[SteveCP]

I called the new UK service helpline number (from my US Vonage account) to try and find out which Caller ID system they were using (i.e. UK standard or US standard) and whether the Linejack adaptor brings the ring signal out onto pin 3 (which all UK phones need).

Anyway, nobody answered and after 8 minutes I gave up. Checking the cost later I found it was 0.27c/min !!!!!!!

[jamesbody]

Whose service helpline was this?

What was the dialled number?

[SteveCP]

I dialled 011 44 800 652 5099 which is the helpline number posted on the Vonage UK website

[djkeit]

Originally Posted by SteveCP

I dialled 011 44 800 652 5099 which is the helpline number posted on the Vonage UK website

Oh that explains it all.

011448 is considered a special rate number. (+44.8)


You should use *44800 from a FWD phone.or call the US help line [1-866-243-4357] and ask to be connected to the UK one (guess it shouldn't be a problem for a VoIP phone company, aight!?!)

If that's not possible (or they don't want to do it), ask for a geo number in the uk to call. If it's not +44.1 or +44.2 you just keep asking!

EDIT: for the benefit of people on unlimited plans. Dialling a non geographic number is usually not included in your plan. If you have to call a UK non-geo no., try first to lookup "say no to 870" website: a lot of corresponding geo no.s are listed here!

[mberlant]

It's silly that Vonage would charge for calls to a toll free number in a country that they serve. It's sillier that in this day and age we need to refer a Vonage customer to FWD so that he doesn't have to pay Vonage 1/4 of a penny per minute to reach a free number.

[paulc]

I agree, it's silly.. maybe part of the problem is the wide range of charge bands in the UK - most providers don't discriminate down to enough digits..

+44 800 = free
+44 808 = free
+44 845 = local rate
+44 870 = national rate

From outside of the UK, I'd expect to be able to call 0800 and 0808 for the same price as a +44 1 or +44 2 regular geographic number. I'd probably expect that for 0845 numbers too. 0870 is a tricky one, but I wonder in the international switching scheme of things if there are higher transit costs passed on to operators delivering calls inbound to the UK, as there are for +44 7 numbers.

Those are interesting too.. cos in the UK it's +44 7[7-9] for mobile.. There are other prefixes with different rates.. 07020 is cheaper than 07050 which is (or used to be) marginally more expensive than calling a mobile number.

It sounds crazy, but when you're there it works pretty well.. and their premium rate industry works a hell of a lot better than anything on this side of the pond.

[djkeit]

Originally Posted by paulc

I agree, it's silly.. maybe part of the problem is the wide range of charge bands in the UK - most providers don't discriminate down to enough digits..

+44 800 = free
+44 808 = free
+44 845 = local rate
+44 870 = national rate

From outside of the UK, I'd expect to be able to call 0800 and 0808 for the same price as a +44 1 or +44 2 regular geographic number. I'd probably expect that for 0845 numbers too. 0870 is a tricky one, but I wonder in the international switching scheme of things if there are higher transit costs passed on to operators delivering calls inbound to the UK, as there are for +44 7 numbers.

Those are interesting too.. cos in the UK it's +44 7[7-9] for mobile.. There are other prefixes with different rates.. 07020 is cheaper than 07050 which is (or used to be) marginally more expensive than calling a mobile number.

Usually +4480 and +4450 aren't accessible at all, if they are, they are charged at standard landline tarif.

+4484 +4487 (or in general all other +448) are charged at premium rate for that country. It is not true that 0845 is a local call rate, but it's a lo-call. It is charged at BT ol' days local call rates which nowadays are comparable to the tarif to call Johannesburg,RSA (peak rate for a 0845 is 5p/min thats 8c/min). 0870 is national rate and 0871 is European rate. The tarifs to call these numbers are usually ludicrous and that's why a lot of provider give out these numbers 'for free'.

+4470 is a different thing. These are supposed to be forwarded nationally and internationally. They are so called personal numebrs and the call forwarding is supposed to help people use different numbers or change providers easily. Charges starts at 5p and can be as high as 50p.

Regarding this last range, it's actually lucky some providers consider them "mobile numbers" (same tarif for all +447 numbers). I have been able to sign up for one of these numbers a few years ago and divert it to a chinese mobile phone (when calling china was still quite expensive). I would call the +447 number from my mobile and be connected to China for as little as 25c/min.

I tried it recently and didn't work anymore.

[rizsher]

Even within the UK, calling 08 numbers of anykind from UK Cellphones is considered a premium call and charged at 30p/min or more.

[rizsher]

I just checked, Broadvoice lists UK NGN (Non Geographic numbers) at SIX DOLLARS/MINUTE!!!..SURELY Thats GOT TO BE a mistake... but I'm too feeble hearted (n broke) to try n check!!!