businessinfomag.uk
magazine
30
Telecoms
UK Calling:
what it means for you?
UK Calling, one of the biggest changes
to the cost of telecoms calls in a
decade, comes into force on July 1, but
very few are ready for it.
Last year, the use of service numbers
such as 0845 and 0870 for post-sales
customer support was banned in
consumer businesses. However, the rules
didn’t address the cost of these calls for
other uses, resulting in unexpected call
bills for some callers.
Many were confused by the plethora
of 08 numbers in use and didn’t realise
that certain numbers beginning with 07
were not mobile numbers but actually
premium rate lines.
UK Calling aims to clear things up.
From 1 July 2015, the cost of calling
service numbers from residential lines
and consumer mobiles will be made up
of two parts:
1
An access charge, which goes to the
caller’s phone company. This will be
made clear on the caller’s bills and when
they take out a contract with a telecoms
provider; and
2
A service charge, which makes up
the remainder of the call charge. The
organisation being called sets this price
and must tell the caller what it is and
display it clearly wherever the number
is advertised or promoted so that callers
can see how much money they are
making on the call.
From July 1, when a business promotes
a service number, it will show the service
charge, but not the access charge, which
will have been agreed between the caller
and their phone service provider when
taking out a contract.
Who’s affected
The change applies to all consumer
calls to 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers
across the UK, but not to legacy 0500
numbers or to calls to ordinary landline
numbers (01, 02, 03), mobile numbers
(07), international calls, calls made from
payphones, or calls to the UK when
roaming overseas.
In addition, all Freephone numbers
(0800 or 0808) are being made free to
call from both mobiles and landlines.
What to do next
If your business makes use of service
Dave Millet explains what you should do to prepare for
Ofcom’s new service number rules
numbers, you should:
n
Speak to the supplier of your 08 or
09 telephone numbers and ask them to
confirm the access charges. The changes
could cause your bills to rise, particularly
if you use an 0800 number.
n
Decide if you want to keep using
these numbers or switch to Geographic
01/02/03 numbers.
n
Review all your marketing literature,
including websites, TV/ radio adverts,
point of sale and packaging. If any
publicise a number beginning 084, 087,
09 or 118, you must ensure that your
service charge is clearly displayed.
If you are a consumer who has paid
extra for 0800 calls to be included in
your mobile package, you should ensure
the charge is removed, as from July 1
calls to 0800 numbers from a mobile will
be free.
As always, there is no excuse for
ignorance. More information is available at
, a dedicated website set
up by Ofcom to publicise the new rules.
Dave Millett runs Equinox, a leading
independent brokerage and consultancy
firm that has helped many companies,
charities and other organisations achieve
savings of up to 80% on their telecoms.
App Update
Stand up
Office workers spend a lot of time sitting down,
increasing the risk of high blood pressure, heart
disease, poor circulation and other conditions
associated with sitting for prolonged periods.
The free Varidesk app helps minimise the
dangers by reminding you to stand up every
hour. For maximum benefit, use it with a
Varidesk sit-stand platform that can be retro-
fitted to your existing desk (see photo). Raise
the Varidesk up when you need to stand and
you can continue to use your computer as
normal. Prices for the Varidesk start at £275.
Create a virtual workspace
Projectplace has introduced an Android app
that enables users to manage work tasks and
collaborate with colleagues. Tasks are clearly
visualised in different columns to help you
keep track of progress. The app integrates with
popular file-sharing services, such as Dropbox
and Google Drive, allowing users to share and
edit files and connect them to specific tasks.
The app is free for up to five project members.
Cycle hire made easy
The free Santander Cycles smartphone app
is a useful accessory for users of Boris Bikes.
Providing access to Transport for London’s
(TfL’s) real-time cycling Journey Planner, it
enables users to locate the nearest available
bike or docking station and download a ‘bike
release’ code.
Leave a digital legacy
Currently in development, the Swonsong app
will enable you to record and store personal
messages that can be delivered to friends,
family, even work colleagues at specified dates
after your death.
Smart navigation
Shortlisted for Virgin’s Pitch to Rich
competition, Gravity 8 is a smart headband for
hands-free navigation. The wearable technology
connects to a GPS-based app and relays
directions through vibrations in either the left
or right side of the headband. It was designed
to assist people with impaired vision, but could
also be used as an alternative to navigating
with a mobile phone that doesn’t require
constant glances at an on-screen map.
Dave Millet,
Equinox
