Hi,

I'am a web tinkerer with over 10 years of tinkering experience and have had a play with creating a web app that will calculate expected call costs based on prefix, operator, time and call plan.

Does anyone think that this would be useful for me to spend a couple of weeks developing?

The basic brief is an accessible app/webpage that will have 3-4 steps and at the end tell you how much a call to say an 0344 number from Vodafone without/with bolt ons would cost using a sliding time scale.

I intend on using conditional logic to keep the form simple and using geographical number this would be a doddle- however I get the feeling that some of the 08/09 numbers may need additional logic to account for service charges?

I am happy to do the math, design, tech and build etc.- but may need help with collecting data on operator costs for each prefix.

Anyhow- just an idea that may help people understand call costs and possibly give suggestions on moving call plan if needed.

Thoughts, suggestions or ideas for improvement/functionality please?

Hi there Tony,

Can I clarify exactly what this App/Webpage would do?

So would you type in a number select a network you would call from and it will tell you how much per minute or per call it will cost?

How will this be updated to reflect changes to call costs?

It sounds like a great App, but it would be interesting to find out how you intend to get it working..

tony8 wrote on Sep 7^th, 2015 at 6:59pm:

Why 0345 numbers? They are charged at the same rate as 01 (excluding IOM and Channel Islands), 02 and all other 03 numbers, by all networks.

Oh, and thanks you for reminding me about the IOM and CI exclusions - I will add these to the formula later this evening after work.

Ian01 had mentioned this, along with explaining how complex a 'catch all' formula may end up being.

I do seem to be getting that wrapped around my neck agan- and I thought the 0345 was a simple choice?.

Both me and my wife are on Vodafone, I have unlimited calls she does not, I do not pay anything extra for calling 0345 numbers, she pays 45p per minute.

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/explore/costs/call-charges/


"tony8 wrote Today at 10:34am:

Networks do differ in the PPM charge to 01, 02 and 03 calls when no bolt-on or inclusive minutes are available.


They don't, they can't."

It does appear that networks charge differing rates on out of bundle calls to 01 ,02 and 03 numbers based on the following page

http://smartcaller.org/prefixes/0345-numbers/

Are you saying that all calls to 0345 have a set price that networks muct charge ? ( again asuming out of plan/ minutes)

tony8 wrote on Sep 8^th, 2015 at 11:13am:

Exactly the same as she would have been charged to call a geographic number.

tony8 wrote on Sep 8^th, 2015 at 11:40am:

But that's the same as any other number (except 080) so I still don't get it. Who is claiming that they should all cost the same?

If the idea is to compare, why not have a table where each network has one row and the table has five columns, headed: network/tariff, pay monthly with allowance, pay monthly allowance exceeded, pay as you go with add on or bundle, pay as you go without add on or bundle?

Connection fees apply for calls to 01, 02 and 03 numbers, but only on non-inclusive calls made from landlines. So far, the app lists only mobile networks.

A table of call costs should make clear that it applies to all geographic 01 and 02 numbers (except 01534 Jersey, 01481 Guernsey and 01624 Isle of Man) and non-geographic 03 numbers. Singling out 0345 may lead to confusion.

The exceptional pricing for Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man applies only on calls to geographic 01 numbers and mobile 071-075 and 077-079 numbers. It does not apply to non-geographic numbers starting 03, 08 or 09.