Personal 0845 or 0870 numbers?

[andygrif]

Sorry if this is in the wrong section:

I am looking into getting a couple of personal 0845 numbers, possibly 0870 and just want to see if anyone has any experience of some good contacts that they might like to share - good or bad.

Also, it seems that these free ones only divert to a UK geo landline, and that diverting your number to a mobile can cost upwards of 20p per minute. Anyone know of any solutions (apart from 0700) that will divert to mobiles for free or at low cost?

Thanks for your help on this.

[Millay]

I use pipemedia.. now legend communications to transfer my 0845 number to my mobile..

Its so cheap I dont know the cost but then my 0845 number only gets 4 or 5 calls a week..

[Shaun]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.............Don't do it. Just give out your mobile number, it's much cheaper for people to call you on.

[andygrif]

I use pipemedia.. now legend communications to transfer my 0845 number to my mobile..

Its so cheap I dont know the cost but then my 0845 number only gets 4 or 5 calls a week..

Thank you. Call costs are still a little on the high side, 9ppm for o2 up to 22ppm for Three - which is going to make keeping track of costs a little tough. Good company though - just had a chat to them and they seem much more professional than most of these fly-by-night bods I've seen so far.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.............Don't do it. Just give out your mobile number, it's much cheaper for people to call you on.

You're right, but it just won't cut the mustard for what we want. I'm going into partnership with another chap, so sometimes he can take the calls, sometimes me - and both of us are out and about a lot of the time. Also, as we're advertising the number..I fear it might look a little amateurish putting a mobile on there.

You're right about the costs though, if our advertising goes well we could well be faced with a serious phone bill at the end of it.

Anyone else got any solutions?

[beardsley]

Take a look at Flextel. They may well have something which suits your needs.

[Shaun]

I'm going into partnership with another chap, so sometimes he can take the calls, sometimes me - and both of us are out and about a lot of the time.

Shame there isn't a way of doing ti without an 08 number. :(


Also, as we're advertising the number..I fear it might look a little amateurish putting a mobile on there.

Haven't these telecoms companies done well to convince the general public that not being ripped off by a company is amateurish! :(

[andygrif]

Take a look at Flextel. They may well have something which suits your needs.


'fraid not...only their 070 numbers can divert to mobiles, and they cost 35ppm to call. Thanks anyway.



Haven't these telecoms companies done well to convince the general public that not being ripped off by a company is amateurish! :(

I know what you mean...but we're a photograpy studio, and it's a little seedy if we only have mobiles...if you know what I mean!

[Millay]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.............Don't do it. Just give out your mobile number, it's much cheaper for people to call you on.

Its worth noting that you can get a 0845 number like mine that is Local Rate no matter where you call from, or wehere your call goes.

It is worth mentioning that you need to push the point in adverts that this is a local rate number.

If its a local business you are starting you may find a landline number has even better impact as it makes you appear more local. You can get these divereted easilly enough to mobiles, yes you pick up the cost but that a small cost for building an image.

[DaggaDagga]

0845 is local rate, but it's excluded from any call plans, e.g. free local calls, 5p call plan etc.

Personally, if I was choosing between two businesses, one with an 0845 number and the other geographic, I'd definitely choose the geographic one.

0845 and 0870 set my "conman detectors" going - they don't want you to know where they are.

[Shaun]

Its worth noting that you can get a 0845 number like mine that is Local Rate no matter where you call from, or wehere your call goes.

Agggggghhhhh........ :mad:

The propaganda given out by these companies really gets me.

These aren't charged at a local rate they're charged at a set rate that is generally higher than a local call.

In fact they are a significant pain in the bum to those of us that get free calls in our packages as they aren't included (O2 excluded)

I know why companies use them but many customers would love to see an 01 or 02 number listed also so they can make the choice.


If its a local business you are starting you may find a landline number has even better impact as it makes you appear more local.

Now we're talking chaps :D

An example of what I'm talking about is here (http://www.call1899.co.uk/rates.php):

UK rates pence/min
UK fixed lines 0.0 !!
UK mobiles (sat/sun) 3
UK mobiles (weekdays) 10
UK (070 Personal) 15
UK (0845 Local) 4
UK (0870 National) 7

[andygrif]

Personally, if I was choosing between two businesses, one with an 0845 number and the other geographic, I'd definitely choose the geographic one.

0845 and 0870 set my "conman detectors" going - they don't want you to know where they are.

Sorry you feel that way, but the situation as I described aove doesn't IMHO make us 'conmen' but perfect business sense. How would you tackle the same situation, if you can come up with a better solution, I'd really love to hear it.


Now we're talking chaps :D

An example of what I'm talking about is here (http://www.call1899.co.uk/rates.php):

Good link, but doesn't really help my situation I'm afraid! Their daytime calling rates to mobiles are more expensive than Legend Comms mentioned above.

[DaggaDagga]

I'm not trying to say you're a conman! Just saying that you may give this impression with a non-geographic number.

Why don't you just divert a BT landline, instead of using some service or other? It'll obviously cost you, but more calls = more business, so not a problem!

And if you are back at base, then just switch off the divert and receive calls directly, at no charge.

The last thing you should do is make your prospective customers pay your bill (or a proportion of it), or you won't have many. People are getting wiser to 08... numbers. I for one try to avoid using them.

[Shaun]

I must admit I'll spend ages trying to find a geo number for a company before calling and will use the provision of a geo number as a decising factor in using a company. Silly really but I just hate being ripped off.

There's some more info here for those that are interested: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1086555604,78422

---------- Post added at 16:39 ---------- Previous post was at 16:32 ----------

Good link, but doesn't really help my situation I'm afraid! Their daytime calling rates to mobiles are more expensive than Legend Comms mentioned above.

Crossed wires I think, I was showing readers of the thread where 0845 calls cost more than local calls. In that instance it's 3ppm compared to 0ppm (with a connection fee)

[Shaun]

I know this may be too late but it looks like you can get a hunt group like service on an 01/02 number - http://www.vonage.co.uk/help.php?article=253&category=33&nav=

[andygrif]

Not too late at all and thanks for following up on it...unfortunately calls to mobiles are 15ppm daytime, which is pretty pricy.

Looks like a neat system though - thanks.

[DaggaDagga]

15ppm is probably reasonable if you're not getting your potential customer to pay a proportion of your bill (as you are with 08xx numbers).

[Shaun]

It is pricy unfortunatly but it does have a rather cool feature - Simulring - all your divert numbers can ring at the same time meaning that whoever answers it first gets the call.

How funky is that?

[andygrif]

15ppm is probably reasonable if you're not getting your potential customer to pay a proportion of your bill (as you are with 08xx numbers).

15ppm is not reasonable when I can divert from my home phone for 9ppm, it's more than 50% more expensive. And the kick back on the bill for 0845 numbers is generally less than 1/3'rd of a penny per minute - so not much of a dent against 15ppm.

As I'm sure you know, when starting a business you need to keep very careful track of your costs and they need to be quantifiable. It's not much use to me if potential customers call in their thousands, but don't buy or don't buy straight away - meanwhile I'm left with a phone bill which is effectively uncapped.

It is pricy unfortunatly but it does have a rather cool feature - Simulring - all your divert numbers can ring at the same time meaning that whoever answers it first gets the call.

How funky is that?

That is pretty cool!