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0800 numbers to be free from mobiles from 1st July!

Bandspread199Bandspread199 Posts: 4,897
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in Mobile Phones #1
Had a text from Vodafone to say that numbers starting 08 will be free to call from July 1st as ordered by Ofcom! :)

Comments

  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    #2
    Three have been offering this for a year now.

    0800 Buster also works till Vodafone graciously give you that option thanks to Ofcom.
  • tycho-magtycho-mag Posts: 8,660
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    #3
    Everything Goes wrote: »
    Three have been offering this for a year now.

    Some people on new EE price plans (ie, my SIM only upgrade in Sept) also have free 0800 already.
  • d123d123 Posts: 8,604
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    #4
    jchamier wrote: »
    Some people on new EE price plans (ie, my SIM only upgrade in Sept) also have free 0800 already.

    As do the EE Extra plans from Aug 2014...
  • Thine WonkThine Wonk Posts: 17,190
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    #5
    As do newer contracted Three customers already and Giffgaff has offered it for years too.

    Good news that more people are getting 0800 numbers included.
  • mooxmoox Posts: 18,880
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    #6
    It's ridiculous that it was never like this from day one - or at the very least, the same per minute rate as a landline call, and not something often not inclusive in minutes. Especially for contract customers who already pay line rental.
  • call100call100 Posts: 7,278
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    #7
    Been free on giffgaff for years now...Those charging have been ripping everyone off with 0800 numbers.
  • d'@ved'@ve Posts: 45,515
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    #8
    Already free on BT Mobile.
  • tycho-magtycho-mag Posts: 8,660
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    #9
    call100 wrote: »
    Been free on giffgaff for years now...Those charging have been ripping everyone off with 0800 numbers.

    Orange and one2one started with 0800 being free back in 1994 and 1993 respectively. They were forced to change by the other two (Vodafone and Cellnet) and some complaint to Oftel (precursor to Ofcom) back in around 1999.

    Its taken Ofcom this long to sort out the mess :-/
  • david16david16 Posts: 14,821
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    #10
    Just hope the mobile operators don't cut the number of inclusive minutes on various plans when 0800 numbers become free.
  • david16david16 Posts: 14,821
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    #11
    call100 wrote: »
    Been free on giffgaff for years now...Those charging have been ripping everyone off with 0800 numbers.

    0500 numbers will still be chargeable though.
  • DevonBlokeDevonBloke Posts: 6,835
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    #12
    jchamier wrote: »
    Orange and one2one started with 0800 being free back in 1994 and 1993 respectively. They were forced to change by the other two (Vodafone and Cellnet) and some complaint to Oftel (precursor to Ofcom) back in around 1999.

    Its taken Ofcom this long to sort out the mess :-/

    Yes, joined Orange in 1996 with Nokia 2140 (Nokia Orange) and remember well that 0800 were free. Was a pretty cool Orange feature at the time. Shame it all went **** up!
    :)
  • tycho-magtycho-mag Posts: 8,660
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    #13
    david16 wrote: »
    0500 numbers will still be chargeable though.

    They were Mercury communications freecall competitor to BT's freephone. Similarly we had 0345 and 0545 but 0545 went a long time ago. Mercury being C&W residential brand that launched one2one.

    No issue as they're hardly used and die in 2017 if I'm reading this right.
    http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/re-consultation-0500-freephone/statement
  • Deleted_User381237831Deleted_User381237831 Posts: 7,902
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    #14
    jchamier wrote: »
    Orange and one2one started with 0800 being free back in 1994 and 1993 respectively. They were forced to change by the other two (Vodafone and Cellnet) and some complaint to Oftel (precursor to Ofcom) back in around 1999.

    Its taken Ofcom this long to sort out the mess :-/

    It wasn't Cellnet and Vodafone that forced them to change (that would be anti-competitive).

    It was due to the proliferation of calling card services that allowed cheap calls via 0800. They used to block identified numbers but the providers simply changed the number and the cycle continued. Until the networks gave up and just made all 0800's chargeable, I also think it was a case of "If Voda/Cellnet can do it and earn a few bob, why not us?"
  • uniqueunique Posts: 12,432
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    #15
    i got charged a fair few quid calling an 0800 number last year. i presumed it would come out of my minutes. so got a bit charge and ironically had hardly touched my normal minutes

    i presume if it's ofcom then it applies to all companies? i'm on virgin as i get a good deal. i usually use say no to 0870 for alternate numbers or dial banks via the "international" number on the card
  • Mark CMark C Posts: 20,893
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    #16
    Bandspread199 wrote: »
    Had a text from Vodafone to say that numbers starting 08 will be free to call from July 1st as ordered by Ofcom! :)

    08, or 0800 ? There's a major difference ?
  • bikerladbikerlad Posts: 1,585
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    #17
    Mark C wrote: »
    08, or 0800 ? There's a major difference ?

    080 numbers.
  • david16david16 Posts: 14,821
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    #18
    unique wrote: »
    i got charged a fair few quid calling an 0800 number last year. i presumed it would come out of my minutes. so got a bit charge and ironically had hardly touched my normal minutes

    i presume if it's ofcom then it applies to all companies? i'm on virgin as i get a good deal. i usually use say no to 0870 for alternate numbers or dial banks via the "international" number on the card

    I always do the same.

    But I find there are a lot more 0844, 0845 and 0870 numbers I have to find alternative numbers to than 0800 and 0808 numbers.

    Will the number of inclusive minutes for making calls to landline numbers that are non 08 or 0500 numbers stay the same from July?
  • d123d123 Posts: 8,604
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    #19
    david16 wrote: »
    I always do the same.

    But I find there are a lot more 0844, 0845 and 0870 numbers I have to find alternative numbers to than 0800 and 0808 numbers.

    The number of 084x numbers have diminished over the last year since most customer service use of them was banned, it's always worth trying any 0845 xxxxxx number as 0345 xxxxxxxx, many companies have bought the same 0345 number but still publicise the 0845 if they are allowed to.
  • tycho-magtycho-mag Posts: 8,660
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    #20
    plymouthbloke1974 wrote: »
    It wasn't Cellnet and Vodafone that forced them to change (that would be anti-competitive).

    I thought they raised the complaint that got Oftel looking into it, at the same time as lots of people were essentially taking the proverbial using 0800 based calling cards to reduce the cost of calls. I used an 0800 ISP over a Nokia cellular data PCMCIA modem for about 6 months. The ISP charged me at 2p/min on my credit card. Was cheaper than any data service Orange offered.
    It was due to the proliferation of calling card services that allowed cheap calls via 0800. They used to block identified numbers but the providers simply changed the number and the cycle continued. Until the networks gave up and just made all 0800's chargeable, I also think it was a case of "If Voda/Cellnet can do it and earn a few bob, why not us?"

    I remember the volume of numbers being discussed on the (long since gone) Orange mailing list.
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