Ofcom Promises Clearer Charges For Business Phone Numbers

Ofcom has announced plans to make the cost of calling certain phone numbers more transparent across all phone networks as part of a “fundamental restructuring” of call charging first announced a year ago.

The communications watchdog says that there is currently too much confusion about how much it costs to call companies, public bodies and other organisations on numbers starting on 08, 09 and 118.

Services on these non-geographic numbers include information, banking, directory enquiry and entertainment service, but as it stands, callers cannot easily tell how much they will be charged unless they are using a BT landline.

Ofcom call proposals

Ofcom proposes that consumers will pay an access charge to their phone company and a service charge. The total cost of the call can be then calculated by adding the two separate charges together.

As part of the proposals, Ofcom intends to ensure that 080 frephone numbers will be free to call from all telephones. At the moment some companies, in particular mobile operators, charge for calling these numbers.

The regulator says that it needs certain ‘legal instruments’ to implement the changes and that it has to provide stakeholders with the opportunity to comment on some aspects of evidence and analysis

As the proposals will affect all telecommunications operators and most business and consumers, Ofcom will  allow 18 months from the conclusion of its review to the introduction of the charges.

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