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Ofcom opens investigation into the cost of 118 calls
Ofcom opens investigation into the cost of 118 calls
This is a duplicate of the Blog Entry made on: 15th May 2017 13:54
This is a duplicate of the Blog Entry made on: 15th May 2017 13:54
An investigation into the soaring costs of certain telephone service numbers has been launched by Ofcom.
The regulator will examine directory enquiries numbers, which begin with 118, after some providers were found to be charging up to £10.50 a call. It will also look at 070 numbers, which allow users to be contacted on any phone at any location, and can cost up to £3.40 a minute. The telecoms regulator said prices should be "transparent and fair". Ofcom, which raised its concerns last week, said there were now more than 400 directory enquiry services offering a variety of options and prices, with call costs ranging from 35p per call to £10.50. However, there is no stipulated cap on such charges, meaning operators are free to charge up to a maximum of £23.97 for calls of less than a minute. "Ofcom has been monitoring the costs of the more expensive services, which have risen significantly in recent months as fewer people use these services," it said. Citizens Advice has said the current system leaves elderly people particularly vulnerable to high call charges.
Read more here
The regulator will examine directory enquiries numbers, which begin with 118, after some providers were found to be charging up to £10.50 a call. It will also look at 070 numbers, which allow users to be contacted on any phone at any location, and can cost up to £3.40 a minute. The telecoms regulator said prices should be "transparent and fair". Ofcom, which raised its concerns last week, said there were now more than 400 directory enquiry services offering a variety of options and prices, with call costs ranging from 35p per call to £10.50. However, there is no stipulated cap on such charges, meaning operators are free to charge up to a maximum of £23.97 for calls of less than a minute. "Ofcom has been monitoring the costs of the more expensive services, which have risen significantly in recent months as fewer people use these services," it said. Citizens Advice has said the current system leaves elderly people particularly vulnerable to high call charges.
Read more here