Premium Rate and Non-Geographic Phone Numbers

Premium Rate Phone Services

Premium rate numbers beginning 09XX are used for premium rate services charged to the caller's telephone bill, which provide content, products or services.

Such services include phone competitions, charity fundraising lines, mobile phone entertainment content such as ringtones, wallpaper and videos, technical support helplines, TV program votelines and interactive TV games, information lines such as horoscopes and sports results.

Price Points

Premium rate lines can run at various tariffs accommodating a variety of price points for products and services. The charges incurred by the caller are charged to their phone bill with the Networks returning a portion of the charge to X-on and subsequently to the service provider.

Non-Geographic Phone Numbers

Non-Geographic Numbers (NGN) are not considered premium rate numbers, but are instead used to convey a company national presence as the numbers are not tied to any geographic region. The cost to the caller of calling a non-geographic number varies, dependant on the number used, and the charges can be used to offset the cost of the number itself and any services associated with the number, such as call management and virtual PBX. In some cases calls to the number can generate revenue, dependant on the costs of any associated services.

Unlike premium rate numbers, non-geographic numbers can be dialled from all landlines and mobiles, not being excluded in some plans.

0844 Lo-Call Numbers

0844 Lo-Call Numbers cost callers to your service 5p per minute including VAT at any time. If calls to your service terminate to UK landlines, the revenue from the number will cover the cost of the outbound call.

0844 numbers are ideal for organizations such as Utilities and Health Authorities where a low flat cost is considered acceptable to the consumer.

0844 numbers can be dialled from the UK and some European countries. Where international calls are likely an +44870 number should be considered.

0871 Flat Rate National Numbers

0871 Flat Rate numbers are charged to the caller at 10p per minute including VAT at any time. Slightly more than a BT National Rate call, some of the revenue from the call will cover the cost of the outbound call with the balance available to you as revenue or to offset any charges for associated with the number, such as call management and virtual PBX.

Revenues will depend on the number of calls to your service as costs are usually tiered, reducing with increasing traffic. Experience has demonstrated that customers are as likely to dial an 0871 number as any other 08 or national rate number.

0871 numbers can be dialled from the UK and some European countries. Where international calls are likely an +44870 number should be considered.

0870 Internationally Accessible UK National Rate Number

0870 non-geographic numbers are useful if you anticipate international calls from outside the UK. Internationally the UK national prefix +44 needs to be included (+44870) with the call charges dependant on the call's country of origin.

With the prospective 2008 Ofcom changes revenue sharing is to be phased out on 0870 numbers. Within the UK, Ofcom suggests 0870 numbers will be charged the same or less than national rate calls to geographic numbers (01 or 02 numbers). A free-to-caller price announcement will need to be at the beginning of the call for anyone wishing to charge more for 0870 calls.

0845 Local Rate Numbers

0845 numbers provide your business a national identity with the caller being charged at the local call rate. A national number provides portability as the customer contact number can remain the same if your business premises change.

0800 Freephone Numbers

0800 numbers are free to the caller and can consequently provide a cost effective route to increased sales. Customers perceive a Freephone number favourably and as a measure of business confidence in their products or services. The incoming call charge on 080 numbers starts at 4p per minute with reductions dependant on call volumes.