Since I’ve changed to a mobile phone contact and have Skype on my computer I’ve been paying a bit more attention to 0870 numbers and how horrid they are.
These numbers are about three times the price of a normal call, doesn’t get included in BT or mobile free minutes and the companies make a profit by keeping you on hold through them.
Money saving expert has an update saying that 0870 numbers will soon be classed as premium rate, something that I am very much looking forward to, even if it is for the fact that you aren’t allowed to pay to be in a queue on a premium rate number. You never know, NTL might answer the phone quicker.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/0870-say-no
But in the mean time there is http://www.saynoto0870.com. This site will let you find national rate and freephone numbers for 0870 numbers. Seeing as nearly everyone with a BT line gets these calls free the site is fantastic. 0800 numbers are also not normally free on a mobile so you can normally find a normal number for the freephone ones.
But the easiest thing I’ve found is to just find the overseas number. For example on the student loan website you can call a host of 0870 numbers, but just call +44 141 243 3660 for overseas users. Just remember to use 141 before it (according to the money saving expert site)
