UK Charities use 0800 & 0808 numbers.

Why UK and overseas charities use 0800 & 0808 numbers.

Much mention has been made of ways in which charities can attract much needed contributions, especially in times of recession.

There are over 167,000 charities in the U.K. according to the Charities Commission and may of them are looking for innovative ways to improve their interface with the public.

0800 Freephone numbers are excellent and the new 0808 number ranges also assist as they lower the barrier to entry to customers willing to contribute.

It is possible for charities to set up 0800 Freephone numbers free of charge and use them in various advertising mediums. Some larger charities are already using 20-30 different numbers to identify the relativbe success of certain advertising campaigns. By receiving a monthly report its possible to correctly allocate future marketing spend to the most effective of these response mechanisms

They can be used for the larger charities through the use of Direct Response Television Advertising or DRTV as its more commonly known. By adertising a memorable and catchy freephone number, charities are able to attract much needed contributions.

One excellent feature of 0800 numbers is the captured Call Line I.D. (or CLI) information that is presented as part of the service. This can be used to assess which areas of the country to target for future marketing activity. Bill posters in London, for instance, may be able to get a far better response rate than say Birmingham.

0800 Freephone numbers can be connected in less than 15 minutes and this helps to improve lead times to getting re-routed to alternative locations such as call handling centres in the U.K. and overseas. This re-route facility can be achieved at short notice.

0800 is well established in the public mindset – according to some research conducted by the Henley Centre for Management in 2004, 93% of respondents were able to correctly identify that 0800 was free to call. In addition, it was found that people were more likely to dial free numbers than chargeable ones by a factor of 185%, thereby increasing the chances of getting ‘hits’.

Charities may also want to move towards the utilisation of 03 numbers as most people are moving towards using their mobile numbers and the increase in mobile useage means that some of the 0800 number ranges are not free to call off certain mobile networks. The 03 numbers do also provide network based statistics.

Ofcom did consult on the use of 09 premium rate numbers for charities for their telephone helplines for the use of contribute-as-you-go type payment models but it was felt that there was too much adverse public sentiment towards these numbers the idea was finally dropped.

Some charities seem to be getting on board with short code SMS services for attracting different segments of the market. 5 digit mobile short codes e.g. text donate to 64123 can be used to target individuals who are more like to be on the move and are more likely to use their mobile then there landlines.

Beware – The true costs to call an 08XX number

It is widely know that the public’s perception of what 08 pre-fixed numbers are and what it costs to call these numbers varies widely. Here we try and unravel the intricacies of charging structures so that you may avoid the hidden costs of calling.

A useful way of remembering the costs to call the various numbers is to take the 3rd digit in the number and convert this to 0 and thereby arrive at the cost of calling from landlines.

Therefore, 0800 would be zero, 0845 would be 4p or thereabouts and so on.

A new free-phone number range was launched recently known as 0808. These are freephone numbers in much the same was as 0800 but given that lots of the 0800 number ranges were sold out by the network providers such as BT, it was felt that a new number range was necessary. The charge to call these numbers is the same as 0800.

To add a little more confusion, in 1991 Mercury Communications (now Cable & Wireless) also had a range of freephone numbers that started with 0500. These numbers have the same charging structure applicable to them as 0800 and 0808.

Presently, a large proportion of the public perceive that 0800 are free, whilst 0845 are ‘local’, and 0870/0871 are ‘national’. This was certainly true when BT’s standard rate for calling local and national standard trunk dialling numbers (i.e. 01/02) numbers was 3.35p/min and 6.73p/min.,respectively.

However, when calling “Freephone” 0800 from mobiles these numbers will no longer be free and can be charged at between 10p/min. to approx £1.50/min. depending on which network you are on.

In certain instances, the mobile operators have waived the costs of calling 08 numbers, but a good case in point was the recent swine flu helpline number in July 2009. Vodaphone were the only network operator to continue to charge 20p/min. or for a 5 minute call £1.00.

Additionally, from Payphones these numbers can be chargeable whereby the actual set up costs are 40p and a rate thereafter. Many helplines operate services on 0845 numbers that may be called from payphones by users in vulnerable situations, but at present there is no distinction in charges between calling an 0845 and an 0870 number from a BT payphone, with a 10-minute call costing £1.20. Current payphone interiors do not display charges for 0845 calls, nor are these identified in a pre-announcement.

From August 1st, 2009, the public and businesses will be charged for dialling 0870 at the same rate that they would be for dialling 01/02, thereby bringing the national rate terminology back into play, whereas for some time it was far higher than to dial national STD codes. Organisations have been encouraged where possible to move towards new number ranges either 0844 or 0333/0370.

0844 numbers still allow organisations like banks and building societies to be paid a rebate by the network operators and these migrations have been taking place over the past 18 months.

