Ofcom UK Changes

From 1st July 2015 Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, is introducing a new initiative called “UK Calling”.

This has been designed to help make call charges clearer to consumer and it brings changes in the way callers are charged for calling; Share Cost, Revenue Share and Premium Rate Number Types in the UK.

With this new initiative there are no changes applicable to businesses only using geographical tracking numbers, but the cost to the consumer of calling a service number (starting 084, 087, 09 or 118) will be made up of two clear parts:

1. An access charge: This goes to the caller’s telephone company, charged as pence per minute.

2. A service charge: This is the remainder; it includes any revenue going to the service provider (that is you, the party being called), as well as revenue going to the ‘terminating call provider’ (or TCP: the company that provides the number to you).

Ofcom requires all telecoms providers to introduce these changes. It will affect all calls from residential landlines and mobiles.

If your business or organisation is contacted on a number beginning 084, 087, 09 or 118, you must ensure that your service charge is clearly displayed wherever you advertise or promote that number. The service charge should be prominent and in close proximity to the number itself.

If you are using Calltracks 084 numbers, the service charge will be £0.06 so you will need to include the following message:

“Calls cost £0.05 per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.”

Another change happening at the same time, all Freephone numbers beginning 0800 or 0808 are being made free for consumers to call from mobile phones, just as they usually are from landlines.

If you would like to discuss these changes, please feel free to contact a member of

the Calltracks Team who will be happy to assist

.

To find out more, go to the UK Calling official website