Telephone Numbering Changes

Proposed Changes

0870

Restore geographic call charges for 0870
As of January 2008, revenue sharing on 0870 numbers will cease. Calls to 0870 numbers will cost the same as calls to national-rate geographic numbers, whether made from a fixed line, mobile, or payphone. Businesses that wish to charge higher rates must provide a free-to-caller pre-announcement informing the caller of the cost of the call.

0844/0845

No change for 0844 / 0845
No changes have been made to the 0844/0845 number ranges. Revenue sharing will continue. Within two years OFCOM plans to review regulation for 0845 calls.

0871

Extend premium-rate regulation to 0871
Although premium-rate regulation will be extended to include 0871 numbers, making ICSTIS responsible for this number range, the degree of regulation will not be the same as premium rate 09 numbers. 0871 numbers are available in various price points ranging from 6p-10p per minute, and revenue-sharing will continue to be permitted. ICSTIS are currently consulting on the future of 0871 regulation. Until its conclusions are publicised it is difficult to be specific about how new 0871 regulation will impact UK businesses.

Issues under review include:

Disproportionate regulation of call centre waiting times should the “undue delay” provisions applicable to 09 services be applied to 0871.
Restricted international access. Many organisations already treat 0871 as premium rateand therefore include it in PBX/call barring tables.

New 03 range for business, public services and voluntary bodies
A new 03 range is being introduced for companies who want a “national presence” without customers having to pay additional charges for contacting them. In particular it is believed that public service organisations will feel it more appropriate to use the 03 range in preference to charged-for 08 numbers.

Range characteristics:

Calls to an 03 number will cost no more than a national call to a geographic number.
Revenue-sharing is not permitted.
The new range can be widely called from abroad.

07 to become a mobile only range
In the longer term, OFCOM will end use of 0700 for personal numbering with the intention of making the 07 range a mobile-only range. 070 numbers will no longer be available for allocation as personal numbers after July 2009. A new 06 number range has been reserved for "individual allocation". It will be released by the end of 2007 if OFCOM is convinced that sufficient personal numbering business exists.