0800 Numbers Brand New Customers Only

0800 Numbers Brand New Customers Only.

According to Which?, existing customers are being charged to call a number of banks, insurers and energy companies unlike some new customers.

Which? tested 34 businesses and found that 27 of them advertised free 0800 numbers for new customers to call.  Existing customers, including some who may call to complain, were only given these free numbers by 6 businesses.

Information from regulator Ofcom shows that various number prefixes are charged at different rates to callers.  For example, 0845 numbers are typically charged at between 1p and 11.5p per minute, depending on the time of day for landline customers.  Some BT customers can avoid these fees by making calls at certain times of day.  Calls from mobile phones to 0845 numbers generally cost between 20p and 41p per minute.

Which? found that 20 companies made their customers call 0845 numbers to complain about bad service or problems with their bills.  However, new customers were invited by many firms to call 0800 numbers which are free from landline telephones, but not from all mobile phones.  

According to Richard Lloyd, executive director of Which, it is unbelievable that companies would add insult to injury by charging their customers a premium to make a complaint.  It is even worse when they offer new customers access to 0800 numbers while leaving loyal customers to pay more.