I replied to a thread the other day,(week?), re a comment about Windsor telecom and them still advertising 0845 as "local rate", on their website but can't find it, however I complained to the ASA, along with another complaint, and have got a reply as follows,(it is coupled with another complaint which is interesting re paragraph 2):-



Please Quote: A07-30      04 June 2007
Dear Mr

CLEARGLASS ADVERTISEMENT

Thank you for your recent complaint regarding the above advertisers. I am sorry to hear that this has caused you concern.

The issue of pricing information for 087/084 numbers is currently the cause of much debate. We understand pricing information for 087/084 numbers may be a legal matter. We are working with other regulators in this area to agree and enforce a consistent policy and are in the process of clarifying the legal position and will be ensuring advertisers are aware of the policy once it is agreed.

We have, however, passed your complaint to the Compliance team, who will advise the advertiser of your complaint (particularly the use of the term "local") and the latest advice we have. The Compliance team does not report to complainants or publish the result of its investigations but rest assured that we have noted your comments and we shall deal with the problem.

We are unable to look at the Windsor Telecom website or take any action with regard to the use of "local" on the website. The Code does not apply to other parts of companies' websites because, in effect, they are either forms of editorial material (which the ASA has never interfered with) or are marketing material that consumers have chosen to access in much the same way as they would walk into a shop and ask for information. (The ASA has no power to regulate in-store displays etc.)

I would like to thank you for taking the time to contact us with your concerns, and for bringing this matter to our attention.

Yours sincerely

Daniel Ware
Acting Complaints Manager


And more confirmation,(as if it was needed), tha the ASA do not police websites, so the only recourse is Trading Standards and the are not interested.

derrick wrote on Jun 5^th, 2007 at 12:51pm:

And more confirmation,(as if it was needed), tha the ASA do not police websites, so the only recourse is Trading Standards and the are not interested.

It sounded to me more like they meant Ofcom when they said they were working with "other regulators" to address the problem.

Especially as Trading Standards are not so much regulators as simply law enforcers.

NGMsGhost wrote on Jun 7^th, 2007 at 7:36pm:

It sounded to me more like they meant Ofcom when they said they were working with "other regulators" to address the problem. Especially as Trading Standards are not so much regulators as simply law enforcers.

IMHO we stand more chance with TS than Ofcom.  They (Ofcom) really don't want to interefere from what I can tell.

bbb_uk wrote on Jun 7^th, 2007 at 7:48pm:

IMHO we stand more chance with TS than Ofcom.  They (Ofcom) really don't want to interefere from what I can tell.

And you see any more sign that Trading Standards want to interfere? ::)

All that is needed is for some kind of directive to be issued by Ofcom that means any firm calling 084 or 087 local/national rate can be fined and/or ultimately lose its telecoms operating license.

NGMsGhost wrote on Jun 7^th, 2007 at 7:36pm:

derrick wrote on Jun 5th, 2007 at 12:51pm: And more confirmation,(as if it was needed), tha the ASA do not police websites, so the only recourse is Trading Standards and the are not interested. It sounded to me more like they meant Ofcom when they said they were working with "other regulators" to address the problem. Especially as Trading Standards are not so much regulators as simply law enforcers.

I agree that they probably meant OfCon when they said "other regulators" but  OfCon won't do anything, neither can ASA re websites, so you only have TS and they won't do anything, yes they are law enforcers, but as from my previous experience with them, they do not want to know, and certainly will do nothing about it even though when companies state "local/national" rate, they are breaking a Criminal Act,(Consumer Protection Act 1987 Part III, Misleading price indications), but you already know that don't you  ;)

But as the principal guilty men at Ofcom responsible for the current dog's breakfast of proposals (i.e. messrs Carter, Williams and Meek) have all now left it is possible that the non commercial but New Labour loving Ed Richards, who has shown signs of being considerably more aware of public interest questions than moneybags Carter ever was, may still realise that he needs to change things.

With Which now behind the issue I think we could still build up a head of steam to say (a) that 0845 must change to geographic prices on 1st Feb 2008 because it is unbelievably burdensome for all the voice call centres using 0845 to have to change numbers for the operating convenience of a collapsing dialup ISP industry and (b) to get some tough penalties imposed with big fines behind them under Ofcom's backstop powers under the Communications Act 2003 for anyone who still goes on calling 0845 Local Rate and 0870 National Rate.

Things are changing slowly.  A lot of MPs have asked a lot of questions in Parliament about 0870 number use that behind the scenes will have caused a huge number of waves in the government departments and agencies concerned.

In the end they will decide it is easier to use 03 numbers and pay for their own call forwarding and redirection and simply put up the fees for the services their agencies and departments provide instead (which in my view is fairer because it is least up front and everyone pays the same for the service).

NGMs Ghost,

Re this quote from your previous post:-
(a) that 0845 must change to geographic prices on 1st Feb 2008 because it is unbelievably burdensome for all the voice call centres using 0845 to have to change numbers for the operating convenience of a collapsing dialup ISP industry

Am I reading this right that all call centres will have to change from 0845 to 01/02/03 ? I thought that was not happening, great if it is, but is it?

derrick wrote on Jun 8^th, 2007 at 11:11am:

Am I reading this right that all call centres will have to change from 0845 to 01/02/03 ? I thought that was not happening, great if it is, but is it?

They will do if they don't want to go on charging up to 4p per minute peak on landlines and 40p per minute on mobiles as Ofcom proposes to let the old high charging system continue on 0845 indefinitely as they said it would be too unkind to dialup 0845 ISPs to end the revenue share.  The fact that even in Scotland nearly 50% of people are now using broadband and that any dialup users hardly use the internet any serious amount at home does not seem to have influenced Ofcom's thinking as yet.  But there is still enough time for Ofcom to change its mind with 8 months still left to go.  

Ofcom brought in compulsory issuing of MAC codes by ISPs on only 2 months notice.  So why over 2 years just to half heartedly end revenue share on 0870, while permitting the replacement avenues of 0844, 0845 and 0871 scamming to all still be available? :-/

Did you not perhaps read the original Ofcom proposals on this matter Derrick?? ;) :o

Right, so they won't change, unless forced, because they can still steal revenue share on 0845, I thought I had missed a proposal for the same change as 0870  :)

Not sure what I have read now, there is so damn much of it  ;D

The word "darn" above  was typed as d a m n without the spaces, gremlins or censors ?

derrick wrote on Jun 8^th, 2007 at 11:45am:

gremlins or censors ?

Built in American censors unfortunately.  The forum software is American..................

Try various other words they might consider profane and see how you get on.

The off spring of an unmarried couple comes back as "person" however "dickhead" is allowed.

the 4 letter F word comes back as " crappity smack "

This could get addictive  ;D

What about goddamn bloody or mothercrappity smacker???

I see bloody is allowed surprisingly as that is normally thought to have religious insult connotations.

thingy

The above is for the male appendix pe*is

However the 4 letter word,beginning P, relating to the liquid that it emits is OK


Maybe we should dedicate a thread to this for a bit of lightheartedness  ::)

They don't know 'bollocks'!  :)

(I went to see 'The Life of Brian' in a special 25th anniversary showing here in the "Bible Belt" last year, and must have been the only person in the cinema crying with laughter at some of the jokes!!)  ;D