Calling 0800 numbers for free from mobiles

Posted by Jonathan Jensen on 11th May 2009

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One of the ‘features’ that annoys me the most about UK mobile phones is the policy of all the big operators of charging to call 0800 numbers (with the exception of a few helplines). 0800 numbers are free from landlines and it doesn’t seem unreasonable to expect them to be free from mobiles. I know there are issues around interconnect rates but that’s not the consumer’s problem and is the bad publicity for the mobile operators really worth it? From a customer experience perspective, the calls are free on landlines so they should be free on mobiles (they were on Orange in the early days). In fact the issue is even worse because not only are they chargeable but they aren’t included in call bundles so they always appear as an extra charge on your bill. If you make a lot of calls to 0800 numbers the costs soon mount up. Consumer Focus the UK organisation that campaigns on behalf of consumers is pushing for calls to all 0800 numbers to be free from mobiles but while we wait to see what happens here there is a simple way to avoid the cost.

Several service providers have sprung up recently that route calls to 0800 numbers via a 01 or 02 access number. As 01 and 02 calls come out of mobile call bundles, this effectively makes 0800 calls free (as long as you don’t exceed your call bundle). I’ve been using 0800Buster and have stored the access number in my handset so it’s easily available. If there are 0800 numbers that you call regularly you can store them in your mobile using a pause between the access number and the 0800 number.

For example, to store 0800 123 4567 using 0800Buster, save the following number in your mobile:

01255840800p08001234567#

The ‘p’ represents a pause and is obtained by pressing + three times on a Nokia handset.

There’s always the risk that the mobile operators will bar the access numbers but if they do check back to the provider’s website and there’s bound to be a replacement. 0800Buster cycle through a series of numbers; if you clear your cookies you’ll probably see a different one on their site. I’ve found ten so far and I’ve only reached 012!

This 0800 tip is great because it’s simple and Normob friendly – you don’t have to be a mobile geek to use it!

—

Jonathan’s also at Sevendotzero.

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  • stuart alexander
    The same also applies to 0845 numbers. These are charged at local rate on my landline, yet are not included as part of my free minutes bundle on a mobile. Why is that? (apart from the fact that they want to spring hidden charges on me)
  • In the Czech Republic and I believe in other European countries 800 calls are free from mobile phones. In the U.S. the calls are deducted from the "free" minutes. With all the EU regulation, especially of mobile operators, there should also be unified approach to 800 numbers.
  • squawkBOX
    To be honest, I think the issue we have is really due to the large number of number ranges we have in the UK.

    01-02: Regular landlines
    03 - Nationwide non-geographic code
    04: No use at the moment
    05: VoIP/Corp numbering
    06: No use at the moment
    07: Personal Numbering / Mobile
    08: Freephone or 'national/local' numbers
    09: Premium

    Whilst I find the charging of 0800/0845 extremely annoying, there is one that I rate even more irritating. The 07 number. Anyone that has called a 'Personal' number beginning with 070 or a number from the Isle of Man (07624) will know that you'll be charged outside your bundles. There is far too much confusion surrounding them.

    I would ideally like to see a standardised approach taken by all networks. For all number ranges (bar 09) to be included in any minutes and possibly for 0800 numbers to be free.

    I'd also like to see a different approach to dealing with Personal numbering and those "British Crown dependencies," which appear to be very similar to UK mobiles (i.e. the twitter SMS number +44 762 480 1423 - which is an Isle of Man number, as Manx Telecom run it) but are charged at international rates.
  • I agree that the 07 situation is confusing. 070 personal numbering was a neat idea but a pricing / cost to call nightmare. IOM, Guernsey, Jersey numbers have allowed some innovative services to appear but again at a (nasty) cost to the consumer. People like Truphone with their own 07 numbers have also suffered at the hands of the big mobile operators in terms of tariffing. Unfortunately the mobile operators don't seem keen on looking at the customer experience & what this pricing mess means for the consumer. I'd like to see Ofcom take a less laissez-faire attitude to pricing where it confuses the user.
  • I usually make 0800 calls from my mobile using my SIP provider (sipgate.co.uk) whenever possible. Lately I configured my Asterisk PBX to offer this kind of functionality. Basically by dialling an 01 number and providing an access code I get a dial tone that gives the ability to place calls across several private trunks to various networks plus least cost routing for international calls. Without the infrastructure something like 0800Buster would be very useful.

    Anyone know for certain whether the Nokia N97 will have the same SIP functionality as the N95 does? I'm aware of the Skype client but have a fondness for SIP personally.
  • There's an obvious security risk to routing calls through a third-party. I'd be wary of using such a service for any call involving confidential or financial information - medical helplines and telephone banking, for instance.

    Using a look-up site such as http://www.saynoto0870.com/ might be more sensible.
  • There's an Android app called 0870 which recognises when you dial 0800, 0845, 0870 etc, it looks up the 01.../02... number it corresponds to and routes your call to that number using the dialer software in the phone. This is particularly useful for G1 owners as T Mobile charge 0800 calls at extortionate rates.
    Credit to Simon Maddox for developing the app. More info on this can be found on his blog...
    http://www.simonmaddox.com/
  • llaadd
    thanks, this is why i love blogs/forums, I can find out about things that matter to normal people
  • jody
    There's also another provider www.numbergroup.com the free to use number is 03300101010 this also lets you call 01/02 numbers as well. I think its a joke mobile networks charge for calling a 0800 freephone number, just a con !
  • Telecoms Guru
    I have a answer to your question. I know of NumberGroup.com. It is a trading name for a company called 1rt Group Ltd. Have a little search online and you will quickly see that this company has a LONG standing history of being in big trouble by the telecom's ombudsman Ofcom!

