WINDSOR TELECOM GUIDE TO UK PHONE NUMBER RANGES

Transcription

1 01& WINDSOR TELECOM GUIDE TO UK PHONE NUMBER RANGES

2 Guide to UK Phone Number Ranges - Contents Introduction Ofcom overview History of Telecoms The evolution of UK phone number ranges Area Codes Prefixes 0800 & non-geographic Freephone 0870 & UK Phone Number Ranges Baffled by the Numbers Local Phone Numbers 01/02 Numbers UK Wide Numbers 033/030 Numbers Freephone Numbers Numbers Business Numbers 0845 Business Numbers 0843/0844 Revenue Numbers Numbers 0500 numbers The Future? Cloud Technology Windsor Telecom App Competitors Why use Windsor?

3 Introduction This guide has been put together by the specialists at Windsor Telecom to help UK organisations choose the perfect phone number for their business needs. This informative guide will help to explain how the number ranges in the UK have developed; as well as clarifying:» the different types of business numbers» their individual uses» benefits to an organisation We will review how the market has advanced, and continues to do so, looking into new technology, features and services that are used within businesses and organisations in the UK. The true benefit of business phone numbers can sometimes be overlooked, and so we aim to show you within this guide how numbers can:» be an effective marketing tool» improve the level of service you provide» offset the cost of your call centre or marketing spend &

4 Ofcom Overview At present, all telephone numbers within the UK are allocated and managed by the communications regulator Ofcom (Office of Communications). Ofcom has a considerable influence and power across the industry; monitoring fixed line telecoms and mobiles, as well as the postal services, airwaves, TV and radio. Its aim is to represent the UK public, ensuring consumers have access to a competitive market as well as protecting them from harmful or unsuitable content. In terms of telecoms, Ofcom enforces rules and conditions in which companies must follow, including ensuring competition is rife, monitoring phone numbers and making sure the standards they set are adhered to. It not only resolves issues for consumers but also those that arise between providers. It was in 1982 that the Government initially proposed setting up a body that could regulate the industry, and when the Telecommunications Bill was passed in 1984 the official regulator Oftel was set up. The subsequent years saw Oftel grow in stature publishing documents and reports to regulate and offer advice to companies within the communications market to improve competition, transparency and customer experience. It was in 1990 that the regulator first took action against a company; on this incident it was due to delays by TV corporations in building their networks and it helped to establish their influence and importance upon the industry. It was in 2001, that the creation of Ofcom was officially announced in the Queen s speech as a new regulating body which would replace and restructure the existing authorities to create a unified regulator. Two years later Ofcom was launched inheriting the duties of its predecessors. Today Ofcom s main legal duties are to ensure:» The UK has a wide range of electronic communications services, including high-speed services such as broadband» A wide range of high-quality television & radio programmes are provided, appealing to a range of tastes & interests» Television and radio services are provided by a range of different organisations» People who watch television and listen to the radio are protected from harmful or offensive material» People are protected from being treated unfairly in TV & radio programmes, and from having their privacy invaded» A universal postal service is provided in the UK this means that six days a week, a universally priced delivery & collection service operates across the country» The radio spectrum (the airwaves used by everyone from taxi firms and boat owners, to mobile-phone companies & broadcasters) is used in the most effective way. 2.

