Free Switchboards - 0844 number

[stackoverflow]

OK, surely these are too good to be true?
You get an 0844 number, loads of services, such as call waiting, messaging and there's no cost to you (unless routing to a mobile) and the caller is charged 4.2p/minute

Can someone do me a favour and tell me why this isn't a good thing. Any other providers/competitors?

I do freelancing work a lot and always not by the phone. I do print my mob on the card but thought a 0844 is more pro.

http://www.switchboardfree.co.uk/questions.asp?rid=1#1

 

[ScotComp]

I hate 0844 numbers, don't understand why SME's are using them when it charges their customers to phone them.

Better off with an 0808 or 0800 or a local geographical number.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Depend on your business, but geographical is possibly the best.

How much does it cost to call an 0844 (or 0800) from a mobile phone?

 

[Igneous D]

It is roughly 20p per minute from most networks - and they are never included in your "bundle" of minutes!

 

[KM-Tiger]

They are not free, they are paid for by mugs who dial 0844 numbers. Yet another testament to the uselessness of OFCOM.

 

[cjd]

Can someone do me a favour and tell me why this isn't a good thing. Any other providers/competitors?

This is why 08xx numbers are a bad idea

1. Consumers know what 01 & 02 numbers (geographic numbers) are and believe them to be the cheapest number to call
2. 64% of consumers know that 0800 are free to call
3. Consumers think there is little difference in cost of calling 0844, 0845, 0870, 0871
4. Consumers always overestimate how much all types of calls cost.
5. Consumers are less likely to call numbers that they perceive to be more expensive to call and/or are unfamiliar to them.
6. 65%-78% of consumers either won’t call, are unlikely to call, telephone numbers used in adverts - even for products they are interested in - if they use these numbers: 0845 (65%), mobile (70%), 0870 (73%), 0844 (76%), 0871 (78%).
Source: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/cond...view/research/

This is how we do it:

https://www.voipfone.co.uk/Call_Forwarding_And_Divert.php
(read both pages)

 

[Igneous D]

wow - pretty crazy. I just had a look and calling an 0871 number from my mobile costs a £1!!!

Be warned - oh and look on saynoto0870

 

[serasan]

0845 0844 put people off phoning you.

I use an 0800 and mobile number for sales and also online booking

My 0800 goes to a call centre, nomissedcalls.co.uk Highly recommend.

My inquiries are all internet lead and are equally split to call centre, mobile and online booking.

I then use 0844 for customer services and incoming sales calls