Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to the F.A.Q's section, where hopefully we'll be able to clear up some of the most common questions and misconceptions
about number services.
1. What is an 0800/0808 number?
An 0800 (or 0808) number is a free rate number which customers can use to call your business. If they call from a BT landline, they will not
be charged for their call. A flat rate is charged per minute to the company owning the number.
2. What is an 0845 number
An 0845 number used to be known as a 'local rate' number, however - due to reclassification of pricing for 01 and 02 numbers by OfCom this is
no longer the case. It is a non-geographic special number and Customers are charged a maximum capped rate of 5p per minute.*
3. What is an 0870/0871 number?
An 0870/0871 number is a non-geographic Special number commonly used by businesses to provide a centralised number for their services.
Customers are charged a maximum capped rate of 10p per minute.*
4. What is an 09xx number?
An 09xx number is a "Premium Rate" number. Calls made to these numbers can cost anything between 10p* per minute, up to a maximum of £
1.50* per minute. In addition, a 'Drop Charge' can be levied of between 10p/call* and £ 1.50/call*.
PhonePayPlus (formerly ICSTIS) regulate these numbers and are responsible for
handling complaints made about the services they provide.
5. Drop Charges
A 'Drop Charge' is a levy made to the person making the phone call and is a fixed price charge made once per phone call. The charge is made
in addition to any per minute call charges incurred for the normal call duration.
i.e. if you call a service with a £1.50* drop charge, plus 50p* per minute, and the call lasts for 7 minutes.
7(mins) x £0.50 = £3.50
1x Drop Charge = £1.50
Total Call Cost = £5.00
6. Silent Calls
In the vast majority of cases, these silent calls are not made by pranksters, burglars or stalkers. They're simply the work of a machine,
called a predictive dialler, used by call centres to phone large numbers of people in succession.
Predictive diallers are used by telemarketing firms, market research firms, debt collection agencies and many other types of company. They
work by dialling telephone numbers automatically, then connecting the customer to a call centre agent as soon as the customer answers the
phone. Unfortunately, if all the call centre agents are busy when the customer answers the phone, there's nobody free at the other end of
the line when the customer picks up the receiver. As a result, the customer simply hears silence.
7. Scam Services
From time to time, well-meaning colleagues and friends send emails around warning of potential phone scams. They usually follow a format such as:
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For everyone's personal attention we have been advised of a current postal scam which has been validated with the Royal Mail Fraud Department.
This mail fraud originates from Belize and is as follows:
A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel delivery Service) confirming that they were unable to deliver a parcel
and advising that you contact them on 0906 6611911 (a premium rate number).
If you call this number you will start to hear a recorded message and will already have been billed £15 for the phone call.
If you do receive a card with these details please contact ICSTIS who are investigating the fraud.
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As mentioned above, the MAXIMUM drop charge on a call is £1.50, and the MAXIMUM call charge per
minute is £1.50.
Unless the call lasts for 9 minutes, it is absolutely impossible for an end user to be charged £15 simply for dialling a number, and
hanging up after a few seconds. Even if you call from a mobile phone where the rates are generally much higher than a landline.
If you feel you have received a call from a nuisance service, please let us know using the contact form
here.
*(Call costs from a BT Landline, other operator rates may vary. Mobile rates may be considerably more)