5 History of Telecoms Many of us don t give a second s thought to the ability to be able to make a phone call. We often take for granted the ease of being able to contact relatives, friends or colleagues anywhere in the world, at any time. The telephone revolutionised how we communicate; improving not only our way of life but it also helped to advance other industries. We have many inventors to thank for the telephone, and the machine we use today is due to an accumulation of work and experiments undertaken by many individuals over the past two centuries. It was Alexander Graham Bell who first introduced the telephone in the nineteenth century and it is he whom has been credited as being the first person to speak over the telephone to his assistant (Watson) on 10th March in In 1874, Bell began working on the harmonic telegraph. He started to look into the importance of sound waves when trialling a pen-like mechanism called the phonoautograph. This machine would draw sound waves into shapes on a smoked glass by following their vibrations and from this Bell started to realise the potential in getting electrical currents to correspond to sound waves, and how these currents could then be converted into sounds. Alexander Graham Bell At the time the importance and popularity of telegraph messages was rapidly increasing, along with the frequency of messages being sent. This was becoming a costly problem for the US Government who would need to meet supply in terms of new lines in order to meet demand. Instead focus was placed upon finding a way to send multiple telegraph messages on each line. It was from here that Bell began to gain financial support for his experiments, after informing potential investors of the work he was conducting. In the next two years Bell continued to experiment with sound transmitters and receivers, until in 1876 when he made the first phone call recorded in history shouting out Watson, come here! I want to see you! Alexander Graham Bell's telephone patent drawing, March 7,

6 Over the next couple of decades the telephone and network system developed further and were integrated within homes and businesses across the UK. In the beginning the telephone system and services were provided by either private companies or local councils. But by 1912 the Post Office had become the monopoly supplier, owning the majority of the UK s telephone services and creating a unified telephone system for the first time. Again the telephone and its influence continued to grow as it became more of a commonplace object and a way of life. In 1980 the UK Government made the decision to realign the Post Office separating out the postal operations and telephone services; and from here British Telecommunications (most commonly known today as British Telecom or BT) was born. Initially the Post Office continued to control British Telecom (but under a separate budget), and it wasn t until 1984 that the UK telephone service became an entirely private entity. With BT now being privatised, the Government had limited financial control or holding in the company but it was expected to follow guidelines set out by the governing body Oftel. The legislation which was introduced in 1984 also aimed to stop BT being a monopoly and allow competition within the market. However BT and Mercury Communications remained a duopoly within the marketplace until 1991 when the Government introduced a White Paper to open up the sector further. Over the next few years further licences were granted allowing other companies (such as Windsor Telecom) to offer their services. This is believed to be the first sketch of Alexander Graham Bell's telephone system. 4.

7 The evolution of UK phone number ranges Area Codes Area codes are the prefix of a telephone number which is assigned to a specific geographic area within the UK. Originally area codes were established to allow telephone users to dial another phone directly, rather than be transferred via an operator. Since their introduction in 1958, area codes have continually changed and developed to cater for new technology and an ever-growing population. Different types of phone numbers also started to develop, including:» The introduction of mobile» Non-geographic (numbers which are not assigned to a specific geographic location)» Premium rate numbers This was due to the limitations of area codes in the 1990s, which were depleting because of high costs and the sheer amount of codes available making it difficult for consumers to remember each particular area s code. What s more with an ever increasing population the demand for phone numbers were increasing, and similar to today there were fears of potential number shortages. The resolution was to make changes to the UK numbering plan, splitting out regions and adding more area codes to cater for the deficit. The code associated to each area within the UK continues to change even to the present day. Ofcom have only just recently announced plans that require a change to how we dial local numbers to guarantee their future supply. Instead of just dialling a phone number, a homeowner will have to include the local code in order to be connected. The scheme has already been tested in one part of the UK (Bournemouth) where it was implemented successfully, and there are plans for it to be rolled out in five further areas by October Prefixes The history of the prefixes we know today is complex, with the majority of the commonly used phone number prefixes being introduced over the past 30 years. Here we outline how some of the most recognised business numbers came about & non-geographic In 1985, 0800 numbers were introduced as non-geographic numbers, allowing them to not be assigned to a specific geographical area, but rather a country. Non geographic phone numbers continue to help improve a local business presence nationally as they can reach more customers. 5.

