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Revision as of 03:13, 27 October 2007 by 81.158.198.172 (talk) (Undid revision 167180687 by Excirial (talk))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)An 0845 number is a non-geographic number used within the United Kingdom. Ofcom have defined these numbers as Business Rate Services, although they may still be known as Special Services: Lower Rate. Also, due to their price originally being the same as a local call, they may still be erroneously referred to as local rate numbers.
It is called a non-geographic number because the location of the number cannot be determined. This is in comparison to 01 or 02 geographic numbers, where the first four, five or six digits define a locality with the UK.
History
0845 numbers were formerly known as 0345 numbers, which were operated by BT and were described as "Lo-call" numbers (play on the word "local"). Mercury Communications Ltd, now Cable and Wireless, operated a similar scheme using the 0645 code. 0345 and 0645 numbers had six-digit numbers, whereas 0845 (in the vast majority of cases) have seven-digit numbers. When the 0345 and 0645 codes were abolished, 0345 numbers were prefixed with 7 to become 0845 7xx xxxx and 0645 numbers were prefixed with 9 to become 0845 9xx xxxx.
Until 2004, 0845 numbers used to be known as local rate numbers, since they used to be charged at the same rate as a local call would have cost. Since then, the cost of calling geographic numbers has dropped, but the cost of calling 0845 numbers has remained more or less the same. There is also no longer a distinction between local and national calls, with calls to numbers anywhere in the UK (even internationally) often being cheaper than calling an 0845 number.
Due to this drop in geographic call charges, owners of 0845 numbers can receive a cut of the revenue generated when an 0845 number is called. This has led to the situation where many dial-up ISPs are entirely funded by the cost of the calls to the 0845 numbers.
Call charges
From UK landlines
The cost of calling an 0845 number is significantly higher than calling a geographic 01 or 02 number, and these numbers are not usually included in free geographic calling plans.
The cost of calling an 0845 number from a BT (non-business) landline is around 2p/min during the day, 0.5p/min in the evening. However, from other providers, it can cost up to 4p/min to call (all prices shown include VAT).
| Operator | Day per min | Eve per min | W/E per min | Ref | Date checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BT | ? | ? | ? | 27 September 2007 | |
| Virgin Media | ? | ? | ? | 27 September 2007 | |
| Vonage | 5p | 3p | 2p | 27 September 2007 | |
| Skype (Skypeout) | 8.4p | 8.4p | 8.4p | 27 September 2007 |
From UK mobiles
- The charges shown generally apply to calls from pre-paid mobile plans ("pay-as-you-go") with VAT included.
- The charges may be lower on post-pay ("pay monthly") plans, but can be more expensive on other mobile providers.
- There are currently no mobile providers that include 0845 numbers in their "free" minutes plans.
| Operator | Cost/min | Ref | Date checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| BT | 10p | 09 January 2007 | |
| Virgin | 10p | 08 January 2007 | |
| O2 | 25p | 02 September 2007 | |
| Hutchison 3G | 15p | 09 January 2007 | |
| TalkTalk | 15p | 10 January 2007 | |
| dot | 20p | 10 January 2007 | |
| Orange | 20p? | 08 January 2007 | |
| Tesco | 20p? | 08 January 2007 | |
| Vodafone | 30p/10p | 09 January 2007 | |
| T-Mobile | 10p | 12 March 2007 |
From abroad
When calling from outside the UK (i.e. +44 845) some operators charge the call as a "Premium Rate Service" or "Mobile call" (sic), costing several times more than a call to a geographical number. (Examples: Cingular , CommuniTel , SkypeOut )
Most likely foreign operators are not themselves delving into the nuances of the UK numbering plan and are simply passing on the charge levied by their UK partner for connecting the call.
Some operators charge +44 845 at the same rate as a geographical number (e.g. +44 20 for London).
With many pre-paid phonecards calls to +44 845 are simply blocked. The reason for this is not known. (Example).
How 0845 calls are handled
In the UK, the 0845 number range is handled by all carriers - this is a requirement written into Ofcom licences.
When an 0845 number is dialled, the first job of the telephone operator is to determine the physical destination. This is achieved using the intelligent network capabilities embedded into the network.
In the simplest case, the special rate number is translated into a regular geographic number. This number is then routed by the telephone exchange in the normal way. Other routing features include routing by time of day, location of caller, day of week, capacity, etc. These features are sometimes referred to as static routing features - that means that they are put in place and are not usually changed. If changes are required, a customer usually has several options to make changes. A customer can call the carrier directly via a special number to make changes, or a customer may be able to make changes through direct access to the network via a dedicated terminal provided by the carrier or via the net.
Opposition to 0845 numbers
The current pricing structure has attracted some consumer opposition, with some media reports (see , ) mentioning people attempting to circumvent these numbers by sharing information on alternative geographic numbers.