    Buyers beware!!! It is not possible to run a successful telecom's 0800 0845 company by giving away free numbers, of which they are doing. So this will be a wait to find out scheme.

    As an industry insider the chap running this is Jody Rhodes, formerly MD of 1rt Group Ltd but stuck off, banned and fined by Ofcom for running a fax 070 SCAM. 1rt are banned from ever selling 070 numbers again. This company was responsible for sending faxes to telephone numbers (registered with the Facsimile Preference Service (‘FPS’)) saying things like “Please note that if you fail to respond, your fax machine Will receive
    all of our advertising messages, from January 2006.” The only means of responding was the number 07005 100 XXX. When you faxed back you were charged and misleadingly left on hold to rack up the bill. Fax Scam.

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/11/1rt_fin...

    http://www.ictdec.org/regions/region_5/zone_177...

    and a few more complaints about him here
    http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.c...

    This guy has been using very questionable methods to make money in the telecoms game for quite some time and the real truth about how he can give away free numbers should come to light soon enough. You see NumberGroup OWN the numbers they give you, so they can pretty much do what they like with them.... introduce monthly rentals, put up costs in any form seen fit and once you have put that number on your van, letterhead, advertising what option have you got but to pay?

    This is not like buying a number from a reseller, as NumberGroup.com own the number which gives them different powers to resellers.

    So the only question is, are you going to get a number from a guy that has already been banned from certain telecom areas by being convicted of a FAX SCAM?

    Up to you, but don’t say you haven’t been warned.


    --Edited by a moderator at the original poster's request to correct an error.
  • Telecoms Guru
    and a very recent one - heers the catch folks: http://www.alternatemedia.co.uk/
  • James
    Telecoms Guru, I got done by Numbergroup last month. I wish I read your post before! I must warn everying to avoid this company at all costs. I have reported them to Ofcom, Otelo and Cisas.
  • Telecoms Guru
    Dear James

    I am sorry to hear that you got ripped off too by NumberGroup.com. Unfortunately these forums are starting to fill up with complaints against them. Lesson is that you get what you pay for in this world, (in my opinion) and if you read the outrageous statements made by the MD Jackie Newman of 1rt Group Ltd, you can see that they score a big fat ZERO for professionalism. (see UK Business Forums.co.uk - search for Numbergroup) So if you do incur a problem in the future with NumberGroup.com good luck dealing with a professional ethically minded company.

    Good luck to you in the future James. :)
  • jackienewman
    James,
    I am sorry to hear that you think you have had problems with www.numbergroup.com in the past. As you appear to be happy to "air dirty laundry" Via web forums, I would appreciate it if you would post your Name, Company Name, Number supplied by www.numbergroup.com onto this forum and I will make it the highest priority to look into you complaints further. We have had 1700 happy web customers within the last 6 months and testimonials on our website prove this.

    [ Specific names and details removed by moderator: Jackie believes the negative comments posted here are by a competitor and a customer who owes NumberGroup.com money ]

    I apologise in advance if this information is incorrect and I'm sure that you posting any complaint details , here on the forum, will prove one way or the other.
    I look forward to your reply

    ----

    Moderators note: Please do not post or ask others to post personal details in these comments - if you wish to make direct contact with a potentially dis-satisfied customer please provide contact details for them to use. If your invitation to make contact is not taken-up you are welcome to follow-up here to let other readers know.

    You are more likely to have reply comments read if you post them by clicking 'reply' to a specific comment. Adding a completely new comment, as you have done here, will not cause the original poster to receive a notification e-mail of your response.

    Also, please do not double post comments - your first comment was flagged as possible spam due to the large number of links contained in it. After review it would have been approved by a moderator. As you have now posted this second comment, I will delete the first.
  • TelecomsGuru
    What is that Jackie Newman MD of NumberGroup?????? You are sorry to hear that James "THINKS" he has a problem with your company? He's not confused, he clearly stated that he HAS a problem with your company.

    You are so patronizing, beyond belief!
  • jackienewman
    FAO Telecoms Guru and James


    "What is that Jackie Newman MD of NumberGroup?????? You are sorry to hear that James "THINKS" he has a problem with your company? He's not confused, he clearly stated that he HAS a problem with your company.

    You are so patronizing, beyond belief!"

    In reply to your tirade of abuse!!!

    Next time you have a "conflab" between yourselves can you please ask "James" aka Jim to contact me directly. My contact details are on my website www.numbegroup.com. The only "problem" he has had with my company is that he has not paid his £7000 bill. I can supply copies of emails from him onto this forum but I'm sure that would be embarrassing for him. I'm sure he is adult enough to contact me himself without you acting as spokesperson, which he hasn't done!!! - If I had a "problem" with a company I would most certainly contact them to discuss said "problem".It really does seem that YOU are the only person that seems to have a "problem" and you are not a customer of mine, you obviously just have too much time on your hands. Your personal vendetta is very heart warming but completely unnecessary.

    Just while I am here, I would like to thank the companies that have ordered numbers from me after seeing these posts. Obviously your unprofessionalism and constant attacks upon my company are working in my favour. The new testimonials will be input onto my website this week

    Many Thanks Craig

    Jackie Newman
    MD www.numbergroup.com
  • This discussion is no longer usefully commenting on the post above. All parties have had the opportunity to state their points of view and a right-of-reply.

    Please take this discussion to a more appropriate forum - I will ban anyone not respecting this request.

    Ben
    Moderator
  • willneale
    Coming at it from another angle, for providers of 0800 services D2see offers zero-rated voice short-codes. These are 5-digit short-codes which can be dialled from a mobile - which are genuinely free to the consumer, with the called party picking up the cost of the call.

    Give me a buzz on 020 8819 5712 if you're interested!

    Will Neale
    D2see
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