8 Freephone 0800 numbers were also commonly known as Freephone numbers. The unique selling point of these numbers was the fact that they were free to call and could provide an organisation with a distinct edge over their competition. Initially, it was only BT who only had the rights to sell Freephone numbers. In 1997, BT and Cable & Wireless lost their duopoly of the sector and the market opened up. This meant that other companies like Windsor Telecom could compete within this growing market, offering phone numbers that were not fixed or tied to a particular landline or mobile. As 0800 numbers became well established, two other ranges were launched next including: 0870 and 0845 numbers & became a 'National Rate' number range with a fixed cost of 6.73p per minute to call during the day and 3.36p per minute on evenings and weekends. This was at the time the normal rate to make a national call was more of a competitive product, whereby the cost of the call was shared between the caller and the business. The customer would pay no more than their local rate to make a phone call and the owner of the number subsidised the balance of the call. These numbers to this day are renowned for their memorable abilities allowing customers to recall your business number with ease. 03 In 2007, OFCOM announced plans to launch a new 03 number range. This was to be the first number range charged at a standard geographic rate. These new set of numbers had no revenue sharing capabilities and were designed to cost no more than calling an 01/02 number; regardless of whether users were calling from a landline or mobile phone. 6.

9 UK Phone Number Ranges Baffled by the Numbers With such an array of numbers now available, as a consumer or a business it can be difficult as well as confusing to know not only the difference between them but also how much they can cost. Here we provide you with a full list of all the number ranges that are currently available in the UK, along with a guide to how much these numbers could cost your customers to call. We look at both mobiles and landlines but these are only guidelines on costs, and we recommend you check with your individual provider as there are a number of other factors which can affect the call rate. 01 & 02 Local Phone Numbers 01/02 Numbers These numbers are also known as geographic numbers as they relate to specific area codes across the UK. Local phone numbers are used by both business and residential customers. Windsor Telecom s 01&02 number ranges are hosted in the cloud and are not fixed to any location. This is a great option for businesses looking to expand but don't want to pay all the costs associated with opening a new office. Another major benefit over normal landlines is the abilty to add call handling features such Menus, Call Statistics and Voic to , not available on BT 01/02 landlines. So, how much do they cost? When calling from a landline these numbers are typically included within your monthly call package, however if not you will be charged at around 2-10p a minute for the call. Most BT customers pay 4p per minute, capped at 15p for an hour. Again, these numbers will usually be included within your mobile minutes unless you have used up your allowance and then the cost will vary depending on your call plan - but they could cost you up to 40p a minute. 7.

10 UK Wide Numbers 033/030 Numbers Freephone Numbers Numbers At Windsor Telecom we were the first company to launch 03 numbers. 030 numbers can only be used by non-profit organisations, local governments, councils and charities. Numbers prefixed by 080 are free to call from a UK landline. These numbers can help to increase sales and enquiries and have been proven to improve response rates by up to 185%! 033 numbers are cheap to call and are used by many professional corporations such as MoneySupermarket.com. A lot of companies use this set of numbers for their customer service or donation lines including: Sainsbury s, Oxfam and the RSPCA. 03 numbers are highly trusted by the public, due to their low costs no matter whether they are calling from a landline or mobile. So, how much do they cost? Calls to 03 numbers are usually included within bundled landline and mobile minute deals, making them free to call. If not, the cost from a landline is generally 2-10p. Most BT customers pay 4p per minute, capped at 15p for an hour and from a mobile the cost can fluctuate from 10p-40p. So, how much do they cost? 0800 numbers are free to call from landlines, however from mobiles calling one of these can cost up to 31p a minute. Depending on your operator sometimes these numbers are included within your bundled inclusive minutes, but you will need to check with your individual provider for clarity. It is important to note when calling one of these numbers from a mobile there should be a voice message informing you the call will cost you, although the message does not have to tell you how much it will cost. It is therefore best to find out from your service provider beforehand the cost of calling these numbers before being hit with a gigantic phone bill. Ofcom have been looking to make these numbers free to call no matter whether you are calling from a mobile or landline. It has been confirmed that these changes will be made and be in place from June

