Posted: 21st Feb, 2008 By: MarkJ
BT has pledged to scrap charges for calling its consumer service and helpdesk numbers. Whilst making its own numbers free, BT also highlighted the rates charged by other companies and called for them to scrap their charges as well.
Some companies charge for every incoming call and BT estimates the rest of the industry is making around £70 million every year from these charges. Some calls can even be as expensive as 50p a minute, making the cost of an hours call £30.
Charges for technical support calls have long frustrated consumers, with many feeling it unfair that a provider should benefit from help calls about their own products.
Most chargeable numbers currently begin with 0845 or 0870. These will be changed to begin with a free 0800 or 0808 prefix. BT currently charges 2p per minute for calls to 0845 numbers during the day and 0.5p per minute in the evening.
0870 numbers are charged at 6p per minute during the day and 1.5p per minute in the evening. A set up fee of 6p also applies to these calls at present.