Saying no to 0870

[Steve]

Ever worried about the price of ringing a company because of the telephone number prefix? If the number is an 0870 number, then you should be able to find a geographic number (area code) that does the same job. Luckily, there's a site dedicated to providing this information.

Many companies advertise a separate number that can be used when calling from abroad - This usually begins in the format +44 - There is nothing to stop you using this number from the UK (as it is a normal rate telephone call), and will be included in any inclusive minutes provided by your landline or mobile phone provider. Many others will give you a standard number if you ask.

This site is all about listing these numbers, saving you money, without having to pay additional charges. To get started and find a particular number, please click on the 'Search to find an alternative number' link at the top of the page.

Check out Saynoto0870.com.

[unreal]

Whoa thanks, my dad will prob find this ultra useful

[B-MAn]

didnt work with dial a phone. Their customer service number is 0870 333 6061. I called up their geographic number and they switched be back to the other number oh well

[TiG]

No i've never worried about phoning an 0870 number, its part of the industry i work in and it amazes me there is so much hassle about the service. 7p a minute?, i mean normal national rate is 5p a minute and you can't make any money off that, yet 0870 means you get a share of the call cost. Meaning that you can save some money, offer discounts on goods etc.

It certainly is used for good. I know of cases its used to pay for the postage, rather than charging for it.

Plus 0871 will soon be available too, charging ~10p/minute.

These numbers have legitimate uses and can be used to charge for content driven services, rather than choosing to go for a 40 or 60p/minute premium rate number.....

TiG

[Moby-Dick]

Its also used by small companies to mask some of their location - it annoys me that they can't be part of inclusive minutes though ( but thats not the companies fault , thats the phone operator themselves )

[amjedm]

No i've never worried about phoning an 0870 number, its part of the industry i work in and it amazes me there is so much hassle about the service. 7p a minute?, i mean normal national rate is 5p a minute and you can't make any money off that, yet 0870 means you get a share of the call cost. Meaning that you can save some money, offer discounts on goods etc.

It certainly is used for good. I know of cases its used to pay for the postage, rather than charging for it.

Plus 0871 will soon be available too, charging ~10p/minute.

These numbers have legitimate uses and can be used to charge for content driven services, rather than choosing to go for a 40 or 60p/minute premium rate number.....

TiG

Wasn't the Government criticised recently for using a 0870 number for the July 7 Bombing helpline? As Government offices (DVLA etc.) use 0870 numbers why don't we see a saving elsewhere - reduction in price of petrol would be good.

I'm not too happy when you dial an 0870 number and have to go through various menus or are put on hold for ages.

Edit: I don't like 0870 or 0845 because my national and local calls to geographic numbers are free or in the call package.

[Parm]

I'm also confused as to why so many people are terrified of 0870 numbers?

The way I see it:

084... numbers, local rate, feel free to call. With a BT line, approximately 4p a minute during the day, 1p a minute during evening and weekends.

087... numbers, national rate, feel free to call. With a BT line, approximately 8p a minute during the day, 4p a minute during evening and weekends.

09... numbers, premium rate, do not call unless your life depends on it.

07... numbers, mobile numbers. Can't help but call 'em.


Most of the 087 numbers I'd call would not be located in my local geographic area, so dialling the national rate numbers are no concern for me.

[Parm]

Also, if you're not a fan of the menu's or voice operated systems, try ignoring them completely.
99% of all those systems have a fall back, if they don't understand you or if you don't respond for 2 or 3 attempts, it will automatically connect you to an operator.

[trog]

i think alot of us are worried about using 0870 numbers cos they can have a very bad effect on mobile phone bills and before you say anything about land lines, not everyone has one. At uni all i ever had was a mobile because we had university network connections.

[Parm]

Now thats a good point, I've no idea how much they cost from mobiles.

My mobile bills are always too high, the last one weighing in at £96.

I think the golden rule with Mobile Phones is to...not use it, lol. It's good for incoming calls, but calling out just makes holes in your packets.
Sadly, girlfriends love to talk, and worse yet, love to SMS, MMS, and whatever else they can.

[trog]

ah see that's where mobiles come back into use again because you can get free texts for quite a handy price and free anytime cross network too. that's why i love my mobiles and saynoto0870

[Parm]

I get 1000 free texts, 1000 free off peak minutes and 30 MMS.

Still managing to go way over, blame my girlfriend

[iMc]

Rave mentioned this a while ago. Tis a very helpful service.

[Rave]

Rave mentioned this a while ago. Tis a very helpful service.

It's been in my sig for the last two months or so, I've only removed it today for PHD.

No i've never worried about phoning an 0870 number, its part of the industry i work in and it amazes me there is so much hassle about the service. 7p a minute?, i mean normal national rate is 5p a minute

What is 'normal national rate'? Because according to BT their rate on daytime calls to any number in the country is 3.5p a minute. That's BT's cheapest line rental/ most expensive calls service- and yet it's still half the price or less of calling an 0870 number.

Nevermind the fact that many or even most people in this country have mobile deals with inclusive minutes to use up or pay a bit extra on their landline for unlimited calls.

and you can't make any money off that, yet 0870 means you get a share of the call cost. Meaning that you can save some money, offer discounts on goods etc.

By 'you' TiG, I think you mean 'they', as in the companies that use ripoff 0870 numbers. Personally, I'd rather the companies add on the 1p a minute they'd lose from not having an 0870 number*, and saved me the 7p a minute it costs me to ring them (*as you yourself said in a previous thread, it's rare for the companies to get much more than a 1p kickback).

It certainly is used for good. I know of cases its used to pay for the postage, rather than charging for it.

Again, I'd rather pay nothing, or at BT rates 20p for a 6 minute call, than 42p for an 0870 number. Since the company would get 6p for that call, it's hardly covered their postage.

Plus 0871 will soon be available too, charging ~10p/minute.

I'll be doubly sure not to ever ring those then.

These numbers have legitimate uses and can be used to charge for content driven services,

Yeah, they can. I personally don't regard calling a company's sales line or their customer service line as a content driven service.

I really don't know why you always come out and defend the indefensible when it comes to 0870 numbers TiG. It may well be that your wages are paid from the 5p a minute that goes missing between the customer and the company they're calling, but ultimately if you're skilled at designing telephone systems you'll still have a job when customers wise up to the fact that they're being reamed for calls they simply should not have to pay 7p a minute for. It's a question of evening up who should pay, not of doing away with telephone systems for good.

[bertie]

Hear Hear!
I've been using this for god knows how long, absolutely essential website.
Companies will always use 0870 numbers to either look "professional" or make a penny here and there, but some companies will give you their geographical numbers when you ask.

As trog said - for those of us who don't have land lines, this site is an absolute godsend - so we don't have to pay through the nose to listen to "Please hold" followed by some awful music for hours on end.

[Zub]

The free minutes on my mobile don't include 0845 or 0870 numbers so i always use a geographic number when i can.