OFCOM to investigate 118 number call charges
 

Telecoms regulator Ofcom says it is "very concerned" about the rising cost of calling directory enquiries and plans to examine the situation.

One popular enquiry service - 118 118 - recently increased its prices to a minimum of £8.98.

But Ofcom says some firms charge even more than that - up to £10.50 a call.

Under the current system operators are therefore free to charge up to a maximum of £23.97 for calls of less than a minute.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39842723

:td::td::td::td::td::td::td::td:

I can't think of the last time I looked up a number in a phonebook, or called Directory Enquiries, but some of you may be.

Re: Calls to 118 numbers
 

Wait ... one call to 118118 costs £8.98 ?

Bloody hell.

Note to self: Dont use 118....

Re: Calls to 118 numbers
 

In fairness that is not the cost of the look up, that is the charge for the redirection service when you agree to let them put you through.

That said anyone remember that these companies were allowed to spring up to introduce competition to BT's directory services that were charging 20p for the look up at the time?

Re: Calls to 118 numbers
 

Blimey, paying 8 quid for someone on the other end of the line to Google a number for you - anyone know how you set up a 118 company?!
When i had a landline, Virgin used to provide a free 118 service for their customers - they may still do so.

Re: Calls to 118 numbers
 

The real problem is the elderly who are not net savvy and have been used to historically inexpensive number searches at BT still using the same or similar services and not knowing that they will now pay through the nose.

It's a nasty sneaky exploitation of ignorance. :td:

Re: Calls to 118 numbers
 

one of the things I get free due to my eyesight is directory enquiries but I've never used it!

Re: Calls to 118 numbers
 

A lot of people are now ex directory anyway, if they've got any sense.

Re: Calls to 118 numbers
 

I thought 118180 was free to VM customers or is that no longer so?

Re: Calls to 118 numbers
 

Nope, it's the actual cost of calling them for the look up:

http://www.118118.com/about118

That's excluding the phone provider's access charge.

Re: Calls to 118 numbers
 

Never used one of these services for the very reason that they're a rip off. I have sympathy with anyone elderly, for example, who doesn't understand just how much a call might be costing.

Re: Calls to 118 numbers
 

I'm happy to be corrected, not having used the service for years.

That is extortion!

Re: Calls to 118 numbers
 

Opening up directory enquiries to competition in 2003 is a great example of the law of unintended consequences.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3177087.stm

Re: Calls to 118 numbers
 

118 811 is supposed to be a cheaper, no frills service
And 0800 118 3733 - free, listen to an ad (not sure if it's still running)

Re: Calls to 118 numbers
 

Virgin Media customers should use 118 180. Those other services are ridiculously expensive and should be avoided.

Re: Calls to 118 numbers
 

They had to stop the gravy train

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...s.mobilephones