That's mostly right, Michael.
0845 numbers are also a source of funds for the receiver of the
calls, as well as British Telecom. But being non-geographic, as you
say, they are also excluded from all cheap tariffs, and inclusive
minutes with mobile telephones in the UK. It also means that
sometimes they will not be accessible with international systems.
0870 numbers are a "national rate" system, but as with 0845 numbers,
the real rates have decreased over the years and it is now relatively
expensive to use 0870 or 0871 lines. They provide a (higher) income
for the receiver of the calls.
There are ways of getting around using these numbers. Some grumpy
individuals have started databases of the exchange lines underlying
the 0845 or 0870 numbers, e.g.:
www.saynoto0870.com
I use this method of avoiding paying, for instance, Sky TV when I am
trying to make a change to my account, or cancel it.
But the chap(ess) who set up that site also sells the numbers he is
trying to evade ...
Chris
On 25 Oct 2007, at 23:19, Michael Collins wrote:
> Well, I'm not in the UK, but...
>
> 0845 are "non-geographic" numbers, available throughout the UK,
> that were
> once charged at the local call rate regardless of destination, but
> their
> tariff is unchanged (I think) and local calls have become much
> cheaper, so
> they've ended up being a more expensive service. Overseas calls to
> (0845)
> *may* be charged at a premium, then.
>
> Quite legitimate, though. There are also similar 0870 numbers, not
> sure
> exactly how they different (other than that they were originally
> "national
> rate", not "local rate").
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