The most common criticism is that 0870 numbers have become unjustifiably relatively expensive for callers, as BT and other telephone networks have introduced packages that allow cheap ‘long distance’ calls for as little as 1p/minute and include ‘free minutes’. These packages are taken up by increasing numbers of people but they exclude special numbers such as 0870 and 0845 which have therefore become relatively expensive at up to almost 8p/minute peak time.
A second criticism very strongly expressed by some individuals and lobby groups is that revenue sharing is wrong in principle because it is a kind of ‘premium rate’ service where companies using 0870 can receive a payment from the telephone network of about 1p/minute and this can reward companies who keep callers hanging on thus earning more revenue.
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A general criticism of 0870 and other special numbers is the lack of transparency – although most people understand that 0800 means a ‘free call’ most consumers do not understand the difference between the various special numbers and premium rate services or what they cost. Unlike premium rate numbers there is no obligation to state the cost of calling 0870 and 0845 numbers.
Another, though less common criticism is that international access can be difficult for our overseas audience because some overseas telephone networks cannot connect to a UK 0870 number because of commercial or technical reasons.
Some have criticised BBC consumer programmes for being hypocritical in apparently publicising heavily the ‘say no to 0870’ campaign to encourage government departments, public and commercial organisations to drop 0870 in favour of geographic numbers such as those beginning 0207 (London) 0141 (Glasgow) etc or at least to give people a choice and to publish information on call costs.
However, more important than the relatively low cost of calling the BBC is whether the BBC is providing value to its audience. There are very few complaints about the mass access telephone systems or the freephone helplines and for normal business, BBC Information achieves very high rates of customer satisfaction independently measured by MORI with 87% rating the service 8 or more out of 10.
FUTURE CHANGES
In 2004 Ofcom launched a review of 0870 and 0845 and BBC has welcomed Ofcom’s proposals to reduce prices and improve price information. Ofcom’s own research indicated that most people thought that 0870 costs were higher than they actually are and confuse them with 090 premium rate numbers. Ofcom have now published their decision that ‘revenue share’ will end and that the link between 0870 and ‘geographic numbers’ restored. This is expected to reduce the cost of calling 0870 numbers from a maximum of 8p per minute to around 3p per minute. This may take until 2008 to implement.
The BBC has already changed the way it describes the cost of 0870 calls. In print and on the ‘contact us’ and other websites we say “calls from a BT line cost up to 8p per minute (some operators and mobiles vary) and may be recorded for training”
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
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1. If the BBC does not make any money from 0870 does it get any other benefits?
Yes. 0870 numbers bring some technology and operational benefits for the BBC and callers and also in return for waiving the ‘revenue share’ from 0870 calls the telephone networks supply the BBC with a higher level of service which would otherwise cost the licence fee payer more to provide. The value of these saved costs is significantly more that the value of the revenue share foregone.
2. If the BBC wants to be accountable and open to the audience why not use 0800 numbers for everything so callers could call for free like sending emails?
The problem with 0800 numbers is that they attract a lot of nuisance or trivial calls. Extending the 0800 numbers beyond the existing use for helplines would waste licence fee money, increase the staff frustration in dealing with time-wasting calls particularly at night and probably produce an overall reduction in quality of service as genuine callers found it more difficult to get through.
3. Why not replace 0870 with geographic numbers like 0141 or 0207 etc so callers could ring for free or very cheaply under call discount plans?
We decided against that in 1998 when the Governors approved the use of 0870 numbers because they are fairer – everyone pays the same regardless of where they live. The 0870 numbers also bring some technology and operational advantages such as being able to redirect calls. The BBC has welcomed Ofcom’s proposals to cut the cost of 0870 calls and improve information so we expect it will become cheaper to call the BBC.
4. If the BBC is not making money from callers why does the BBC spend licence fee money on subsidising and answering calls rather than moving completely to online services?
The audience should have the choice of whether to call, write or click on-line. The BBC is however increasingly using simple-to-use technology to allow self service when ordering tickets or booklets e.g. when over 300,000 viewers requested a Springwatch pack and their requests were handled online and through automated 0870 telephone services. The new BBC complaints service does include a special on-line system for people to send in email complaints if they prefer to write rather than call.
Michael Stock
Business and Partnerships Manager
Marketing, Communications & Audiences
March 2006
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Just thought I would bump this up as it has been buried on page 3??

OK, I have received the response to my request for an internal review, and guess what? the upheld the decision to not release the geo numbers. their reasons follow in the next post.

With a view to the last paragraph,(in red), do you think this means that the BBC will continue to use these numbers when there is no revenue share on them?

Looks like I will have to now put it in the hands of the ICO, for what use they are?!

From the e-mail, the above post was the attachment.

Dear Mr ******,

Please find attached the internal review decision note that relates to your FOI request (reference RFI20****). You will see that the original decision has been upheld in this case. If you wish to appeal to the Information Commissioner full details are available on their website: http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/

<<IR20060***** - IR decision note.pdf>>

Yours sincerely,

James Leaton Gray
Head of Information Policy & Compliance
BBC Freedom of Information
MC3D1, Media Centre,
201 Wood Lane,
London W12 7TQ, UK

Website: www.bbc.co.uk/foi/
Email: mailto:foi@bbc.co.uk
Tel: 0208 008 2883
Fax: 0208 008 2398

Heinz wrote on Sep 12^th, 2006 at 4:14pm:


Ye, that is what I thought, hence why I put the cheesy grins after the ?

Just received the following e-mail:-




So no answer anytime soon then??

bbb_uk wrote on Sep 20^th, 2006 at 6:34pm:



That has already been mentioned in  e-mail correspondence with the BBC and all e-mail correspondence has been forwarded to the ICO, as has the cost of calling from mobiles and payphones.


The reply below was sent to me in an e-mail to me dated 2nd August 2006, that was in reply to my e-mail to them dated 24th July 2006.

Heinz wrote on Sep 21^st, 2006 at 10:37am:


A point I have made to them