I don't think this has been raised....apologies if I'm wrong....does anyone know how much 1899 and others charge for calls to 055 numbers? That's what you get if you subscribe to BT Broadband Talk.

055? have never known a number starting with 055.

They cost 5p/min at all times from BT lines. No wonder BT are so keen for people to use "Broadband Talk"!

Tanllan wrote on Jul 31^st, 2006 at 3:49pm:

...And of course, calls to Broadband Talk numbers aren't be included in 'inclusive' packages and are thus charged at a premium. Calls to mobiles are one thing as they need to maintain and operate a network, but Broadband Talk uses the internet, a service for which is paid for already in a fee to one's ISP.

It's quite obvious that the way in which the receiver can choose their service at the direct expense of the caller who has no choice is completely wrong. Services like answering systems are given out for free, as too are Personal Numbers that cost the caller dearly.

Now I think that we can expect VoIP services that are cheaper (from the receiver's point of view) when they come complete with a more expensive number. This could not happen with PSTN landlines because they all have geographical numbers and no telco would be able to offer a 'free' landline with a higher rate phone number.

jrawle wrote on Jul 31^st, 2006 at 3:23pm:

That's only true of 3 number groups in the 055 range.

Numbers starting:

0551 100
0555 508
0558 83

are, indeed, charged at g6 rate (5p/minute incl. VAT at all times)

However, all other currently available number groups (see below) are charged differently (at g21 rates):

0551 140

0551 143
0551 144
0551 145
0551 146
0551 147
0551 148
0551 149

0551 650
0551 655
0551 660
0551 665

BT charge for them at:

4.89p/minute incl. VAT weekday daytime
2p/minute incl. VAT weekday evenings
1.18p/minute incl. VAT weekends

As a point of interest, 056 numbers are all charged at g21 rates too.

I believe it is true to say that these numbers are excluded from call packages but, in typical "let's keep the public confused so they won't realise they're being ripped off again" fashion, the above variations - some based on the sixth digit of a number - have been allowed!

See http://www.downloads.bt.com/pricing/SpecialisedNos.pdf