ME Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 We are thinking about moving at work and considering getting a non geographic number when we move. We used to have an 0870 number but there was a lot of bad feeling generated towards them as they charged people to call. So my questions are - What are the options for non geographic ? 0203 ? 0870 ? etc Do people prefer normal standard landline numbers ? Would you refuse to call an 0844 / 0870 number ? Cheers ME Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJN Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 i prefer 0800 numbers myself. M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adp Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 I prefer to call normal geographical numbers where possible as I mainly use my mobile rather than a land line - have you looked at the 03xxx numbers? They are normal geographical type numbers that aren't tied geographically - the main user of these I've seen so far has been the BBC (along with the ISP I use that will provide them via VOIP - aaisp) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philm Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 I refuse to phone them . I use http://www.saynoto0870.com/ If you want people to use your service why charge them extra to phone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 I refuse to phone them .I use http://www.saynoto0870.com/ If you want people to use your service why charge them extra to phone? Fair point well made Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSPUK Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 When I was looking for tradesmen those that had a landline as well as mobile got my call - never rang mobiles unless last resort - I have a package on BT for free landline calls 24/7 so my preference is BT landlines or 0800 or 0845. -- High rate numbers a no no Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 I have a 056.... no. as part of my BT broadband which I never use. Does anyone know if I use this does it cost anything to call or more importantly does it cost anyone to call me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ME Posted January 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 I do not want to charge people to call us. I just want one telephone number that will remain the same for years despite our office location. It seems that 033 numbers are what we need. The caller is not charged they are the same cost as dialing say 0208. I have spent loads on promotional items like pens / pads etc which are no longer any good as they have our old phone number. I also have over 100 websites to change everytime we move. A non geographic number would solve all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 (edited) we've got an 0845 number which does cost us a bit but in theory for people its a low call rate number and no one has ever commented about it, plus point for us is its non geographic and you just have it directed at a landline number and you can change it pretty easily. With a lot of the new ones people don't understand the charges but if most of your work is business to business generally people don't care. edit, if you were looking to call an 033 number would you know it was non geographic I sure wouldn't Edited January 4, 2010 by al4x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 There's a lot of drama queen, over-sensationalised nonsense about 0870 numbers, but I agree that the hysteria has meant that companies can no longer sensibly use them, as the public have their fluffy heads full of nonsense and can't see past it. IF you are on a phone tariff which offers discounted or free calls to landline numbers during certain hours etc it is unlikely that you will get the discounted rate on an 0870 number. This is because BT choose to exclude these numbers, NOT because the companies are trying to rip you off. These ghastly little freaks on that "saynoto0870" knitting circle blatantly accuse companies who use 0870/0845 numbers of theft. We had an 0870 number on our business for years, but never got a penny kickback from calls, we just originally thought it would be a good idea to have a number that was not geographical as mincing Southerners couldn't bring themselves to phone an 0161 number, poor dears. After all the mass hysteria, we've done away with the 0870 number now, as it's become socially unacceptable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 I have a 056.... no. as part of my BT broadband which I never use. Does anyone know if I use this does it cost anything to call or more importantly does it cost anyone to call me? Free for the first hour to land lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 Free for the first hour to land lines. Is that the first hour of each call? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ME Posted January 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 edit, if you were looking to call an 033 number would you know it was non geographic I sure wouldn't Until 5 minutes ago I wouldnt have known what an 033 number was and that it costs you the same as a "normal" number. I reckon most people would assume it was a premium number and that is my fear... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ME Posted January 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 Is that the first hour of each call? No its the last hour ! MC, start your own thread and Axe, I expect more from you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petethegeek Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 I have a 056.... no. as part of my BT broadband which I never use. Does anyone know if I use this does it cost anything to call or more importantly does it cost anyone to call me? Incoming charged at 'normal' call rate - according to this. ME It wasn't too long ago that you yourself gave me some excellent help and advice, which included obtaining the geographic number before calling an 0871 line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 OOOOHHHH get her. In all honesty if I needed a service and wanted to speak to a company then I just ring them 0870, 0845 or geographical it makes no difference to me. And anyway I meant the first hour of EACH call rather than 60 minutes free in total, but then again you knew that didn't you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 Is that the first hour of each call? No its the last hour ! MC, start your own thread and Axe, I expect more from you MC, Yes, each call as I understand it. ME, to redeem myself, I have never worried about calling 0845 as I know its lo-call rate. I did look into having 0845 but considered the costs involved too expensive for the amount and type of calls we take. EDIT to add: Do you provide a nationwide service that requires a non-geographic number? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 strangely once you have bought the number there are companies that will run them for you for free if you get enough calls, we've not done it yet and it costs us £10 a month plus a per call charge which I can't remember but the bills usually under £30 a month and we do get a fair level of calls on it. To me 0845 people do seem to understand same as 0800 but they are far more money to start with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vulpicide Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 With the package I have with Virgin my calls to 01 numbers and 02 numbers are free so I don't phone 0845 etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ME Posted January 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 ME It wasn't too long ago that you yourself gave me some excellent help and advice, which included obtaining the geographic number before calling an 0871 line. Yes, but I not everyone is as clever as me. Having something like an 0330 number might put some people off. To answers the other question from people - We have customers all over the country. I am not trying to hide where we are in the country. I just want one number that will stay with us for years to come. Some people might say that an 0330 number might make us seem like a bigger company than we really are... (whether that is good or bad?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 I refuse to phone them .I use http://www.saynoto0870.com/ If you want people to use your service why charge them extra to phone? Agree with you. If i have to phone a 0870, 0845 or 0844 then i dont do it. 01.02.03 and mobile numbers only Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bb Posted January 4, 2010 Report Share Posted January 4, 2010 If i have to phone a 0870, 0845 or 0844 then i dont do it. 01.02.03 and mobile numbers only In fairness, I think that perhaps many companies took on lo-call numbers but have been overtaken by events as more and more private callers have 24/7 free calls to geographic numbers. I certainly use 01 & 02 numbers only. I wasn't (still am not) aware that 03 numbers existed or what they represent. Isn't technology wonderful? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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