Archive | 2016

Tip of the Week (The Sunday Tribune)

The Sunday Tribune

Sunday August 18th, 2008

Eddie Lennon

Tip of the Week

Phone users are being ripped off when they make calls to government departments and large companies via 1850, 1890 and 0818 numbers. While mobile users who pay by bill have a block of “free” minutes credited to their phone each month, these minutes include standard land line and mobile numbers, but usually not other numbers.

Dialling these numbers can cost up to 49c per minute when calling from a mobile, and up to 8c a minute from a land line. Last week, the consumer awareness website ValueIreland.com published a useful list of land line numbers which you can contact as a cheaper alternative to the more expensive numbers. The list is available at www.SayNoTo1890.com.

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September 2016 – 45 Numbers updated on SayNoTo1890.com

This evening I have made updates to the website whereby upwards on 45 numbers have been updated. There are about 20 new numbers added, while 25 number updates / clarifications have been made.

Please note that there are about another 50 updates pending, and once I confirm the numbers involved, I’ll get those numbers up on the site also.

To everyone who has contacted the site providing updates, feedback, corrections and new geographic alternative numbers, many many thanks. Without your help and assistance, the website wouldn’t be the great resource that it is.

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Government organisations refusing to provide geographic alternative numbers

Since February, I’ve been waiting for responses from 5 different government sponsored organisations to provide geographic alternative numbers for the 1890 and 076 numbers provided as contact information on their websites.

In a recent blog post, Revenue Commissioners – 1890 Numbers, I commended that organisation and a couple of government departments on their provision of alternatives very clearly on their website.

Unfortunately, not all government organisations that we fund will give us alternative numbers to allow us save money whenever we need to call them. The irony being that 2 of the organisations are supposed to assist people in financial difficulties already.

Stonewalled by organisations not providing geographic alternative numbersGeographic Alternative Rogues Gallery

So, step forward the following organisations who I contacted back in early February, and whom I’ve again contacted as of last night, requesting alternatives for numbers published on their websites:

  • Insolvency Service of Ireland
    • Information and General Enquiries 0761064200
    • Case Management Division 0761064200
    • Bankruptcy Division 0761064232
    • Regulation Division 0761064234
  • Citizens Information
    • Citizens Information Phone Service 0761074000
    • Citizens Information Website Team 0761079000

Next Steps

If I ever do get any useful responses from any of the organisations above, I’ll let you know. Don’t hold your breath, though.

Update 29/03/2016

Below are the responses received so far from the organisations contacted above. Well, 2 organisations actually responded (MABS and Citizens Information) and I only have 2 automated responses from SUSI. The RSA and PRTB didn’t respond to me at all. I guess it’ll be FOI requests for them now (my 2nd for PRTB seeking geographic alternative contact numbers).

Continue Reading →

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Revenue Commissioners – 1890 Numbers and Geographic Alternatives

Revenue Commissioners website does have a page dedicated to 1890 numbersA user of this website very kindly drew my attention to a special “Lo-Call” page on the Revenue website (Low Cost Phone Numbers).

According to the website:

Revenue provides low cost (‘LoCall’) phone numbers for some of our most popular services.

Please note that the rates charged for the use of 1890 (LoCall) numbers may vary among different service providers. It is recommended that you only ring these numbers using a landline as calls made using mobiles may be expensive.)

The page, however, while somewhat useful in explaining the potential cost to people of calling these 1890 numbers from mobiles is of limited benefit in that while it lists the main 1890 numbers (18 of them), it only provides geographic alternatives for 10 of them.

Of course, here on SayNoTo1890.com, there are actually alternatives for 17 out of the 18 numbers.

You will actually see this message on many government websites these days – informing users of the cost implications of calling 1890 numbers from mobiles. This contact page from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, for example, has the following text:

Note: Rates charged for 1890 (Lo-call) numbers may vary among different service providers

And interestingly, they provide geographic alternatives for 4 out of 4 of the 1890 numbers listed on that main contact page.

Similarly, this contact page from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation provides the following text, and gives geographic alternatives for 3 out of 3 of the 1890 numbers listed.

*Note that the rates charged for the use of 1890 (LoCall) numbers may vary among different service providers

Interestingly, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources – the one government department that could have some influence over how 1850, 1890 and 0818 numbers are treated by mobile telecoms providers – has a contact page that doesn’t provide any 1890 numbers at all. It only provides geographic alternative numbers for all sections linked on that page.

 

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Help, please! Does your mobile provider block you calling 1800 numbers?

getting help finding numbers on this websiteAs I mentioned previously in this February 2016 – noting all the Geographic Alternative Numbers Updated Across the SayNoTo1890.com website, I will be starting to provide geographic alternatives on the site from here on out for FreePhone 1800 numbers.

There are two reasons for this.

Firstly, some companies who may provide 1800 numbers may indicate to their service providers that they don’t want to facilitate people calling on that number from mobile phones because of the additional cost incurred.

Secondly, and of specific interest for this blog post, I’ve been told that certain mobile phone companies (potentially only on certain packages or contracts) are blocking their customers from calling 1800 numbers completely.

So, are you on a mobile phone plan with any of the providers here in Ireland that is blocking you from calling 1800 numbers completely? If so, please let me know the company and the package you’re on – either in the comments below, or via the Contact Page here.

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Break through all the bullshit! with 48 Months

I love this page on the 48 Months website.

Break through all the bullshit! Here at 48 we are upfront about other call charges so you don’t have to worry about hidden extras creeping up behind you. Check out our rates for calling numbers like Directory Enquiries, 1890 or 1850. You could also save yourself money with handy sites like www.saynoto1890.com.

