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OFCOM to investigate 118 number call charges
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Old 08-05-2017, 18:15   #1
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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



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.
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Old 08-05-2017, 18:20   #2
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Re: Calls to 118 numbers

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

Bloody hell.

Note to self: Dont use 118....
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Old 08-05-2017, 18:26   #3
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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?

Last edited by pip08456; 08-05-2017 at 18:26. Reason: Typo
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Old 08-05-2017, 19:05   #4
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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.
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Old 08-05-2017, 19:11   #5
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Re: Calls to 118 numbers

Quote:
Originally Posted by Taf View Post

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.
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.
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Old 08-05-2017, 19:12   #6
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Re: Calls to 118 numbers

Quote:
Originally Posted by Inactive Digital View Post
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.
one of the things I get free due to my eyesight is directory enquiries but I've never used it!
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Old 08-05-2017, 19:12   #7
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Re: Calls to 118 numbers

A lot of people are now ex directory anyway, if they've got any sense.
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Old 08-05-2017, 19:29   #8
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Re: Calls to 118 numbers

I thought 118180 was free to VM customers or is that no longer so?
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Old 08-05-2017, 19:35   #9
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Re: Calls to 118 numbers

Quote:
Originally Posted by pip08456 View Post
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.
Nope, it's the actual cost of calling them for the look up:

http://www.118118.com/about118

Quote:
Calls to 118 118 cost £4.49 per call plus £4.49 per minute, (minimum 60 second charge applies) inc vat.
That's excluding the phone provider's access charge.
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Old 08-05-2017, 19:37   #10
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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.
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Old 08-05-2017, 20:27   #11
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Re: Calls to 118 numbers

Quote:
Originally Posted by BenMcr View Post
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.
I'm happy to be corrected, not having used the service for years.

That is extortion!
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Old 09-05-2017, 00:54   #12
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Re: Calls to 118 numbers

Quote:
Originally Posted by BenMcr View Post
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.
Opening up directory enquiries to competition in 2003 is a great example of the law of unintended consequences.
Quote:
Telecoms watchdog Oftel, which is behind the change, says it will mean improved value for the £300m callers spend on 700 million calls to the service every year.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3177087.stm
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Old 09-05-2017, 01:52   #13
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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)
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Old 09-05-2017, 08:26   #14
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Re: Calls to 118 numbers

Virgin Media customers should use 118 180. Those other services are ridiculously expensive and should be avoided.
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Old 09-05-2017, 09:59   #15
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Re: Calls to 118 numbers

They had to stop the gravy train

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