SAYNOTO0870.COM - 03 Numbers and their use in conference calls?

nickimrie

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03 Numbers and their use in conference calls?
Feb 6^th, 2011 at 8:28pm

Hi,

I recently set up a conference call company called http://www.03TALK.com using the 03 number range (i believe we are the only company to do this so far in the UK). I hate the fact that conference calling tends to use 08....

I would like to gauge the forums thoughts on the use of 03 numbers?
Whether you think they are a good idea?
Do you think they are right for conference calling?
(as you know calls have to be included in your bundled minutes - as long as you have them available).

The primary reason i set up the company was because i was tired of "free conference providers" saying they were FREE (when they clearly made money from call charges (which in my opinion are excessive when you use mobiles and special rate 08's)... so we set up 03TALK in a Freemium model (not based on call charges in anyway....

Anyway would love any form members thoughts on 03 numbers....

thanks,

Nick

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CJT-80 Supreme Member Offline Posts: 713 East Sussex Gender:	Re: 03 Numbers and their use in conference calls? Reply #1 - Feb 6^th, 2011 at 8:44pm Nick, Firstly welcome to SayNoTo0870.com, and well done! Nice to see a company/individual making a sensible use of the 03 number range. Also good to see you have 03 contact numbers to get in touch with the company! Even better! Please keep us posted as to how things go for you.
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nickimrie

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Re: 03 Numbers and their use in conference calls?
Reply #2 - Feb 6^th, 2011 at 8:56pm

Thanks CJT.... we do practice what we preach Wink

really hope we get some good feedback on 03 number range (they are a bit frustrating at the moment) no telecoms company other than us use them commercially (as they are all happy to sting you on call charges) and some of the big users / adopters like Children In Need / Radio 1 (still persist in saying stuff like "standard call charges apply"... so its a touch frustrating to get over their benefits....

03TALK.com is going well though 2,000 users so far (if you have any thoughts on how to spread the good word would love to hear them) and if not i hope your forum members have some thoughts.

all the best,

Nick

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CJT-80

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Re: 03 Numbers and their use in conference calls?
Reply #3 - Feb 6^th, 2011 at 9:03pm

nickimrie wrote on Feb 6^th, 2011 at 8:56pm:

Thanks CJT.... we do practice what we preach Wink

really hope we get some good feedback on 03 number range (they are a bit frustrating at the moment) no telecoms company other than us use them commercially (as they are all happy to sting you on call charges) and some of the big users / adopters like Children In Need / Radio 1 (still persist in saying stuff like "standard call charges apply"... so its a touch frustrating to get over their benefits....

03TALK.com is going well though 2,000 users so far (if you have any thoughts on how to spread the good word would love to hear them) and if not i hope your forum members have some thoughts.

all the best,

Nick

Just wanted to pick up on a few things...

Re: Children in Need / Radio 1 - outside a call plan technically standard charges DO apply to an 03 number, though I prefer the term "Standard Geographic", as Local/National no longer really exists.

Re: The forum, it's not mine, I just happened to comment, but I am sure one of the Moderators (Dave usually) will say something soon.

Welcome along, and you seem to be doing well.

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CJT-80

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nickimrie

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Re: 03 Numbers and their use in conference calls?
Reply #4 - Feb 6^th, 2011 at 9:34pm

Thanks CJT...

sorry i should have made myself clear and would be happy if the industry stated that outside of CALL PLANS there are standard charges... sadly we seem to get a mix of only "standrd geo charges apply" clearly not the case if you are on a plan or worse still "calls from mobiles will vary"

Nick

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CJT-80

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Re: 03 Numbers and their use in conference calls?
Reply #5 - Feb 6^th, 2011 at 10:04pm

nickimrie wrote on Feb 6^th, 2011 at 9:34pm:

Thanks CJT...

sorry i should have made myself clear and would be happy if the industry stated that outside of CALL PLANS there are standard charges... sadly we seem to get a mix of only "standrd geo charges apply" clearly not the case if you are on a plan or worse still "calls from mobiles will vary"

Nick

Oh don't get me started on "calls from mobiles will vary" - it NEEDS to be clearer and better worded.

On a side note, I just realised (well someone pointed out) that if I call an 0871 number from my mobile @ 35p per minute, it works out at £21 an hour!

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CJT-80

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SilentCallsVictim

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Re: 03 Numbers and their use in conference calls?
Reply #6 - Feb 6^th, 2011 at 10:19pm

Well done Nick. I understand the termination rates on 03 calls provide you with just enough to fund the basic conference service without having to impose charges on callers.

I hope that you have already, or will be, making a positive contribution to the Ofcom consultation on NGCS. Notwithstanding a number of issues, this does contain a clear proposal to remove all of the confusion from the present situation, as addressed above.

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nickimrie Newbie Offline Posts: 5	Re: 03 Numbers and their use in conference calls? Reply #7 - Feb 7^th, 2011 at 10:54am Hi SilentCalls, definitely trying to be part of the Ofcom consulation. To be honest the whole situation is a real mess (no wonder the consumer is either a) up in arms b) confused c) switched off from the whole debacle... Nick
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Dave

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Re: 03 Numbers and their use in conference calls?
Reply #8 - Feb 8^th, 2011 at 4:06pm

It is great to see a company using these numbers. As a longtime member of the campaign, I have always believed that we needed a geographically-charged non-geographic number range. I'm just glad that they didn't call it that because it's quite a mouthful!

As well as the retail call charge being aligned to that of 01/02 calls, it is important that the termination charges of 03 numbers is the same as that of 01/02 numbers, which as I understand it is the case at present. This is so we don't have geographic charges pushed up as a result of higher 03 termination rates.

Is it likely that 01/02 termination rates may drop; for example as a result of BT's 21CN (21st Century Network) roll-out? And if so, how might this affect a service such yours (assuming that 03 termination charges drop with them)?

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« Last Edit: Feb 8^th, 2011 at 4:08pm by Dave »

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nickimrie

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Re: 03 Numbers and their use in conference calls?
Reply #9 - Feb 8^th, 2011 at 4:21pm

Hi Dave,

its a really good point on Termination charges. To be honest we have based our model on a FREEMIUM service (i.e. 90% of customers use a free service paid for by the 10% who only pay for more difficult things like conference recording etc etc)...

I realise the Freemium model isn't employed in telecoms but our consumers business or otherwise consider conference calling in the same breath as other collaborative tools like "chat" "IM" and "webinars" so we need to be aware of the models that these platforms/technologies operate on and act accordingly...

As a result of our challenging model (we don't have deep marketing budgets) so the biggest challenge we have is spreading the word (preferably W.O.M.) in the most cost effective way possible...

Nick

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