Dave wrote on Apr 11^th, 2008 at 10:32pm:


Surely this isn't a Hall of Shame post though Dave but a "congratulations for seeing the light" posting?

The difference is surely that Relate actually genuinely want to help the people who call them and don't want to put any obstacles in the way of callers whereas the other customer service departments we are actually talking about don't want their customers to contact them at all.

toomanysues wrote on Jun 7^th, 2008 at 4:06pm:


But unfortunately BT still appears to be earning hundreds of millions a year in revenue share from all the unsuitable 084 and 087 numbers their NGN number vending division has sold to almost everyone else through a plethora of outrageous lies about  the cost of calls to these numbers by the consumer.

One of the most atrocious examples is the sale of an entirely unsuitable 0845 number to NHS Direct by BT Global Services.

AP wrote on Jul 27^th, 2008 at 11:19am:

Thanks. I've removed this 0800 number and replaced it with one of the other freephone numbers which was shown as an extra number.

I've also added Capital One to the Hall of Shame.

Also note that Capital One lies about 0845 supposedly being "local rate" on its contact page.

I am in the process of redoing hall of fame and hall of shame.

I think it will be useful to keep the public and private sector separate so it will be easy to see which public sector organisations are good and which are bad.

The courier firm City Link has earned its place in the Hall of Shame as it is changing its number from 08700 007 007 to 08444 930 930.

Dave wrote on Sep 9^th, 2009 at 9:13pm:

Bizarre. I should have thought that the value of a number like 08700 007 007 would exceed its cost. Highly memorable and cheaper for most customers to call.

You don't mention Flybe. They have 0871 numbers charged at 10p per minute. As you have to hold on for at least 20 minutes (I have had to wait 50 minutes to change a flight) this mounts up.  I tried using the numbers listed on "Saynoto0870" (01392 268529 for instance) only to get the same recorded announcement saying calls would be charged at 10p per minute.  How can they do this with an 01 number?

mert wrote on Feb 5^th, 2010 at 10:27am:

This "Hall of Shame" is intended for companies changing their numbers and I don't know what Flybe used to use. I know that a number of the airlines, including the folded FlyGlobespan use(d) 0871 numbers.

On the subject of the message about being charged at 10 pence per minute, don't worry about that; you will be charged as per a call to a geographic number.

What happens is the 0871 points (or diverts if you like) to a geographic number. That number has the recording on of the call rate so when you ring the 0871 number, it tells you the cost. So if you ring it directly, you will still hear the message even though it doesn't actually apply.

The fact that it does tell you the price suggests strongly that it gets to the same place as ringing the 0871 number, which is what listing the alternative is about.