Buying 0845/0800 type numbers

[James990]

I must admit to NOT liking o8xxx numbers, they are costly to use, except of course 0800. But as you say pisquee, most of your callers are b2b. I get really annoyed when I have to phone anywhere, especially working with a load of disadvantaged people, and you have to phone these high price numbers, when a most people these days have free call on their packages, yet cannot use them because they have to use the hight price call numbers!

James

[Andrew]

I must admit to NOT liking o8xxx numbers, they are costly to use, except of course 0800. But as you say pisquee, most of your callers are b2b. I get really annoyed when I have to phone anywhere, especially working with a load of disadvantaged people, and you have to phone these high price numbers, when a most people these days have free call on their packages, yet cannot use them because they have to use the hight price call numbers!

James

0845 is local rate rather than national so was always aimed at being a cost saving number. It is 0870 that is national rate plus a couple of the other newer versions plus you have 0300 numbers doubling up as freephone. It is getting complicated now which is why a local number is getting the thumbs up more so now.

[James990]

I have VOIP using Vonage and have two numbers that I can use 0207 and 0208 I am happy with these because even if I move to Lands End or Timbuctoo (Yes I know it is spelt wrong) I keep the same number. I have moved four times in the last ten years and never had to change the number because I just take the Vonage box with me and plug it into the router, job done! You can, with Vonage, choose any prefix you like!
It costs me £599 per month, all my outgoing calls to 01, 02, 03 are free and I pay about half price to the other numbers. You can get a package from Vonage where you can call the world, or at least most of it, for free.

James

[UK Printed Mugs]

Just to add then an alternative provider, whom we use in our offices, is www.voipfone.co.uk who only charge £2 a month for a landline number and then you pay for calling credits (£10 lasts us nearly a month!).

[Chunk]

Just to add my 10p worth, I actually avoid 0800 or 0845 numbers on occasion for 2 reasons, first 90% of people use mobiles that are on contract and don't cover these numbers so get charged (done it this week, tried to phone a carpet company, they had 0845 and I was on my mobile so I phoned another company), and second the wise guy start up Ltd Company Brigade that try to look professional with these numbers then dissolve the company after a few large payments, I prefer a solid land line with address to match (the bad guys find loop holes). I am by no means saying anyone on here is less than a genuine person but had a few experiences in the past so left a bit sceptical. Hope not everyone thinks like me, lol. Have also noticed some local businesses going back to hotmail and gmail addresses as people don't mind as much now and they can still get emails if they fall out of flavour with their web guy.

[pisquee]

£600 a month James?