0845 phone calls on Virgin. Excessive charge

Mark Up · 09-01-2012, 17:25

How can Virgin Media justify the cost of calls to 0845 numbers. They are advertised as low cost numbers yet Virgin charge more than any other network for calls to these numbers. Virgin like BT calls to 0870 numbers are now free why not to 0845 numbers. Are there any plans afoot to change their current high charge policy to the 0845 numbers.

BenMcr · 09-01-2012, 18:54

If you do make lots of calls to 08 numbers Virgin do have plans that will cover these calls - you can have your usage reviewed via Customer Services who can then offer the best option for you

nodrogd · 09-01-2012, 19:19

From what I've heard, the 'Talk 08' add-on has been the most common 'tickle' Virgin have been giving their phone customers lately.

Pipster · 09-01-2012, 20:02

The 08 thing is only for 0845 numbers and gives 250 minutes per month. Ive got it and have been told that by the CEO office. I was originally told that the 08 number thing was to 0870 numbers too and had rang around £60 worth. Virgin waived them after complaining but going forward its only 0845 numbers that are covered.

I don't like these tickle things, why should I pay £2 a month for that when people get it for nothing? Same witht he broadband. I pay for 50mb and yet for the same price people are getting 100mb.

BenMcr · 09-01-2012, 21:34

There are two Talk 08 plans. The £2 a month one only covers 0845, however there is another one for £5 that covers all 08 numbers

raging bull · 09-01-2012, 21:42

So what would I pay for both when I got the £2 one for free (not on a tickle)?

BenMcr · 09-01-2012, 21:50

You'd pay £5 as one would replace the other

nodrogd · 09-01-2012, 23:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

There are two Talk 08 plans. The £2 a month one only covers 0845, however there is another one for £5 that covers all 08 numbers

So this is out of date a month after I recieved it ?

BenMcr · 09-01-2012, 23:12

No it's not out of date

Tim Deegan · 10-01-2012, 00:58

0845 numbers used to be advertised as local rate, didn't they?

nodrogd · 10-01-2012, 08:28

Started out as Local Rate, until they wanted to fiddle with the prices. Then it suddenly became Lo-Call rate.

Work it out for yourself !

m419 · 10-01-2012, 16:33

Actually businesses are not really meant to advertise 0845 as local rate or lo-call rate and 0870 as national rate numbers.

Telewest was the first to abolish seperate local and national rate calls and BT followed them making calls from 020 london area to Manchester no different to calling someone next door.

Then ofcom allowed BT to set its landline line rental as well as allowing long term contracts to whatever it likes, so if BT wanted wanted to charge £19.99 for line rental alone before any calls package or call charges it can, and before you only had to stay with BT for 3 months before leaving to another phone company or cancelling your phone service, now they have 12 and 18 month contracts!

That allows Virgin Media an excuse to bump up its landline line rental to the same as BT's or just slightly behind

1997:

Cable London line rental: £6.99 per month
BT Line Rental: £9.99 per month

2002:

Telewest line rental: £10 per month
BT line rental: £9.99 per month

2005: Free weekend calls introduced by the companies(the excuse for the increase) Not excusing the increase to the daytime call rates.

Telewest line rental: £10.50 per month
BT line rental: £11.49

2011:

Virgin Media: £13.90
BT: £14.60

So you tell me what they have done for us to put up the prices to that much and then have call connection fees as high as 9p to 14p per call and calls to landlines at 9.76p per minute! it is crazy, so for a 20 second call to next door it would be nearly 22p

There excuse is free calls to Virgin Mobiles,free calls at the weekends to landlines and BT's is free calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers.

It doesn't cost them anything anyway! Furthermore, termination rates to mobiles have dropped a lot and rather than BT and Virgin Media drop the cost, they increase prices.

Why do they get away with it?

1. Nobody complains
2. Oftel is now defunct and Ofcom is too over run plus no individual complaints
3. People continue paying such high fees like it's some kind of tax.

If you subscribe to Talk 08, you're giving in to them and I would suggest you use saynoto0870.com

Soon, there will be a talk 0800 and talk 0207 and a talk 150 and last but not least Talk 999

If they could they would make you pay 10p everytime you lift the handset before even making any calls.

Tim Deegan · 10-01-2012, 17:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by nodrogd

Started out as Local Rate, until they wanted to fiddle with the prices. Then it suddenly became Lo-Call rate.

Work it out for yourself !

Ahh, not they old wording change to mislead people ploy? And I thought it was just retailers who did that. Don't OFCOM have anything to say about that?

m419 · 10-01-2012, 18:32

Yeah they do, it's banned! I'm sure they are not allowed to call them lo-call rate anymore since the introduction of 03 numbers, just to let you know that 0844 and 0843 from BT landlines cost less than 0845 and 0870 numbers outside call allowances.

More Than A pret · 30-01-2012, 11:00

I fully agree the cost 0845 on Virgin Media is ridiculous. It seems to me to be plain profitiring. Surely they can at least reduce the price to compete with other providers. An addition charge to get this service free is not the answer in our view!!