Phone Numbers

The problem with brand new technology is that old equipment is very quickly forgotten. Remember VHS anyone? Where a lot of cynicals love to critically announce the demise of one gadget due to the rise of another, we often have to question its credibility.

An absurd claim has been made that the Internet is soon to wipe out our need for phone numbers, we disagree.

It is claimed that with the rise of email, social networks, built-in messaging systems, VoIP, and services like Google Voice, digits-long telephone numbers are beginning to feel outdated.

Gone will be the memorable numbers used for our marketing campaigns, the fees we make from fixed line call charges, and those 118 guys? Well, you can forget about them. They’ve had their 15 minutes of fame, we’ll most likely to see them crop up on Strictly Come X factor Ice Skating in 10 years’ time.

We can’t help but think this is all a bit farfetched. Only yesterday did we bring you news that fixed lines will continue to hold a purpose for homes and businesses.

"I'm afraid that at this point in time, old-fashioned phone numbers are still vital to our communications," Nokia agreed.

“Even in the era of the mobile Internet. Even though in the United States, we have 10 digit phone numbers that seem antiquated in this data-centric era, the numeric phone system remains king when trying to contact someone."

As we come to rely more heavily on social networks, smartphones, VoIP and the cloud it will be interesting to see how long the phone numbers will long continue to be in circulation. As good as our VoIP systems are, the integration to a complete online UC for all businesses is still many years away.

Many businesses don’t even hold a grasp of social media, let alone how to use it successfully for marketing or sales purposes. Yes, we believe our beloved phone numbers are safe for a long while yet.

Councils in the West Country tight for cash are facing criticism for unnecessary spending, frittering away thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money by calling up services such as directory enquiries and the Speaking Clock.

Authorities from Cornwall and Devon have also wasted money within the four-digit amount by ringing up premium rate phone numbers from fixed lines as well as council mobile phones, in spite of local government agencies coming under from residents and businesses alike.

The results estimate that at least hundreds of thousands of pounds are squandered yearly throughout the UK for needless phone calls.

Cornwall Council’s annual bill for calls to directory enquiries came to £3,724.75 whilst Plymouth City Council total cost was £444.19 just for telephoning the Speaking Clock – which the council later blamed on a fault.

Campaign director for the Taxpayers’ Alliance, Emma Boon, said: “It’s disgraceful that these councils are spending thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money on phone calls to these numbers.

“Most of this information is available online and instead of calling the speaking clock they could look at their watch or one of the many wall-clocks taxpayers have already paid for at their offices.

“Staff need to think twice before picking up the phone and dialling premium rate numbers, there is rarely a ‘justification’ for doing it.”

However, Exeter City Council were better managed when it came to their phone finances, spending in total for directory enquiries, premium rate phone numbers and the Speaking Clock at just £39.30.

A spokesman for Exeter City Council said: “At Exeter City Council, all premium rate numbers have a bar put on them, which we have the ability to lift in certain cases if the council feels it is necessary.”

How do you feel about your money being spent on these services?  Does your business rely on these type of enquiries too?  Let us know your thoughts.

In times of sickness when you’re not feeling your absolute best, it seems more effort to go into work and less effort to see your doctor - but with many local surgeries enforcing premium rate numbers when calling up to arrange appointments, perhaps it’s a case of less effort to go into work and more effort to ring your GP.

Patients at Wokingham GP surgeries have no choice but to pay up to 35p per minute for calls made to their doctor, despite the recent legal regulations preventing surgeries from charging callers more than the normal local rate.  But for those held in a queue, patients could be paying several pounds, costing them both time and money.

Brookside Close Surgery patient Sunil Dharmabandhu has expressed his dismay for paying roughly 35p per minute for each call.  He said: “When you ring up you always go through to the information system and then you have to listen to that and the cost goes up.

“Then it gives various options and you press numbers and you have to wait for your turn because you are in a queue and all the time the clock is ticking.

“It’s not too bad for us because we can afford to pay but in this time of recession there are lots of other people who find it difficult have to pay these premium rates just to get an appointment”.

Whilst 0844 and 0845 codes are no currently banned under new Government legislation, patients are entitled to pay no more than the cost of a local geographical phone number.

Patients attempting to arrange appointments with their doctors are only able to access some of the Neath Port Talbot GP surgeries by dialling premium rate phone numbers.

Restricted to call only the 08 and 09 numbers for medical assistance, the calls can cost up to 10p per minute, with several describing the high price as “a toll on the sick”.

Swansea currently have no lines implemented in the GP surgeries, and a spokesperson for Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board said that they would be meeting with the practices in Neath Port Talbot in attempts to tackle the issue.

However, one patient described his dismay at the cost of contacting his GP surgery.

“Many people these days get free local phones from their provider in any case.  People with young children and those who are older often have cause to ring their surgery.  By the time you have listened to recorded options and waited in a queue, the charge mounts up.

“It used to be said illness takes its toll, but this is a toll on the sick,” the individual explained.

A spokeswoman for the ABM University Health Board said: “We do have some practices in Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend that are in contracts with telephone companies and have set up 08 numbers.

“Around a year ago the Assembly Government changed the regulations so practices in Wales are no longer permitted to enter into or extend contracts of this type.  This is an issue we are very aware of and is a complaint that is raised regularly.

