I heard Elizabeth France, Telecoms Ombudsman, being interviewed on BBC Radio Norfolk today.  She talked a bit about their role, and the interviewer then asked her how to contact them.  She read out the 0845 number, but then said that she knew that some people don't like to ring 0845 numbers, so here's the alternative, and she gave the geographic number.

Looks like the message is getting through, gradually.  Their website also gives an alternative, but only for telephone, not textphone or fax.  Disability Discrimination?

I suppose 0845 numbers are/were good for those people who don't have free call times. However, calls should be free anyway - not 0800 nor 0500. Just free calls which should be included in the monthly phone bill since we are charged a fortune.

Telecoms Ombudsman pay for 0845 and callers also pay.

Do we pay Eliazbeth France and her people to regulate the telecom business? If that's the case, WE are the one who actually pay for 0845 and the callers pay twice. where is the money going to?

>:(

wrote on Feb 14^th, 2005 at 8:32pm:

I heard Elizabeth France, Telecoms Ombudsman, being interviewed on BBC Radio Norfolk today.  She talked a bit about their role, and the interviewer then asked her how to contact them.  She read out the 0845 number, but then said that she knew that some people don't like to ring 0845 numbers, so here's the alternative, and she gave the geographic number. Looks like the message is getting through, gradually.  Their website also gives an alternative, but only for telephone, not textphone or fax.  Disability Discrimination?

My e-mail complaining about that last bit resulted, in a matter of a few hours, in the below reply:
Quote:

Our ref:   78327 15 February 2005 Dear Mr xxxxx Enquiry about Textphone number Thank you for your e mail about the Textphone The Geographic number for the textphone is 01925 430886, the fax is 01925 430059 Thank you for the feedback on this information and I have asked the Communications manager to add this information to the Otelo website. Yours sincerely Sue Jackson Enquiry Officer

And their website has already been updated!