Orange To Start Charging For Freephone Calls

tpk · 13-10-2005, 19:33

Orange are to start charging for freephone calls from 01/12 (except some charity numbers).

Nice for all us poor employees who have ditched their landlines in favour of only having a mobile.

Source - Orange Intranet, more info should be printed on billing inserts from 15/10.

lee18xx · 13-10-2005, 22:32

You are joking, I use 0800 alot of my phone this is complete and utter pants.

Does anybody know if any other networks still other 0800 free calls?

crowfield99 · 13-10-2005, 23:30

I think orange was the last! Could be wrong... But I am 99.8% sure

Mr Cable · 13-10-2005, 23:42

99.99999% sure here that no other networks offer unrestricted free 0800 calls.

Orange were/are the only ones (and then on selected tariffs only). Suprised they never done it sooner.

crowfield99 · 13-10-2005, 23:44

On T-Mobile you have to pay for the whole call even if you have any incl. mins. they dont come out of that either!

James Clayton · 14-10-2005, 03:45

same with three

BexTech · 14-10-2005, 05:47

T-Mobile/One2One used to offer free calls to 0800 numbers but stopped a couple of years back, the other operators have always charged for 0800 numbers (Orange excepted - until now).

UMRO · 14-10-2005, 09:10

That is shite ... I use 0800 all the time on my fone about (20 mins a month) - argh :| - oh well does anyone know how much Orange are likely to charge for 0800??? 10p a minute or something? as I doubt it very much if it comes out of talktime minutes...

Dan 8t1 · 14-10-2005, 13:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Clayton

same with three

I've never understood this. I can understand them making 0800 numbers chargeable, but the fact that they won't even deduct them from your minutes (despite the fact they are probably receiving revenue from the recipient's telco) seems rediculous. It means a number which was deliberately set up to be free for the caller actually works out more expensive than if it was just a standard landline number.. where's the sense in that?

Dan

m419 · 14-10-2005, 15:15

What the hell is Ofcom doing?

The idea of 0500/0800 and 0808 number is that the owner of the freephone number will pay for the call instead of the caller! just like a reverse charge call.

If you call a freephone number from a public payphone, the call is absolutely free to the caller, however the payphone company such as NWP Spectrum charges the owner about 8p per minute known as the 'Payphone Access charge' and thats how they make their money.

This same process could be done with mobile networks couldn't it? and then the call to freephone numbers is absolutely free to the caller.

I would suggest complaining to ofcom about this as the telecoms industry is collapsing, we've got BT removing thousands of it's public payphones every year,NTL leaving customers with no phone service due to a fault for weeks!, Interphone leaving 1000 disused and dangerous payphone kiosks and Tiscali with a virtually non-existant customer services! And last but not least 'Orange putting up mobile phone masts on top of schools and tower blocks!

fainéant · 14-10-2005, 15:41

Both 02 and Vodafone charge. When you dial a voice tells you that these calls are not free of charge and invites you to hang up if you don't wnat to continue.

OllieOnline · 15-10-2005, 16:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by m419

What the hell is Ofcom doing?

There isn't really a fat lot Ofcom can do. The only telcos who are obligated to give free access to their customers to free phone numbers are BT and Kingston Communication in Hull.

If the telco is going to charge they do have to play an announement indicating this charge before the call.

In my opinion 080 and 0500 calls should be free from every phone, but I guess thats wishful thinking.

01/12 will be a sad day for UK phone users.

13-10-2005, 19:33	#1
tpk Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Darlington Posts: 681	Orange To Start Charging For Freephone Calls Orange are to start charging for freephone calls from 01/12 (except some charity numbers). Nice for all us poor employees who have ditched their landlines in favour of only having a mobile. Source - Orange Intranet, more info should be printed on billing inserts from 15/10.

14-10-2005, 15:15	#10
m419 Banned User Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: London Posts: 774	Ofcom What the hell is Ofcom doing? The idea of 0500/0800 and 0808 number is that the owner of the freephone number will pay for the call instead of the caller! just like a reverse charge call. If you call a freephone number from a public payphone, the call is absolutely free to the caller, however the payphone company such as NWP Spectrum charges the owner about 8p per minute known as the 'Payphone Access charge' and thats how they make their money. This same process could be done with mobile networks couldn't it? and then the call to freephone numbers is absolutely free to the caller. I would suggest complaining to ofcom about this as the telecoms industry is collapsing, we've got BT removing thousands of it's public payphones every year,NTL leaving customers with no phone service due to a fault for weeks!, Interphone leaving 1000 disused and dangerous payphone kiosks and Tiscali with a virtually non-existant customer services! And last but not least 'Orange putting up mobile phone masts on top of schools and tower blocks!

13-10-2005, 22:32	#2
lee18xx Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: UK Posts: 2,794	You are joking, I use 0800 alot of my phone this is complete and utter pants. Does anybody know if any other networks still other 0800 free calls?

13-10-2005, 23:30	#3
crowfield99 Forum Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Walsall, UK Posts: 520	I think orange was the last! Could be wrong... But I am 99.8% sure

13-10-2005, 23:42	#4
Mr Cable Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 2,868	99.99999% sure here that no other networks offer unrestricted free 0800 calls. Orange were/are the only ones (and then on selected tariffs only). Suprised they never done it sooner.

13-10-2005, 23:44	#5
crowfield99 Forum Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Walsall, UK Posts: 520	On T-Mobile you have to pay for the whole call even if you have any incl. mins. they dont come out of that either!

14-10-2005, 03:45	#6
James Clayton Banned User Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 799	same with three

14-10-2005, 05:47	#7
BexTech Banned User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Back where I belong. Posts: 12,574	T-Mobile/One2One used to offer free calls to 0800 numbers but stopped a couple of years back, the other operators have always charged for 0800 numbers (Orange excepted - until now).

14-10-2005, 09:10	#8
UMRO Forum Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 1,806	That is shite ... I use 0800 all the time on my fone about (20 mins a month) - argh :\| - oh well does anyone know how much Orange are likely to charge for 0800??? 10p a minute or something? as I doubt it very much if it comes out of talktime minutes...

14-10-2005, 13:00	#9
Dan 8t1 Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Leicester Posts: 897	Quote: Originally Posted by James Clayton same with three I've never understood this. I can understand them making 0800 numbers chargeable, but the fact that they won't even deduct them from your minutes (despite the fact they are probably receiving revenue from the recipient's telco) seems rediculous. It means a number which was deliberately set up to be free for the caller actually works out more expensive than if it was just a standard landline number.. where's the sense in that? Dan

14-10-2005, 15:41	#11
fainéant Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 2,593	Both 02 and Vodafone charge. When you dial a voice tells you that these calls are not free of charge and invites you to hang up if you don't wnat to continue.

15-10-2005, 16:24	#12
OllieOnline Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Solihull, England, UK Posts: 156	Quote: Originally Posted by m419 What the hell is Ofcom doing? There isn't really a fat lot Ofcom can do. The only telcos who are obligated to give free access to their customers to free phone numbers are BT and Kingston Communication in Hull. If the telco is going to charge they do have to play an announement indicating this charge before the call. In my opinion 080 and 0500 calls should be free from every phone, but I guess thats wishful thinking. 01/12 will be a sad day for UK phone users.

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Orange To Start Charging For Freephone Calls