Call charges but no phone

johnathome · 29-12-2019, 15:56

Hi, I've posted this on the official forums but i thought i'd cross-post it here as not everyone uses the official one.

I've just checked my bill to see when my contract runs out and i have 2 calls, 2 min duration and a charge of 0.52p.

I have never had a phone connected to this line, i don't even own one.

I had a garden makeover in April and the cable was clipped, the small bit on the side of the main cable was severed, so i don't even think the line is capable of phone calls.

Anyone else get erronous calls on their bills?

Mr K · 22-01-2020, 19:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnathome

Hi, I've posted this on the official forums but i thought i'd cross-post it here as not everyone uses the official one.

I've just checked my bill to see when my contract runs out and i have 2 calls, 2 min duration and a charge of 0.52p.

I have never had a phone connected to this line, i don't even own one.

I had a garden makeover in April and the cable was clipped, the small bit on the side of the main cable was severed, so i don't even think the line is capable of phone calls.

Anyone else get erronous calls on their bills?

There has been stories of cheeky engineers making naughty phone calls from end of street boxes using customers lines. However they would have racked up a much larger bill than this !

Just get rid of the phone line if you don't use it. It is possible, no matter how much VM plead with you not to.

johnathome · 18-01-2021, 15:03

Just had to phone up again, it's calls to the speaking clock, who does that nowadays?

Money refunded, still on hold for retentions to renegotiate though, could be a while!

**Paul** · 18-01-2021, 16:21

The speaking clock is a common destination for test calls.

It really does just sound like an engineer was testing the line.

Still, enjoy your 52p

johnathome · 18-01-2021, 18:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul

The speaking clock is a common destination for test calls.

It really does just sound like an engineer was testing the line.

Still, enjoy your 52p

LOL, that was the first time, it was £1.56 this time.

spiderplant · 18-01-2021, 18:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul

The speaking clock is a common destination for test calls.

It really does just sound like an engineer was testing the line.

The VM engineers use a free test number that also does a ringback, so I can't imagine why they'd ring the speaking clock.

RichardCoulter · 18-01-2021, 19:54

When I had a BT line I once entered the wrong three digit number for a call and must have ended up dialling an engineer number. It kept repeating something like "Low insulation from A to D") I had a play around and found one that you could use to force an incoming test call, which I noted as this may have been useful.

There must be allsorts of numbers out there that both BT & VM use.

**Paul** · 19-01-2021, 00:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiderplant

The VM engineers use a free test number that also does a ringback, so I can't imagine why they'd ring the speaking clock.

So do/did BT Engineers (and I was one for 12 years) - we still used the speaking clock, alot - among other things, 123 is very easy to remember and dial.