“The health board welcomed the change in regulations, but because of contractual commitments there is a time lag before all calls will be charged at local rates again.  We will be meeting with all practices concerned in the next few weeks to discuss this topic, and support them to make the change where possible in the interests of patients and their relatives.”

Global telecommunications organisation BT have landed themselves in hot water following the publication of a county councillor’s contact information in a phone book whose death occurred nearly five years ago.

The listing displays the Durham county councillor for Urpeth and Ouston, Christine Smith, in the Durham and Wearside Phone Book for 2010-11 and BT’S 2011-12 edition, despite her death back in September 2006.

Durham County Council apologised for any misunderstanding but pointed the blame at BT, explaining that they had informed the councillors of her death last year and issued a complaint when incorrect details were printed.

BT, however, argued that the changes had not been received in time to be updated in the phone book.

Identifying the mistake was Independent Councillor, John Shuttleworth: ”It’s gross incompetence on someone’s part and the public can make up their own minds.  It’s very insensitive.”

The Phone Book also provides the phone numbers of 17 other Durham county councillors who no longer serve their duties.

Head of policy and communications for Durham County Council, Roger Goodes, said: “We provided an updated list of contact names and numbers to BT last year and complained to them when the details appeared incorrectly in the Phone book.

“We are very sorry for any upset their error has caused and have reiterated the correct numbers to them.  We will try to ensure they print the correct numbers for the editions due out later this year.”

A BT representative released the following statement: “BT has established that amendments were not received in time to meet the deadline.  We will contact the council to discuss the matter.”

0844 numbers are also known as non-geographic numbers (NGNs) which can sometimes be confusing, and certainly misunderstood by anyone who isn’t a telecoms expert.

They are the new and realistic 0845 replacement and calls may be charge up to a maximum of 5p per minute for your caller– but whilst this is substantially low for a business line, it also means that they will generate revenue for you. So from the cost of every call, your company can take a small slice.

NGNs are pretty easy to grasp however, they are numbers that do not reveal your area code – and thus, your location. See, simple.

It means that customers will call your business and not be put off by distance or where you are based. But what’s more is that these numbers tend to be memorable, we hear them almost every day, and have rang them countless times.

When a customer dials your memorable 0844 number the call is automatically routed to your existing landline number or business mobile phone. Customers presume that by having an 0844 number you are a national and successful corporation, the 0844 promotes professionalism and credibility.

Also, because NGNs can be routed anywhere, you can leave the office, or work from home, as calls can be diverted to your mobile phone – or any other phone number.

If we have managed to persuade you to buy an 0844 number, or if you require any further information - don't hesitate to call us on our 0844 number in the top right hand corner.

Sometimes we think that advanced technological minds much prefer to sit and ponder the future of technology rather than actually fuel it. Some tech watchers are now saying that the end for phone numbers is nigh and it’s all thanks to the more convenient juggling of IP based telecoms and social networking.

With predictions declaring that the beloved phone number may have less than five years left in circulation before becoming obsolete, or facing severe decline, Nikhyl Singhal, co-founder and chief executive of voice-application startup SayNow, stated that people have lost the importance of the traditional phonecall, and kids are growing up without ever having to pick up a Yellow Pages.

He blames the wonder of social interaction over the internet, saying that the advantages of such methods far outweigh the traditional phone call, e.g. being able to send out group messages on Facebook.

VoIP services such as Skype are also adding to the vulnerability of the phone number, which offer cheaper calls than landlines.



 

 

 

 

 

 

We don’t believe in the demise of the phone number, as we think they will always be essential for businesses and a company's image, especially with regards to freephone numbers and other non-geographic numbers. However, whether this will soon be adopted by companies via VoIP rather than a traditional phone system is relatively unknown. (But there are lots of predictions).

Singhal says smartphones will be the essential communication device for contacting people however, but instead of punching numbers, users will be able to contact their friends through their social network accounts as accessed via their phones.

What do you think?

0800 numbers have been splashed all over our news recently, and as a result, have dominated our company pages. Their popularity soared (but for the wrong reasons) when independent regulator Ofcom brought the cost of calling the supposed ‘free phone number’ from a mobile phone to the attention of the public – not many people knew that this can actually cost up to 40p a minute.

Ofcom has announced plans to try and change this, but at the expense of businesses and charities, who are questioning where their revenue is going to come from.

08 phone numbers are commonly referred to as non-geographic numbers – or ‘NGN’s’ (for anyone who’s not a telecoms expert) but what advantages do 0800 numbers hold for businesses in light of these new changes?



 

 

 

 

Sure you’re paying for the cost of the call, but the return investment from having a freephone number can prove to be invaluable.

Unlike 0844 numbers or 0845 numbers, 0800 numbers are free for your caller, and the business providing the number has to pay for that call per minute. On a customer service level, this is unbeatable marketing for any company, it will also ensure you receive more calls than your competitors who may be charging.

It gives no clue as to your location, hence the term 'NGN,' so will enable your business to operate on a national level, this is especially important to small businesses who may want to appear larger.

0800 numbers also have other benefits aside from being free for your caller, 08 numbers can generally be routed anywhere, as you are not tied to a particular telephone line. Meaning you can work from home, and generally have more freedom outside of your four office walls.

NGN numbers can also be used with other services and products, such as call recording, and call queuing – which allows businesses to analyse and measure their successes, identify areas of weakness and offer serviceable improvements.

But how do you buy 0800 numbers? It’s simple, give us a call, or send us a web request and we’ll find a solution for you.