Business phone number charges to be made clearer
Business phone number charges to be made clearer
Ofcom has said it will take action to make the cost of calling business phone lines clearer.
The move is part of the “fundamental restructuring of call charges” which the watchdog announced last year. Ofcom feels there is too much confusion and uncertainty around how much it costs to call businesses, public bodies and other 08, 09 and 118 numbers.
A number of services use these non-geographic numbers as they have a range of benefits for businesses. However, it can be difficult for callers to understand exactly how much they will be charged for ringing the business lines.
Under Ofcom proposals, callers will pay an access charge to the phone company and a service charge, making the total cost of the call much more transparent. In addition, Ofcom has plans to ensure that all 08 numbers are free to call in future. Under the current system, some providers, such as mobile operators, charge for dialling these phone numbers.
Ofcom is now consulting on the changes, with the consultation closing on 28th May 2013. A spokesperson for Ofcom said, “Ofcom is today consulting on these remaining points and proposed legal instruments, and expects to publish a statement confirming final decisions by the summer. This will include confirmation of the date on which changes will be introduced.”
They added, “The changes will affect all telecommunications operators and most businesses and consumers across the country. They represent a fundamental restructuring of call charging which will require reasonable time for operators to implement. For that reason, Ofcom will be allowing 18 months from the conclusion of the review to the introduction of the changes.”
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