Cable Forum - View Single Post - BT to make 0845/0870 free from 16 January

NitroNutter · 22-01-2009, 13:20

If ofcom had ever had any guts and held the consumers interests as priority they would have ensured 08 costapacket never deviated from its original advertised rate alignments and these numbers would and should have allways have been included in this way in accordance with your particular plan. The fact is this is not a favour by BT or is it at their expense, it is just we have spent the last decade or so suffering this scam we have got used to it as a way of life that it is now being put accross as a sales gimmick for the benefit of the customer at the great expense of the company. However the reality is BT and other telco's has made billions on the 08 scam and actively encouraged all companies and service providers to take them up which has been at the expense of the consumer and further exacerbated false inflation figures due to after sales consumer complaint fees being charged to the complainants themselves and thereby contributung to complaint mechanism's expenses post sale.

Who else notices the support lines allways have an extended run the customers bill up auto answer & que but most sales lines from the same companies are quickly answered especially when on a freephone tarrif.

Even today and we must be near to if not beyond a decade since 0870/45 detached themselves from the original advertised rates of local and national rate and moved into lines of profit on a reduced scale to full premium rate lines there are still many who are unaware of the missalignment from the past.

All I can say is its about time, lets hope ofcom grows some extra body parts and stands up to such acts sooner rather than later in the future especially if tarrifs dealign themselves again in a similar manner as its obvious this backtrack on 08 tarrifs has occured due to the replacement 03 being so late in coming it was doomed to failure. In fairness to the consumer 03 should have become the lower special rate profit line prefix and 08 should have been forced to realign and hold the alignments in the future as originally advertised.

It is thanks to websites such as saynoto0870.com and all who have regularly complained to the regulatory bodies like ofcom and trading standards that has brought this turn around about.

22-01-2009, 13:20	#18
NitroNutter Inactive Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: <-- Not All there ? Knock Knock Services: You cannot afford me!!! Posts: 1,139	Re: BT to make 0845/0870 free from 16 January If ofcom had ever had any guts and held the consumers interests as priority they would have ensured 08 costapacket never deviated from its original advertised rate alignments and these numbers would and should have allways have been included in this way in accordance with your particular plan. The fact is this is not a favour by BT or is it at their expense, it is just we have spent the last decade or so suffering this scam we have got used to it as a way of life that it is now being put accross as a sales gimmick for the benefit of the customer at the great expense of the company. However the reality is BT and other telco's has made billions on the 08 scam and actively encouraged all companies and service providers to take them up which has been at the expense of the consumer and further exacerbated false inflation figures due to after sales consumer complaint fees being charged to the complainants themselves and thereby contributung to complaint mechanism's expenses post sale. Who else notices the support lines allways have an extended run the customers bill up auto answer & que but most sales lines from the same companies are quickly answered especially when on a freephone tarrif. Even today and we must be near to if not beyond a decade since 0870/45 detached themselves from the original advertised rates of local and national rate and moved into lines of profit on a reduced scale to full premium rate lines there are still many who are unaware of the missalignment from the past. All I can say is its about time, lets hope ofcom grows some extra body parts and stands up to such acts sooner rather than later in the future especially if tarrifs dealign themselves again in a similar manner as its obvious this backtrack on 08 tarrifs has occured due to the replacement 03 being so late in coming it was doomed to failure. In fairness to the consumer 03 should have become the lower special rate profit line prefix and 08 should have been forced to realign and hold the alignments in the future as originally advertised. It is thanks to websites such as saynoto0870.com and all who have regularly complained to the regulatory bodies like ofcom and trading standards that has brought this turn around about.