From August 1st, 2009, Ofcom have also positioned former ‘national’ rate number ranges 0871 to sit under the premium rate regulating body, Payphone Plus (formerly ICSTIS). Therefore, users of these numbers will be required advertise the cost of the call according to the regulator’s guidelines, which are provided upon request.

A new telephone number range was issued by Ofcom in 2007. This 03 number range is for organisations who want to stop using 087X numbers, but want to retain a national presence using a non-geographic number. The costs of calling these numbers is the same as calling 01/02 number so if you get inclusive minutes in your mobile bundle then calls to these numbers will also be free.

A new application for the Apple I-Phone which identifies the underlying number and automatically makes the call to this number rather than the 08 number, thereby saving users up to 80% of the call costs.

The true cost of changing your 0870 number

Talk Talk's Managing Change Report suggests that it costs over £5,000.00 for some businesses to change their telephone numbers.

Activity Cost

External marketing

Stationery (comp slips and letterhead, 5,000) GBP375 Business Cards (5,000) GBP320 Vehicle fleet (4) GBP800 Creative for advertisements (art worker time) GBP100 A5 leaflets (5,000) GBP335 12-page A4 brochure (5,000) GBP1,450 Branded clothing (10 T shirts) GBP30 Website contact details GBP100 Branded merchandise (miscellaneous) GBP500 Internal communications/admin Voice recordings GBP250 Signage (x2, external) GBP800 TOTALS GBP5,060

GP Surgeries - Premium Rate Numbers

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It has widely been publicized that to call your Doctors Surgery on an 0844 number is more expensive than to call Chicago on certain phone networks. Well the truth is that whilst doctors are not entirely to blame, they should and could do more to help those in the community rather than line their own pockets. The inbound call revenue that is attached to the call is paid to a third party who in turn use this to subsidise a new phone system for the Doctors Surgery which could be between £5-10K.

Therefore, it is the public that end up paying for the new telephone system and not the GP - clever move, and well, if someone were to offer me a free phone system then I would hardly complain but in future I think GPs should look at moving towards using 03 Numbers.

0800 Free Swine Helpline - Vodaphone

It was announced in the Times 24/7/09 that the 0800 free phone Swine Flu helpline number set up by the Government at www.direct.gov.uk was called by over 100,000 people.

What they didn't anticipate was that Vodaphone was charging, on average, 20p/min when called from a pay-as-you-go or contract mobile phone. Sometimes callers were held for 15-20 minutes resulting in a call charge of typically £4.00. NOw if they had implemented an 03 Number then tese calls would have been free to the caller.

see the Intelesis Website

My word, you would have thought they could have got something right, afterall Ofcom, th telecoms regulating body, is also a government agency.



THINK !!

Free Calling 0845 & 0870 Numbers from your BT landline

Hi, from January 16th 2009, BT announced that calls from BT landlines to 0845 and 0870 numbers was "free". However, when one unravels the terms of this offer its not really free at all, for the following reason.

The fair use policy states there is a cap on the number of minutes you are allowed to use (1,000) and when you average out the calls that are likely to be made i.e. 3.35p/min to 0845 and 6.73 p/min to 0870 you get roughly 5p/min.... 1000 x 5p = £5.00(the additional cost of the plan to enable you to get access to this "offer"). How many people would actually use this offer - NIL - Profit to BT - LOTS.

For a full explanation of terms of this offer please Click Here

070 Premium Rate Numbers from overseas diallers

Question
Have you have seen a 07 number on your mobile missed calls list resembling a mobile phone number? The likelihood is that you missed the call and you tried calling it back. Well this was deliberate. These numbers are actually classified

Background

Well, this return telephone call will cost you upwards of £4.95/min, but perhaps like many people you didn't anaylse your entire bill from the mobile provider and it got missed and the mobile operators are not responsible for the numbers you dial. Of the £4.95/min the user of the number might claim 70% back from the provider and get this automatically credited to their account once a month - not bad when you consider that it costs next to nothing to set up and they dial 1,000s of mobile numbers

Solution

We have a sure fire way of remclaiming these monies back all we need is the number
of the missed call, your mobile number and the address to send the cheque to - dont delay - look over your last 6 months itemised bills and contact us with the details. We claim the money and then detract 35% of anything we get back.

Check back for some more money reclaming opportunities.

Thanks

Ofcom in consulation with Department Of Health on new number

Ofcom has announced that it intends to allow the Department of Health to introduce a new single memorable phone number to allow users to contact their local health services for non-emergency services

The Department of Health are likely to introduce the three digit 111 as a non-emergency number much like the NHS Direct short code dial number 0845 4567.

The Department of Health already uses 03 numbers and advocates these for many GP surgeries, Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and other healthcare sector bodies following their introduction in 2007 by the regulating body Ofcom.

Trust your 0870 supplier?

