08 numbers

[Peter D]

Watched an article on BBC news that customer service 0844, 0845 and 0871 numbers are banned from today. Customers must be given 01, 02 or 03 local rate numbers.

There are some exemptions for premium rate but in the whole the numbers must change.

[Sarah62+]

Good!. I have already received an email from one company I use, informing me of the change from an 08 to an 03 number.

[Boris+]

We have a plan with our telephone provider which means that we don't pay for calls to numbers which have 'ordinary' std dialling codes; so ages ago we found a website where you can enter in the number (08 numbers etc) and find out the 'ordinary' number.

The website is .... saynoto0870.com

Em

[towny44]

Will this mean that all govt depts, NHS, doctors etc. that use these numbers, including the Inland Revenue, will now have to provide their customers with geographic numbers?

[Peter D]

That is the way I read it. I have checked the tax office and that has already been changed to 03. I did try to find reference to the article on the BBC news web page but the only link is to a Radio 4 programme.

Did notice that P&O are 0843 and this number was not refered to.

[david63]

There are some (lot?) of exceptions to this EU ruling - see here

[jay-ell71]

After some complaints from patients, our Doctor's Surgery stopped using an 08 number some time ago.

[OCEANIAFAN]

Tesco direct has already changed to the 0345 numbers.