Ofcom — Simplifying non-geographic numbers
Ofcom’s programme to simplify non-geographic numbers has been ongoing for several years. It addresses various issues with non-geographic numbers starting 03, 05, 070, 076, 08, 09, 116 and 118. One important part of the changes was dubbed UK Calling and came into effect on 1st July 2015.
Users of 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers now have to declare their Service Charge. This can be a single 'pence per call' charge or a ‘pence per minute’ rate, or a combination of the two. The telephone companies we make our calls through must also publish their Access Charge for calling these numbers alongside rates for geographic and other numbers. The total cost of calling is the sum of the two.
Calls to freephone numbers, which begin 0800 and 0808, are now universally free-to-caller for the first time. Mobile providers previously levied hefty charges which made them more expensive to call than geographic numbers. This is no longer the case. Numbers for Helplines of Social Importance starting 116 were also confirmed as being free-to-caller.
Non-geographic numbers simplified
Now that UK Calling has happened, the various non-geographic number types available for use by businesses and other organisations comprise:
Another part of the simplification work announced in 2014 confirmed the closure of the 0500 range. This takes effect on 3 June 2017.
We await the final part of the work, a consultation on the remaining ranges - numbers starting 055, 056, 070 and 076.
Users of 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers now have to declare their Service Charge. This can be a single 'pence per call' charge or a ‘pence per minute’ rate, or a combination of the two. The telephone companies we make our calls through must also publish their Access Charge for calling these numbers alongside rates for geographic and other numbers. The total cost of calling is the sum of the two.
Calls to freephone numbers, which begin 0800 and 0808, are now universally free-to-caller for the first time. Mobile providers previously levied hefty charges which made them more expensive to call than geographic numbers. This is no longer the case. Numbers for Helplines of Social Importance starting 116 were also confirmed as being free-to-caller.
Non-geographic numbers simplified
Now that UK Calling has happened, the various non-geographic number types available for use by businesses and other organisations comprise:
- 030x / 033x / 034x / 037x — geographic rate — Calls cost no more than ringing a 01 or 02 geographic number and form part of inclusive bundles and packages from landlines and mobiles, even on pay-as-you-go. They’ve operated like this since inception in 2007. There were no further changes under Ofcom's programme to simplify non-geographic numbers.
- 0800 / 0808 — free to caller — Calls are free of charge from all landline and mobile telephone services. These numbers allow service providers to subsidise the cost of all calls, although with the cost of geographic rate calls being covered by inclusive packages, the incidental cost of calls to geographic rate numbers is often zero anyway.
- 084x, 087x, 09xx and 118xxx numbers incur both an Access Charge and a Service Charge:
- 084x — Service Charge up to 7 pence per call, per minute or a combination of both
- 087x — Service Charge up to 13 pence per call, per minute or a combination of both
- 09xx — Service Charge up to £6.00 per call, £3.60 per minute or a combination of both
- 118xxx — various Service Charges up to £15.98 per call, £7.99 per minute, or combination — used for Directory Enquiries services only.
Another part of the simplification work announced in 2014 confirmed the closure of the 0500 range. This takes effect on 3 June 2017.
We await the final part of the work, a consultation on the remaining ranges - numbers starting 055, 056, 070 and 076.
Amended: 2017-01-25