Many companies that supply 0870 numbers are advising to cease them when the Ofcom deadline for changover occurs on August 1st, 2009. It is worth noting that in doing so, some less than trustworthy providers of 0870 numbers could resell these numbers at a high premium to your competitors. We at www.intelesis.co.uk have a clause in our contract which would prevent us from doing this, can you say the same about your suppliers? We do advise our clients to move towards 03 Numbers at the earliest available opportunity

Some places that you may need to ensure you have changed the number include:

Web-site
Any URLs you have registered the number with for Search Engine Marketing purposes
Fax to email services you may have subscribed to
Letterheads
Business Cards
Livery on vans/advertising hoardings

BT put prices up again

BT is going on yet another price hike, rendering its telephone calls 34% more expensive than 6 months ago.

Calls will be 5.25p per minute.

The set-up fee per call will rise to 9p.

This will affect 12 million of BT's 14 million customers. Only those on its Anytime package, which costs £4.95 a month, will not be affected.

The latest increases will come into effect on 1 October. Customers were told of the change in the magazine that BT sends out with its bills.

"We have been quite generous to customers over the years, offering things like free calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers. Telephony costs have come down," a spokesman for BT said. "We advise customers to consider whether they would be better off moving to the Anytime calls package in order to avoid increases in daytime call prices and the set up fee. BT's Unlimited Anytime Plan costs just £4.95 a month, or 17p a day, and includes all your UK calls and calls to 0870 and 0845 numbers at any time."

"Today's price increase announcement isn't likely to improve BT's popularity in the eyes of cash strapped consumers," said Steve Weller of price comparison website uswitch.co.uk

Ofcom Announces changes to 08 ranges

Update on the changes to 0870 numbers as of 1st August 2009
Since we last posted a blog entry about Ofcom’s new regulation for 0870 numbers, we have received some more information regarding pricing and the various options available to 0870 number owners come 1st August 2009.


Announcement

Following a review by Ofcom the charging method for 0870 numbers will change from 1st August 2009. From that date there will be a charge made on the person calling a 0870 number (Origination) and another charge raised on the person receiving the call (Termination).

Origination - The cost of calling 0870 numbers is likely to fall although this is not compulsorily on providers and at the time of writing very few carriers have published their rates. From 1st August 2009 Intelesis will charge 2p per minute for calls made to 0870 numbers from fixed landlines.

Termination - From 1st August 2009 Intelesis customers will be charged 2p per minute for incoming calls on their 0870 numbers.

NOTE - Intelesis will no longer refer to 0870 calls as National Rate and will not include 0870 calls in any bundled minutes or packages billed by Intelesis.

What options are available?

There are 4 options available:

1. Leave the 0870 number live and accept the new charges. The service will continue as normal and routing will not be affected. (This is the default option which will be taken if no other option is specified).

2. Cease the 0870 number. There will be no charge for ceasing a 0870 number. Callers will receive unobtainable tone or network message advising that the number is not in service. The number would be available for another subscriber to use if the number were ceased.

3. Play answer message on the 0870 number and advise caller of an alternative number to call. No charge for set up, calls would be charged at 2p per minute.

4. Play an introductory message at the start of each call advising that the number will change and then connect the call as per existing routing. No charge for set up, calls would be charged at 2p per minute.

In conjunction with any of the above it is possible to migrate to a new number prefix e.g 03, 0800, 0844, 0845 or 0871 or local prefix. No cost for set up. New number prefixes can be run in parallel to ensure business continuity.

Default Option:
In the absence of any instructions from you the number holder we will apply option 1 - Leave the 0870 number live and accept the new charges. The service will continue as normal and routing will not be affected. Charges will be applied to the customer's invoice.

Where the customer does not have an active account or an account is unpaid and we cannot establish contact with the account holder we will cease the 0870 number. Callers will receive unobtainable tone or network message advising that the number is not in service. The number would be available for another subscriber to use if the number were ceased.

The Intelesis Inbound Portal allows numbers to be managed and call routing changed. The Intelesis Inbound Portal costs £10 per month irrespective of the number of lines controlled by the portal.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries regarding this new legislation OR would like to discuss the available options for your current 0870 number.

118800 - unauthorised use of mobile numbers

118800 have collated a database of 15 Million UK names, locations and

mobile numbers on their directory.

We have documented a way to complain about this activity on the base of the page at:-

http://www.intelesis.co.uk/09-PremiumRate.php

Ie. complain to PhonepayPlus www.phonepayplus.org.uk which regulates
premium rate and directory enquiry ...

0300 numbers

It nevers fails to amaze me how new Business Telephone Number ranges are issued by the regulating body Ofcom without them fully informing the public as to the benefits of their useage.

Take, for instance, 03 numbers. They are absolutely fantastic for businesses who need to move away from 0870 numbers, and its now possibly to dial these numbers for free from mobiles which comes as a nice surprise when some mobile providers announced in 2009 that calling any 08 pre-fixed number from a mobile was now between 10p - £1.50p/min and when you are overseas it can be even more - so dont phone your bank when on the beach in Marbella.