11 Business Numbers 0845 Business Numbers 0843/0844 Numbers that start with 0845 are widely used by thousands of businesses across the country including: Marks and Spencer, John Lewis and Direct Line. Both 0844 and 0843 numbers are also known as revenue numbers as the business earns money for every inbound call they receive. So, how much do they cost? They can be free to call from a landline, but again a common theme with these numbers is that it depends on the provider you are with. Usually calls to 0845 numbers from a landline will be included within your call package, unless the call lasts over an hour and then it can range from p per minute. These again can be costly from a mobile costing up to 41p a minute for the call. Most BT business customers pay 2.55p per minute daytime and 0.85p evening and weekends numbers are cheap to set up and maintain, which is why they are often used by small businesses and tradespeople. They also provide you with the opportunity to typically earn up to 1p per minute for every inbound call that is received numbers are popular with call centres and businesses that provide customers with an after sales service, as 1p can be earned for every minute of the call. With car insurance providers including; Asda, Tesco and ecar all using 0843 numbers for their contact phone numbers. So, how much do they cost? Most BT residential customers pay nothing for the first hour and then 4p per minute thereafter. Unfortunately neither of these numbers are included within phone packages no matter if you are calling from a mobile or landline. The cost can be anything from 1p to 13p from a landline, whereas from a mobile it can cost up to 41ppm and 0844 numbers are available at different call charge price points. For example, an number will cost 5p per minute to call from a BT landline and an number will cost 1p per minute from a BT landline. 9.

12 0871, 0500 & 0700 Revenue Numbers numbers Along with 0844 and 0843 numbers, 0871 numbers also present businesses with the opportunity to earn up to 4p for every call they receive. At Windsor Telecom, we have a range of customers who have decided upon this number range for their business due to the revenue sharing capabilities as well as other extra benefits. Some of the companies that use 0871 numbers from Windsor Telecom include: JCB and Parking Eye. So, how much do they cost? Once again due to the revenue sharing capabilities of these numbers they are not included within any call packages. Costs will vary depending on where you are calling from, with landlines being charged up to 12.5p per minute including a set-up fee, and mobile users being charged anything from 25-41p. The number of active 0500 numbers is currently in decline. Originally this set of phone numbers were exclusively allocated by Cable & Wireless (now known as Vodafone) but since 2001 no new number allocations have been made. These numbers have similar Freephone properties to 080 numbers and Ofcom proposes in future to consolidate this range and transfer numbers in use over to an equivalent 08 number. So, how much do they cost? Similar to 08 numbers these are free to call from landlines, but the cost from mobiles can vary from 20-40p Numbers These numbers are different from mobile numbers and have been around for over 10 years. Whilst the prefix is catchy, these set of numbers are not customer friendly as they can be expensive to call. So, how much do they cost? As we said these numbers are expensive to call, with landlines being charged up to 52p a minute (plus a set-up fee which could be as high as 51p!) and mobile phones up to 1.50! You can see why the popularity of these numbers has dwindled. 10.

13 The Future? Earlier in the year the Government announced plans to stop organisations from using numbers which may accrue high costs for their callers. This was after research highlighted how commonly these numbers were used by doctor surgeries and customer service lines. The proposal does not however cover certain business sectors or Government departments who were also ridiculed this year for using costly numbers for essential helplines. If the plan goes ahead, an organisation that has a business phone number (if they are included within the restrictions) will have to provide their customers with a number which is either an 01/02 number, a mobile number or a number which is free to call or has a similar rate to geographic numbers when calling from a mobile, or landline (for example; a 03 number). Watch this space! 11.

