1800 Reverse

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1800 Reverse is an Australian reverse charge call service. The service also operates in the United Kingdom, using the number 0800 REVERSE (advertised as "0800ЯEVERSE"). In the United Kingdom, the number can be called for free on some mobile networks, although if the person being contacted via this service would be charged a considerable amount for accepting such a call.

1800 Reverse has been advertised on television with Holly Valance and advertisements are on most phone boxes around Australia. The calls that can be made with 1800 reverse are from anywhere in Australia from phone boxes, mobile phones and home phone to any home phone in Australia. A new service has been launched by 1800 Reverse allowing reverse charged calls to Australia from other countries, named 8000 Reverse.

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[edit] Complaints

People receiving a call through 0800 Reverse are charged at least 3.50 GBP for accepting the call, plus a minimum three-minute call charge (i.e. a minimum of 8.00 GBP per call), but the commercial did not show these charges. The Advertising Standards Authority said the cost was likely to influence a viewer's decision to use the service and a recipient's decision whether to accept a call. They also said that their tests of 0800 Reverse revealed that the automated operator did not mention these charges.

The service was also the subject of a Watchdog investigation due to its high charges, and failure to inform users of its cost[1].

[edit] Holly Valance advertisement

On 25 January 2006, the Advertising Standards Authority banned the TV advert starring pop star Holly Valance in the United Kingdom for misleading consumers about the costs of calls.[2]

[edit] Much cheaper alternatives

The UK version, "0800 reverse" charges a 3.50 GBP "connection charge" and 1.00 GBP per minute in call charges[3].

An alternative (in the UK at least) is to dial 100 (i.e. the operator) from any payphone, and ask to make a reverse charge call[4]. This may cost slightly higher than a normal call (as an operator assisted call), but is still considerably less "0800 reverse"

[edit] Usage

To use the service in Australia, the number 1800, followed by REVERSE, which in numbers makes 1800 7383773, must be dialed from a telephone

This service can be used on a mobile but not a landline. It cannot be used to call freephone or mobile numbers, and cannot call the user's number.


[edit] References

  1. ^ Watchdog investigates the reverse-charge telephone service
  2. ^ ASA broadcast report (PDF).
  3. ^ 0800 Reverse - Reverse Charge Calls
  4. ^ How do I make a reverse charge call?

[edit] External links