Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1661595,00.html

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I do so love it when big companies and government offices change things around for our convenience. It's so empowering. Look at the DVLA; it decided it just wasn't fair for anyone not living in Swansea - where it's based - to have to pay more for a telephone call to them than someone who did live in the 01792 zone. So it changed its number to an 0870 one, in order that everyone paid the same, no matter where they were calling from. They did it for us, so it would have been churlish to point out that, actually, everyone ended up paying more (and coincidentally, the DVLA made £1.3m from these calls in just one year). And that, in 2004, BT abolished the national/local-call charge tariff, anyway. Then there's the National Trust. It was about to move its membership department, but unsure as to where, and, rather than upset anyone by making them write down a new geographic number, the National Trust also changed to an 0870 number which could travel with it, no matter where its staff in moss-stitched cardigans ended up. It was so considerate I almost sent a thank-you note. [...]

The good news is that things are changing, just at a point when more and more companies are starting to cotton on. A personal low point this week was when a silly little cosmetics company told me it had changed its inquiry number to an 0870 one. I almost spat down the phone. A national low point was the Metropolitan police putting out an 0870 "hotline" number after the London bombings (it said it didn't make money from the calls) in July.

Yesterday was Ofcom's cut-off date for anyone wanting to make representations against 0870 numbers; Ofcom wants calls to 0870s to cost the same as national-rate numbers and to stop businesses making money from them. I can't wait to see how many companies will keep their 0870 numbers when they no longer turn a profit.

The bad news is that any changes will take a year to implement. In the meantime, we can help ourselves by refusing to deal with any companies with an 0870 number whenever possible. All 0870 numbers have to have a geographic base; often you can find it by a quick bit of detective work on the internet, or just by asking for it, either straight out or by pretending you need to call from abroad. The DVLA will now give this number out (it's 01792 782341) with this last excuse, but for months it wouldn't. Go to www.saynoto0870.com for alternatives. And if you have any further questions do call me direct on 0870 GREEDY GREEDY GREEDY.
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