14 Cloud Technology A recent development to hit the communications industry is the introduction of cloud technology. This technology has allowed telecom companies to advance how they host business numbers, with numbers now being able to be accessed from the cloud similar to other cloud services such as or data backups. The cloud number works in tandem with your existing number so there are no extra costs for installation; it sits upon the number you choose and calls are directed accordingly. This means the service charges can be dropped and the cost of the number will be lower than it may have been ten years ago. Traditionally when purchasing a business number this would require a set up and extra charges along with continual maintenance in case the wiring went down. Not only is money saved, but the whole process of setting up a cloud number is far simpler than fixed landlines; there is no need to install any equipment such as a PBX box or masses of copper wire. No matter where you are, if you have an internet connection you should be able to control the functionality of your number, adding specific call handling solutions to tailor the service you offer your customers (something you wouldn t be able to do with a traditional business number). For example; if you have company representatives working from home or you have certain employees who work remotely you can set up diverts via your cloud number to ensure calls are routed through to all the required numbers and even set specific time of day working patterns. What s more with a cloud number you have an instant disaster recovery feature included, meaning if your landline does go down you can seamlessly change where your calls are being routed through to. For a business this is a very convenient feature that will ensure a call is never missed. If you move or decide you would like to use a different target number this is extremely easy and straightforward to do with a cloud number. Cloud numbers provide organisations with the flexibility that is required in the current business climate allowing them to adapt, access and update their solutions which traditionally they wouldn t have been able to do with a fixed landline unless hardware was updated. At Windsor Telecom, our cloud numbers are used by a range of organisations in the UK to help improve their business. 12.

15 Free Windsor Telecom App With technology continually evolving, the telecoms industry is always adapting to new and advanced ways to enhance the services provided. That s why here at Windsor Telecom we have recently introduced an exclusive MyWindsor app that all of our customers can download and use. MyWindsor is part of the call package we provide our customers no matter what level of service they use. The system itself is fundamental in providing them with important data and real time analysis to manage, edit and enhance their call package settings online to improve the level of service they offer. The advancement of this tool is ongoing (as we can see with the introduction of the app) ensuring we are always up to date with current developments that may affect the industry. The app allows customers to access the vital data that the MyWindsor portal offers via their mobile. It offers complete control over inbound calls. At the touch of a button customers can change where calls made to Windsor (01, 02, 03 or 08) phone numbers are recieved. Set up and amend call plans e.g. where calls route during office hours and out of hours. View call statistics, missed and engaged calls. Great for managing calls whilst on the move, or for emergency call diverts in a Disaster Recovery situation. You can also listen to voic s and view received faxes on the move. For all our UK customers the app is now available to download. If you are interested in what MyWindsor and the new app can offer then please contact a member of the Windsor Telecom team who will be able to give you an online tour and advise you on what the system has to offer. 13.

16 Competitors The telecoms market is now dynamic and diverse; with barriers to entry removed the industry has opened up allowing companies to compete fairly. Many offer different call packages and solutions benefitting consumers who now have a wide range of options to choose from. Competitors include: BT Gamma TTNC 08direct 0800numbershop / 03numbershop Telecoms World plc Alpha Talk Planet Numbers Direct Numbers KCOM ereceptionist City Numbers Daisy Group Why use Windsor Telecom? At Windsor Telecom, we are extremely proud of how we have grown over the past the 14 years, which has helped us to achieve our position at the forefront of the UK telecoms market. The introduction of 0845 numbers saw Windsor Telecom really take off, and in 2000 our breakthrough came when we negotiated a deal to supply 0845 numbers with no call charges. This meant that instead of our customers paying a variable charge depending on the length of all their inbound calls, we were able to charge our customers a fixed charge (of c. 200) per annum. This opportunity helped us to establish a solid and loyal customer base of small, medium and corporate businesses; and to this day our customer base continues to grow as we put our clients at the heart of everything we do. We work with a diverse variety of clients due to our ability to tailor and offer bespoke services to suit individual company requirements. We supply memorable phone numbers and call handling to these well known clients. We are able to work with and meet the needs of any business, and this strength sets us apart from the rest of the competition within the market. It is not only our client list which has grown since we started back in 1999, but also our portfolio of products. With the introduction of new business numbers within the market we have seen our catalogue grow, however we have maintained our attitude of selling the product or service best suited to the customer's needs. To find out more about ourselves, or the service and products we offer please give us a call today on to speak to one of our highly knowledgeable members of the team. Or click here to tell us how we can help and we will get in touch in due course. 14.