Anyone else noticed this? BT supposedly does us a great deal, giving us 0845 numbers for free....But every company number I look at these days seems to now be 0844!

I assume this is no accident? I believe companies use to be able to take a slice of the 0845 revenue, so could make money off you while leaving you in a call queue. So assume what's happened is that companies can no longer get a slice of 0845, which has allowed BT give the numbers away for free, so companies have switched to 0844 because they can still get a slice of that, perhaps?* Or are companies just switching because they don't want their customers staying on the line forever because it's not costing the customer anything?


* I assume 0844 is actually local rate, like 0845, I don't actually know, I've just assumed it is because of the numbers are so similar.

Actually, no matter, I've seen the other thread and my questions have been answered in there. So yes, it seems the cut the companies used to get has been scrapped and that's why they are quickly shifting over to 0844 and 0871. So BT have gave us next to nothing and then put up their line rental to boot. Nice try BT, I was slightly impressed for a short while, but it was all just a worthless PR stunt.

Sorry about that.

Don't use 084* or 087* numbers if you can:

http://www.saynoto0870.com/

That's what they hope you'll assume. In fact, the cost of calling an 0844 (or 0843) number can be ½p, 1p, 2p, 3p, 4p or 5p per minute (well, actually very slightly less in each case at the moment because of the small reduction in VAT) depending on the 4th, 5th and 6th digits of the number - see HERE.

It'll probably come as no surprise to you to learn that most are now 5p per minute numbers (all the NEG SurgeryLine numbers now used by GPs' surgeries certainly are).

Many companies moved to 0844 numbers 12-18 months ago because of the ofcom decision that charges for 0870 and 0845 numbers should be reclassified, and within in a certain tmeframe. Then ofcom bottled it and changed their minds about the timeframe, to give companies more time to change, plus other factors...

Never ASS.U.me anything, especially about numbers.

I wouldn't start living over the road in someone elses house because their house number is one out from mine.........and as Gary Glitter found out, 15 isn't the same as 16.

I read that the Post Office Tel Service are to introduce free 0845 and 0870 eves and weekends from June 1.

And, very soon, there won't be any 0845 or 0870 numbers to call because the greedy companies and organisations will all have changed to 0843, 0844, 0871, 0872 or 0873 numbers to maintain their revenue-share.

I think you're right.


Companies will always try to milk their customers as much as they can.

Waiting in a queue whilst paying a higher rate for calls so that the company gets it's cut of the call is scandalous.

Where are all those regulatory telephone bodies when we need them ?
I thought they were there to look after the customers not help the companies who are robbing us every day ?

I got an 0870 number for our home landline - instead of giving out the normal to businesses we give the 0870, that way we make money and also noticed that we get no cold calling.

Doesn't cost us anything for the number.

So if someone calls you from a BT line and the call is free how do you make any money from the call ?

I thought companies were moving to new numbers because they could no longer make money on 0870.

Just because BT no longer charges its customers for such calls doesn't mean termination fees (and, hence, revenue sharing) isn't still taking place.

Remember, Ofcom bottled out from changing the rules.

As Heinz said, the call provider might not charge you for the call but they still have to pay the end party.

Ok thanks guys.





Has anyone tried the post office telephone service ????