Making a call to a 0800 number from a mobile is something almost all people shy away from. If it comes down to really having to make such a call, it’s usually done in the swiftest manner possible to avoid huge call charges. That will soon be a thing of the past, as Ofcom will soon introduce a new ruling to make calls to 0800 numbers free from mobiles.
The changes will come into effect from June 26th 2015, signifying the end of costly calls to 0800, 0808, 118 and 116 numbers for mobile users. Ofcom will also be introducing caps to make calls to 09 numbers cheaper from mobiles.
Ed Richards, Chief Executive of Ofcom, said: “These changes will be the biggest for UK telephone customers in more than a decade. We expect them to restore people’s confidence in using phone services, and to increase competition.
“Freephone will mean free for all consumers, and the cost of calling other services will be made clear. Telephone users will be able to see how much they’re paying, and where their money is going.”
As part of the new ruling, mobile phone networks will be required to break down call charges into access charges and service charges on monthly bills. This makes it easy for the customer to understand where their call charges are going by splitting the cost of calling the number itself from the cost of making the call, which is taken by the mobile network.
Finally, Ofcom hopes that it can persuade companies which currently use 08 numbers to make the switch to 03, which is effectively a geographic number just like our current 01 and 02 numbers. Overall it’s a big win for mobile phone users and indeed, one of the most radical changes to call costs in the UK for a very long time.