This week, OFCOM published an article called Keep Connected at College - a student guide - which we highly recommend as a useful and informative document for young people moving away from home for the first time, going to college or university.
On this note, we thought it worth repeating a suggestion we heard a little while back, that maybe parents might want to consider getting an 0800 number for their kids for when they go away to university or college. Yes, they all have mobile phones now, but it is amazing how easily they can loose them or have them stolen on a night out, and end up without money or a card for phoning home.
The freephone numbers can be pointed either to the parents phone, to the student accommodation or to anywhere else, to give the parents and the students peace of mind and to act as an extra security and safety precaution just in case.
Friday, 16 September 2011
Friday, 9 September 2011
UK Newspapers noting costs of prices to 0800 numbers from mobiles
Freephone numbers have been in the news again this week. Last weekend (Saturday 3rd September) there was an article in The Telegraph by Neasa MacErlean with the headline “Taking action over the high cost of essential phone helplines”, and on Monday 5th September The Sun newspaper had an article with the headline “mobile callers paying £1.70 for ‘free’ 0800 number” by Tim Heming.
Both were complaining about the fact that people calling freephone 0800 numbers from a mobile phone are charged a high price by their mobile phone network provider in order to do so. The Sun article named and shamed the mobile companies that charge the highest amount, and noted that UK consumers are paying £1.9billion per year on calls to freephone numbers from mobiles.
The Telegraph article focused on the costs to government departments, other organisations and helplines being over 40p per minute. According to the report, OFCOM is looking at stopping mobile phone companies from charging people for phoning 0800 numbers from their mobiles. Both articles looked at the impact that being charged to phone an 0800 number has on the poorest people in society, many of whom do not have a landline and so have no choice but to pay the high charges. Although the Department of Work & Pensions agreed a deal with mobile providers earlier in the year that most of their 0800 numbers would be free when called from a mobile, there are still a lot of other organisations out there with 0800 numbers which are expensive when called from mobile phones. Apparently a decision is due within four months, so we’ll watch this space.
Both were complaining about the fact that people calling freephone 0800 numbers from a mobile phone are charged a high price by their mobile phone network provider in order to do so. The Sun article named and shamed the mobile companies that charge the highest amount, and noted that UK consumers are paying £1.9billion per year on calls to freephone numbers from mobiles.
The Telegraph article focused on the costs to government departments, other organisations and helplines being over 40p per minute. According to the report, OFCOM is looking at stopping mobile phone companies from charging people for phoning 0800 numbers from their mobiles. Both articles looked at the impact that being charged to phone an 0800 number has on the poorest people in society, many of whom do not have a landline and so have no choice but to pay the high charges. Although the Department of Work & Pensions agreed a deal with mobile providers earlier in the year that most of their 0800 numbers would be free when called from a mobile, there are still a lot of other organisations out there with 0800 numbers which are expensive when called from mobile phones. Apparently a decision is due within four months, so we’ll watch this space.
Friday, 2 September 2011
Order now in time for Christmas!
If you were thinking about giving your business a boost by getting one or more freephone numbers, then now is the time to do it. The summer is just about over, companies are more or less going to be at full staff again now, everyone has taken their summer holiday, and it is work work work until Christmas. And yes, Christmas is less than four months away, so things are going to start getting busy again soon with people preparing for Christmas and buying Christmas presents. So, if you want to stand out from the crowd when people start looking for businesses, start ordering your 0800 numbers today!
Friday, 26 August 2011
Dutch look at freephone 0800 numbers
It was reported in the Dutch media this week that the Dutch communications watchdog, Opta, is looking into the charges made my mobile phone companies to call an 0800 number from a mobile.
Apparently they have come to the conclusion that there is no cheaper alternative, but whether this study will start a snowball effect in other countries on what mobile companies charge businesses on what should be “freephone numbers” remains to be seen. 0800 numbers are great for the consumer if you’re calling from a landline, but as more and more calls are made from mobiles, it is becoming increasingly hard to refer to 0800 numbers as freephone numbers without some sort of clarification in there for mobiles. We will wait and watch with interest.
Apparently they have come to the conclusion that there is no cheaper alternative, but whether this study will start a snowball effect in other countries on what mobile companies charge businesses on what should be “freephone numbers” remains to be seen. 0800 numbers are great for the consumer if you’re calling from a landline, but as more and more calls are made from mobiles, it is becoming increasingly hard to refer to 0800 numbers as freephone numbers without some sort of clarification in there for mobiles. We will wait and watch with interest.
Friday, 19 August 2011
Added features for 0845 and 0800 numbers
Following last week's post about lo-call UK 0845 numbers, I've been sent emails asking what added features you can get for these non-geographic numbers. The answer is exactly the same as the ones available for freephone 0800 numbers.
So, generally these include:
So, generally these include:
- Fax to Email
- Call Whisper
- Greeting Message
- Voicemail
- Call Recording
- Press 1 for Customer Service
- Call queuing
Friday, 12 August 2011
If you can't afford a freephone 0800 number, choose 0845 instead
Here at 0800 Numbers - A Buyers Guide - we believe passionately in the power of the 0800 number. It is hard to over state how much business just having a freephone number can give you, as individuals and companies will almost always choose to phone a freephone 0800 number over a call they have to pay for any day.
However, we understand that in the current economic circumstances, with businesses suffering, paying to receive calls isn't necessarily the top priority, and that small businesses - especially new start up businesses - find it hard to have to pay for the calls they receive, even if that does mean a huge growth in business - when there isn't much liquidity in the system.
So, we recommend initially getting an 0845 telephone number instead. It is still a non-geographic or "national" phone number, and is a "lo-call" number, so the people calling from a landline pay a local rate to make the call, which is low (hence the name!) You, the recipient, don't pay anything to receive the call.
This is the best option until you feel you are in a position to afford an 0800 number, but we still highly recommend getting a freephone number as soon as you can.
However, we understand that in the current economic circumstances, with businesses suffering, paying to receive calls isn't necessarily the top priority, and that small businesses - especially new start up businesses - find it hard to have to pay for the calls they receive, even if that does mean a huge growth in business - when there isn't much liquidity in the system.
So, we recommend initially getting an 0845 telephone number instead. It is still a non-geographic or "national" phone number, and is a "lo-call" number, so the people calling from a landline pay a local rate to make the call, which is low (hence the name!) You, the recipient, don't pay anything to receive the call.
This is the best option until you feel you are in a position to afford an 0800 number, but we still highly recommend getting a freephone number as soon as you can.
Friday, 5 August 2011
Plusnet come round to the benefits of freephone numbers
We were delighted to see this week that Plusnet - who provide "good honest broadband from Yorkshire" have decided to use freephone numbers for their customer service. Welcome to the 0800 number club!
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