This happens quite a lot when alternatives get popular, it would help if you posted the name of the company and the two numbers in question so that they can be checked out and the database amended if necessary.

P.S. I don't think this has much to do with Call Providers.

Alegna wrote on May 27^th, 2013 at 12:31pm:

This site works by listing alternatives that are found to work. It is maintained by volunteers, rather than being a subscription service that is "consumed" by users.

It is most effective where everyone pitches in by advising of alternatives that they find as well as those that are listed but which are defunct. Where someone finds an alternative that does not work and fails to report it, in so doing they are leaving other users to follow in their footsteps by wasting their time ringing it. People who do not report non-working numbers are clearly only thinking of one thing: themselves.

I am one of the volunteers that help out with administration of the database and finding numbers. I do so because I see it as a useful service which helps people avoid unjust Service Charges (that are associated with various 08 numbers). As such, I would much prefer it if those who only wish to "take out" of the alternative numbers database and not make it better would go away. Indeed, I think it would be great if they set-up an alternative numbers service where subscription payments covered the cost of staff to check numbers as it may be able to provide a more reliable service.

If it is the case that many people wish to treat this resource like this then we will all suffer as the quality of the listings goes down.


The Unbundled Tariff to be introduced over the next couple of years will be a much-needed major reform of these numbers. It will make clear the levels of Service Charges that all users of these numbers enjoy. I believe that many of them will not be able to sustain such charges when they are brought into the open.

Including numbers that carry a Service Charge in packages or bundles means that telephone users in general must pay for the Service Charges, irrespective of whether they make such calls. For that reason I strongly oppose inclusion of such numbers in packages. It is the misuse of these numbers which is the issue, and the exposure of the Service Charge is the first step to kicking this issue into touch.

The fair telecoms campaign will be publishing information about the Unbundled Tariff soon. We are urging customers of organisations that use 084 numbers to ask them The Big Question.