While reading the small print in Orange's information about its new 'Animal' tariffs I was suprised to see that 0800 is treated in a similar way to 0870. Calls are 10p per minute and are NOT counted as part of inclusive minutes.

Do we new a new website called 'saynoto0800'? ;)

Ofcom should come down hard on this abuse by Orange.

Robert

“Say no to 0870" is, in reality, a site that says no to: 0870 - 0871 - 0845 and 0844.   They are all a rip-off.  We are also against 070 (so called personal number), which is shoved in front of the “mobile” range.

As for 0800, (and 0808) this should be a free number on all networks, as they are not free to most mobile users, organisations that use 0800 should  publish an alternative 01/ 02 number.

You can get round this by using the little known pre-dial dial through Freephone  access numbers

0200 222 0700 or 0900.

Or at Evenings and weekends you can use www.pre-dial.com 02 dial through access number

(07730 666 890)

if you have x-net minutes.To call both 0800 and 0845 numbers.

Click on Free Destination list for details of O2 access number.

All other mobile networks have either charged outside inclusive minutes for freephone numbers or taken them from inclusive minutes. Either way, they're certainly not free from mobiles.

Over the last few years there have been quite a few changes at Orange. Services that set it apart from the competition have been abolished such as Everyphone which allowed calls to be diverted to other Orange numbers and UK landlines for free. Also Orange Value Promise (OVP) which matched other network's tariffs. Existing customers can stay on these OVP tariffs, but no new connections are allowed.

Dave wrote on Sep 23^rd, 2006 at 5:45pm:

Services that set it apart from the competition have been abolished such as Everyphone which allowed calls to be diverted to other Orange numbers and UK landlines for free.

I found Everyphone rather useful and was disappointed when Orange scrapped it.

Robert

I forgot to mention above, Orange has apparently removed all it's normal geographical office numbers and replaced them with, you guessed it, 0870 numbers!