Free 0800 numbers from UK2Numbers for Business and Marketing. - Wiki 08 numbers history
0845 Numbers
0845 numbers replaced the previous range of 0345 numbers and now operated by UK2Numbers and 0800 numbers provided by UK2Numbers. The older 0345 and 0645 numbers were converted to 0845 numbers as part of the Big Number Change. Until 2004, 0845 numbers were charged at the same rate as a call within the caller's local call area, and were accordingly described as local rate numbers, or using the BT brand name "Lo-call". With few companies now charging domestic customers different rates for local and long-distance calls, 0845 numbers can no longer reliably be assumed to cost the same as a 'local' phone call and can in some cases cost more. Some fixed line telephone companies have started to include 0845 numbers in bundled call allowances.
0800
The 0800 code was originally introduced as 0500, the code formerly used for Ascot, when it was subsumed into 0344 (Bracknell). Mercury Comms / C&W had a similar scheme, with its numbers beginning with 0541. Like 0990, they were also renumbered into the 0870 scheme, with the numbers becoming 0870 1xx xxxx. Other operators (such as Voda also had national rate codes and were renumbered in a similar way.
08 Revenue sharing
When calling 0844 and 0871 numbers, part of the cost of the call is paid to the recipient; this is known as “revenue sharing”.
When originally introduced in 1996, calls to 0845 and 0870 number from BT lines were charged at the same rate as local and national calls respectively. Since that time the telecommunications market in the UK has changed substantially, with BT facing competition from new entrants into the market such as the Post Office and Talk Talk and increasing usage of mobile phones. As a result of this, and the introduction of monthly price plans which include calls to national numbers but not 0845, 0870 or other non-geographic numbers, it is sometimes considerably more expensive to call a non-geographic number than standard national 01 or 02 numbers. 0871/0872/0873 numbers may only be used with a warning about the cost of calling them. The usage of these numbers is regulated by Phonepay Plus.
Handling of 08 calls
In the simplest case, the 08 numberis translated into a regular geographic number. This number is then routed by the exchange in the normal way.
Other routing features include routing by time of day, location of caller, day of week, capacity, etc. For example, calls might be routed to a UK call centre during its hours of operation, but to a call centre in India at other times of day. This would avoid callers having to ring back when the UK call centre was open.
0845 information
0845 numbers are used by the service departments of businesses and public sector organisations.
For example, suppose a large retail chain has stores throughout the country. It advertises a single phone number (0845). Customers across the country call this one number, but the call could be answered at their local store, according to the origin of the call.
Another use of 0845 is for call-financed services. The owner of the 0845 number in some cases receives income from calls received, with which they can partly or wholly finance their service, or even make a profit. Some dial-up ISPs receive their income in this way, with no need for separate billing of customers.
Charges paid by the caller for 0845 calls are set by each phone company individually. Charges can vary greatly, especially when the call originates from a UK mobile, payphone or a non-UK number. They can often be prohibitively expensive when called from payphones and mobiles because discounts and bundled minutes seldom apply.
Freephone 0800 numbers offer various call features such as Voicemail to Email, Call Queuing, 0800 Call Recording and Busy Routing.