Important changes to non-geographic numbers today 1 July 2015

We’d like to give a REMINDER as per today Ofcom are introducing changes to the way calls to 0800, 0808, 084, 087, 09, 116 and 118 numbers are billed.

The new cost of calling service numbers is made up of two parts:

An access charge: This part of the call charge goes to your phone company, charged as pence per minute. They will tell you how much the access charge will be for calls to service numbers. It will be made clear on bills and when you take out a contract.

A service charge: This is the rest of the call charge. The organisation you are calling decides this, and will tell you how much it is.

We provide the following 08 numbers ranges with service charges;

• 0844445.. Service charge 7 pence per min
• 0844487.. Service charge 6 pence per min
• 0870489.. Service charge 10 pence per min

What you need to do

Organisations who provide 084/087 and 09 numbers for consumers to call must under the Non-Provider Telephone Numbering Condition include the relevant service charges (shown above)  in any advertising and promotion of their 084/087 and 09 numbers.   For example:

“Calls cost 7p per minute plus your network access charge.”

In this case the service charge for the cost of calling the number would be 7p per minute.

(The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and PhonepayPlus (for premium numbers) would be responsible for ensuring compliance with this requirement.)