UK – New Ofcom Proposals for 0870, 0871, 0844 and 0845
Numbers

Released on = October 1, 2005, 6:33 am

Press Release Author = Numberstore

Industry = Advertising

Press Release Summary = The Office of Communications (Ofcom) this week published proposals regarding numbers in the ranges 0870, 0871, 0844 and 0845 which would signal an end to call revenue sharing.

Press Release Body = UK – New Ofcom Proposals for 0870, 0871, 0844 and 0845 Numbers

The Office of Communications (Ofcom) this week published proposals regarding numbers in the ranges 0870, 0871, 0844 and 0845 which would signal an end to call revenue sharing. Calls made to these numbers - introduced in 1996 - have been priced at a level that has enabled operators to share revenue with businesses, a practice which
has been frowned upon by some consumer groups.

Non geographic numbers have benefited consumers and businesses by enabling access to a range of services including dial-up internet access, tele-voting and telephone banking. Intelligent number routing, voice to email, fax to email, network level IVR facilities and automatic telephone menu systems have in turn resulted in enhanced
customer service through improved call handling – particularly for smaller businesses which are not always able to afford expensive PBX systems.

However, the proliferation of non-geographic numbers has led to understandable consumer concern about the lack of clear pricing and inappropriate marketing of services offered on these numbers by some operators. Under Ofcom’s proposals, providers will be required to give consumers better information about the cost of calling 0870, 0871, 0845 and 0844 numbers.

Furthermore, Ofcom is proposing that calls to 0870 numbers be charged at the same rate as national rate geographic numbers, effectively ending call revenue sharing for 0870 numbers and significantly reducing the cost to callers.

Under the new proposals, companies using 0871 numbers would be regulated in the same way as premium rate services by The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS), and would be subject to the
same requirements as businesses using 09xx numbers for premium rate services (PRS).

Ofcom has not proposed any changes to the arrangements for 0845 numbers though 0844 number service providers would be required to publish more comprehensive and accurate pricing information. The regulator also plans to closely monitor the types of services offered on 0844 numbers to ensure that they are appropriate and relevant
to 0844 numbers.

Ofcom is the regulator for the UK communications industries with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications, and wireless communications services. For more information, help or advice, get in touch with Ofcom.

About the Author:

Numberstore is a trading name of Zimo Communications Limited, a UK digital communications company established with quality of service as its principal objective. Numberstore offers a range of services including 0870 numbers, 0845 numbers, voice to email and fax to email service.

For more information, visit Numberstore.com

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Contact Details = Numberstore, c/o Zimo Communications Ltd, 26 York Street, London W1U 6PZ