Since the mid-nineties many UK businesses have been using phone numbers with the 0870 prefix. Because they are not related to any particular place they have been called non-geographic numbers although they are officially called Number Translation Services because they deliver calls to an underlying destination land line phone number.



Calls to these numbers are delivered via a telephone switch and because modern switches are intelligent they enable extra facilities such as delivering calls to different destinations dependent on the time of day (out of hours calls can go to a night time call centre) or day of week (different depots offering service according to the day) or by geographic location (all advertising can carry the same number and calls are directed to regional outlets). They can also provide virtual switchboard facilities such as telling callers their queue position, playing music-on-hold, delivering calls to a different office if the first has all its lines engaged and taking voicemail messages.

The huge popularity of 0870 prefix phone numbers with businesses in the United Kingdom is also because the phone companies pay a royalty on every call back to the business receiving the calls. However, this has only been possible because phone companies have also exempted calls to 0870 prefix numbers from discount calling plans. And herein lies a problem?

Many large businesses especially in areas such as financial services, travel and insurance have been content to leave callers holding on for minutes on end. It just goes to show in what contempt many large companies hold their paying customers who are often treated as no more than an account number. It would seem that rather than treat customers with respect they prefer to lose them and simply advertise for more.

But in recent years the UK public have become increasingly frustrated and made their feelings known in increasing numbers to Ofcom, the regulatory authority. The upshot is that after a painfully slow consultation, Ofcom finally decided with effect from early 2008 to reduce the cost of calling 0870 numbers to that of ordinary calls, to have them included in discount plans and to stop the payment of royalties to businesses that use them with.

This has meant that businesses wishing to retain their 0870 numbers must pay about 3p per minute to receive calls. Businesses may also choose to use a new 03 prefix that also incurs the user with a surcharge on each received call.

As a result many businesses have switched instead to the 0844 prefix. As with 0870 they are still regulated by Ofcom but with a lighter touch. Calls to 0844 numbers cost the caller 5p per minute and the operators continue to receive a royalty albeit smaller than previously available on 0870, which is sufficient to be able to continue offering free basic switchboard services even though users no longer share the royalty. Nevertheless that's good news for UK businesses and home workers who want the benefit of call queuing, music-on-hold and voicemail to email ? all at no cost.