told although they had it in the system till someone reports it they do not put it forward for repair, so a bill and a headache and a few hours later its fixed I don't know why when they advertise free repair and help line I have to pay for an expensive call

peter

[Jonny]

Thats how they make some dosh, keep you hanging on make believe they are busy.
Add to that call centres in foreign places that dont speaka d lingo reading from scripts = worthless. Thats why its cheap.

Current ISP uses an 0870 number in Manchester, one reason i will ask for MAC next month.

[ieezitin]

Hi peoples

Don't you Europeans have POI ( Phone Over Internet) there?. Here in the states if you have a high speed service (DSL AND UP ) its worth get the service provided around $30 a month. now there is a new one for $1.95 a month POI, i have not used it but my friend is and its not let him down yet its called Magic Jack.

Hell saying that you can buy phone cards here ( Pay as you go ) International cards that you purchase and phone a international number and get connected to a line anywhere in the world for pennies a minuet.  Whats stopping you purchasing USA phone cards over the net get the code numbers sent to your email and use the card from the UK, i have a Sim card that i purchased here and is only used for Europe for when i go there. ( I am an ex Patriot )


Anthony

[Jonny]

POI has existed for many years the point being UK 01 and 02 numbers are installed initially at normal rate charges, to me free 24/7.
I am charged for other obscure manipulating phone calls ie 0845, 0870 etc plus cheap rate mobiles and foreign countries etc.

As above some where you can opt out and have a national number not associated with your local telephone exchange.
The question is Why!

[mattinker]

Here in France we've had POI for at least ten years, it's included in ADSL and television and internet contracts. I chose my first POS operator because they not only had free services to all national land lines (excluding the 08 numbers) but international to a lot of countries, my son lives in the UK, we send lots of time on the phone! I usually mange to find the free access even to places that have thief numbers!

Regards, Matthew