Britannia Radio

 there are often alternative numbers listed by companies as being for use from overseas.  Our bank for instance gives such numbers as well as the 0845 one we avoid.  It is merely a question of omitting the "44" and adding a zero in front of the number given.  There are also websites.  The details below may still be valid:-

From The Daily Mail, 1.2.10, Letters Column:

  

  

 Say no to phone charges

  

 In today's rip-off Britain, almost every business  --  energy supplies, telecom company, NHS, etc. -- publishes an 0844, 0845 or 0870 number or some chargeable variant as their contact details.   These lines are cost 10p or so a minute.

  

 There is an answer which should receive more publicity.   The web site saynoto0870  is totally free.   Just type in the number which you're trying to find and, more than likely, an alternative number will appear.

  

  

 If not, try searching by company name.   It's a brilliant idea.

  

CAMPAIGN AGAINST 084 TELEPHONE NUMBERS

A recent National Audit Office report on the use of premium rate numbers for

Government services cost callers £56 million between 2012 and 2013, of 

which £26 million was charged to callers waiting for someone to answer

their call !!!!

The charges are almost double the cost of a regular call and are even higher

if using a mobile - calls to the Child and Family Advisory Support Service

are costing 17.1p a minute.  The "profits" are shared between government

departments and the telecoms companies.  One of the worst offenders is the

Department for Business (yes, it is Vince Cable again !).

Ofcom, the telecoms regulator, wants all calls to 0800 numbers to be free

even from mobiles.  Of course, this should also apply to Banks and other

business phone lines.

A formal protest to Ofcom and your MP just might help to force the change.