Team Partners Telecommunications

Mobile Charges Exposed

Posted on Oct 17, 2015  | Tags: mobile, non geographic numbers, conference calls, phone numbers

You may well be oblivious to the implications of the recent change in the way people calling 084 and 087 numbers are going to be charged. The change was introduced as of the 1^st July 2015 and comes as part of Ofcom's determination to make all telephone charges transparent, something that should be welcomed by us all.

Bear in mind that the total charge for any phone call is made up of the combination of the callers and receivers service provider's combined charges. What the new regulation does is stop the land-line and mobile providers ability to vary their percentage of the overall call charge depending on the number called. Instead an Access Charge must be set at the same level for calls to all 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers.

All well so far, but the change also gives service providers the right to choose to impose a service charge that is higher or lower or the same as the previous Enhanced Termination Fee, and many of them are choosing the first of these three options, making it prohibitively expensive to call them.

This may not affect everyone, but it will certainly affect those in the financial services sector who rely on these numbers to communicate with their principals and even more so the majority of these who use their mobile phones to do so.

With some mobile carriers having an Access Charge of 37 pence per minute it could be very expensive and a substantial problem, or it could have been had TP Tele not provided a simple solution. Instead of ringing that expensive 08 number direct, you can simply dial the local number provided to you. This will give you a dial tone. You then enter the 08 number you need to call and once connected the Access Charge is just a few pence, saving you a fortune!

Even better you can choose to either limit access by implementing a PIN code, or by having a list of prescribed mobile numbers. You can also decide whether you want to display the number you're calling from or your office number and, for a small extra fee, record your outward calls, which gives you a record of those all important conversations.

To find out more, give our friendly staff a call on 033 33 58 33 33 now.