User:JGXenite/084x number

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 Welcome to my 084x number development page.
This is a development copy of the article 0845 number. I am working on this page to integrate features of the 084x number range into the existing 0845 number article. Please do not make changes here - make changes on the original article. Thanks!

An 084x number is a non-geographic number used within the United Kingdom, where the x may currently stand for 0845 or 0844. Ofcom have defined these numbers as Business Rate Services.[1] They may be erroneously referred to as local rate numbers (this is due to 0845 numbers originally being the same as a local geographic call - see History for more details).

It is called a non-geographic number because the location of the number cannot be determined. This is in comparison to 01 or 02 geographic numbers, where the first four, five or six digits define a locality with the UK.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] 0845 numbers

0845 numbers were formerly known as 0345 numbers, which were operated by BT and were described as "Lo-call" numbers (play on the word "local"). Mercury Communications Ltd, now Cable and Wireless, operated a similar scheme using the 0645 code. When the 0345 and 0645 codes were abolished, 0345 numbers were prefixed with 7 to become 0845 7xx xxxx and 0645 numbers were prefixed with 9 to become 0845 9xx xxxx. There are also other prefixes for different 0845 number providers.

Until 2004, 0845 numbers were known as local rate numbers, since they were charged at the same rate as a local call (a number within the same area code). Since 2004, the cost of calling geographic numbers has dropped, but the cost of calling 0845 numbers has remained more or less the same. There is also no longer a distinction between local and national calls, with calls to numbers anywhere in the UK often being cheaper than calling an 0845 number (see the Call charges section for details).

Due to this drop in geographic call charges, owners of 0845 numbers can receive a cut of the revenue generated when an 0845 number is called. This has led to the situation where dial-up ISPs can be entirely funded by the cost of the calls to the 0845 numbers.

[edit] 0844 numbers

[edit] Call charges

[edit] From UK landlines

  • The cost of calling an 0845 number is significantly higher than calling a geographic 01 or 02 number, and these numbers are not usually included in free geographic calling plans.
  • All prices shown below include VAT.
Operator Day per min Eve per min W/E per min Date checked
BT[2] 2p 0.5p 0.5p 26 October 2007
SkypeOut[3] 8.4p 8.4p 8.4p 27 September 2007
Virgin Media[4] 5p 4p 3p 26 October 2007
Vonage[5] 5p 3p 2p 27 September 2007

[edit] From UK mobiles

  • The charges shown generally apply to calls from pre-paid mobile plans ("pay-as-you-go") with VAT included.
  • The charges may be lower on post-pay ("pay monthly") plans, but can be more expensive on other mobile providers.
  • There are currently no mobile providers that include 0845 numbers in their "free" minutes plans.
Operator Cost/min Date checked
BT 10p[6] 09 January 2007
dot 20p[7] 10 January 2007
Hutchison 3G 15p[8] 4 November 2007
O2 25p[9] 02 September 2007
Orange 25p[10] 26 October 2007
TalkTalk 15p[11] 10 January 2007
Tesco 20p[12] 26 October 2007
T-Mobile 10p[13] 12 March 2007
Virgin 10p[14] 08 January 2007
Vodafone 30p/10p[15] 09 January 2007

[edit] From abroad

When calling from outside the UK (i.e. +44 84) some operators charge the call as a Premium Rate Service or Mobile call (sic), costing several times more than a call to a geographical number. (Examples: Cingular[16], CommuniTel[17], SkypeOut[18]). The reasons for the higher costs are most likely due to the foreign operators simply passing on the charge levied by their UK partner for connecting the call.

With many pre-paid phonecards calls to +44 84 are simply blocked. The reason for this is not known.[19]

[edit] Call handling

In the UK, 084x calls are handled by all carriers - this is a requirement written into Ofcom licences.

When an 084x number is dialled, the first job of the telephone operator is to determine the physical destination. This is achieved using the intelligent network capabilities embedded into the network.

In the simplest case, the number is translated into a regular geographic number. This number is then routed by the telephone exchange in the normal way. Other routing features include routing by time of day, location of caller, day of week, capacity, etc. These features are sometimes referred to as static routing features - that means that they are put in place and are not usually changed. If changes are required, a customer usually has several options to make changes. Some providers provide a website where changes can be made, or a special number can be called to make the changes.

[edit] Opposition

The current pricing structure has attracted some consumer opposition, with some media reports[20][21] mentioning people attempting to circumvent these numbers by sharing information on alternative geographic numbers.[22][4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Telephone Numbering - Safeguarding the future of numbers, Ofcom
  2. ^ BT.com | Personal | Terms and Conditions
  3. ^ SkypeOut Price list
  4. ^ a b Say no to 0870! Cut call costs to these hideous numbers, MoneySavingExpert.com
  5. ^ Vonage Price list
  6. ^ BT Mobile Price list
  7. ^ dot Price list
  8. ^ 3 Price list
  9. ^ O2 Price list
  10. ^ Orange Price list
  11. ^ TalkTalk Price list
  12. ^ Tesco Mobile price list
  13. ^ T-Mobile price list
  14. ^ Virgin Mobile Price list
  15. ^ Vodafone price list
  16. ^ Cingular price list
  17. ^ CommuniTel price list
  18. ^ SkypeOut price list
  19. ^ Terms and conditions, Alpha Telecom
  20. ^ "Calls that are a big earner", The Guardian, 2005-03-26. Retrieved on 2007-10-26. 
  21. ^ "Your number's up, webmaster tells the 0870 rip-off firms", Daily Mail, 2006-10-05. Retrieved on 2007-10-26. 
  22. ^ SAYNOTO0870.COM

[edit] External links