Now, it’s worth noting that 48 Months charges the most for calls to 1890 (50c per minute), 1850 (50c per call) and 0818 (50c per minute) numbers. However, if they’re not going to amend their call charge structure, then I guess next best thing is to help people avoid the costs completely.

Break through all the bullshit! with 48 Months

 

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Help, please! – Are you blocked from accessing SayNoTo1890.com from anywhere?

getting help finding numbers on this websiteI recently discovered this comment on the AskAboutMoney.com website, indicating that a customer of TescoMobile had for a time been blocked from accessing this website via their mobile phone.

Tesco Mobile blocking access to the SayNoTo1890 website

Have you had problems accessing the website through any of your internet connections – mobile phone, tablet, or home laptop or computer? If you’ve had any issues, please use the comments below to let me know.

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New parking signs from DCC still showing incorrect LoCall 0818 information

Dublin City Council STILL incorrectly advertising 0818 numbers as LoCallA couple of weeks ago, I started documenting organisations who had websites where 1890, 1850, & 0818 numbers are being falsely advertised. Separately, back in 2013, I highlighted how Dublin City Council were incorrectly advertising 0818 numbers as LoCall on their parking meters all around Dublin.

As I highlighted at the time, this is particularly egregious since I’m assuming pretty much everyone who would be calling that number would be calling from their mobile, and would therefore be whacked with the higher call charge.

Since then, Dublin City Council have been replacing and updating their parking meters, and unfortunately, even though they’ve been made aware of the error in their description of the 0818 number, it’s still wrong.

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What are 076 numbers? What’s the cost implications of calling 076 numbers?

saynoto1890_slider_1_faqIn my recent February 2016 – confirming the Geographic Alternative Numbers Updated Across the SayNoTo1890.com website, I indicated that there would be some follow ups to the issue raised by a number of users of this website regarding 076 numbers. As one correspondent said some time ago:

I have been lately waging my own battles with some government bodies over their use of non-geographic numbers and have come across the latest scam called 076 and 0761 numbers.

I’m not sure it’s a “scam” as such, but 076 numbers are now an issue for mobile phone users in the same way as 1890, 1850 and 0818 numbers are. The costs are upwards on 30c per minute, but more particularly calls to 076 numbers are in most cases not deducted from minute bundles on mobile phone contracts. This is despite the fact that the introduction by such government departments was intended to reduce call costs for customers.

While there are a number of organisations who do provide an 076 contact number, it was likely when the Water Conservation Grant Section provided one last year that most people encountered an 076 number for the first time.

What is an 076 Number?

076 is the prefix originally by designated by COMREG for use when calling VOIP phones. VOIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol is effectively making telephone calls over the internet. You don’t have to be on the internet yourself when you’re calling a VOIP 076 number – you can call from any regular landline or mobile phone. And these days, you don’t necessarily need to be dialling an 076 number to call someone who’s using a VOIP service.

The key thing here is that given the distinction made by COMREG for the 076 numbers, mobile phone companies are using the number as a loophole (similar to 1890, 1850 and 0818 numbers) to boost their earnings.

In most cases, you’ll see companies who use 076 numbers explaining that calling such a number will cost the same as a local call. In the same way that providers of 1890 LoCall numbers will say the same thing.

The key difference here, and what’s being left out, is “from an Eir(com) landline”. That’s how costs for 1890 numbers originated, and it’s now how 076 numbers are being priced.

Mobiles Are Different (as usual)

But as we all know, similar to calling an 1890 number from your mobile, you’re most likely charged the equivalent of a mobile to mobile call. And what’s of more pain and inconvenience, in most cases, calls to 076 numbers are not deducted from your minutes bundles on your mobile phone contract.

The mobile provider 48 is the most expensive for calling an 076 number, at 50c per minute. The cheapest that I can work out is with Meteor (either Pre-Pay or Bill-Pay). In both those cases, the cost is flagged as the same as their normal minute rate, which is 15c per minute. Similarly, Vodafone Pre-Pay and Bill-Pay price plans indicates that it’s the same cost as a normal call on a mobile to call an 076 number. Neither Meteor nor Vodafone deduct 076 minutes from your free minutes bundles.

As I’m sure you’re aware, it’s not always easy to find out this information given the variety of phone packages, and phone costs, and peak and off-peak – you’d almost think that your mobile provider didn’t want you to know. In fact, there is no information anywhere for any of the Three Mobile plans on how much it is to call 076 numbers.

Finally, Tesco Mobile will charge you 30c per minute to call an 076 number – on the more expensive end of the scale. But, but, on a more positive twist, they’re the only company to deduct 076 minutes from their free minutes bundles on Pre-Pay and Bill-Pay contracts.

What to do?

Basically we need to treat 076 numbers the same as 1890, 1850 and 0818 numbers. That is, as much as possible, we need to hunt down and share geographic alternatives for 076 numbers.

But that’s easier said than done. I’ve today contacted these 4 government organisations who provide ONLY 076 numbers on their contact pages on their websites. The don’t provide any geographic alternatives, and they’re the most popular organisations for people to be contacting me here. These are:

  • Money Advice & Budgeting Service
    • MABS Helpline 0761072000
  • Insolvency Service of Ireland
    • Information and General Enquiries 0761064200
    • Case Management Division 0761064200
    • Bankruptcy Division 0761064232
    • Regulation Division 0761064234
  • Citizens Information
    • Phone Service 0761074000
    • Website Team 0761079000
  • Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI)
    • SUSI Support Desk 0761087874

So, if you have geographic alternatives for these numbers already, please let me know and I’ll update the website so others can benefit. Alternatively, if you know of other 076 numbers and other geographic alternatives, let me know and I’ll update the website.

 

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