With Ofcom's new regulations for 0870 and 0871 numbers coming into force early next year, telecoms should be at the top of any facilities manager's winter 'to do' list
by Julie Inglis
14 December 2007
Many companies, of all sizes, currently use 0870 numbers as hotlines, call-centre numbers or as direct office numbers. At the moment, 0870 and 0871 numbers are used because they offer the combined benefit of being easy to remember, with a national feel, and can earn revenue for your business.
However, this situation is set to change, and facilities managers who don't keep abreast of these developments could find themselves in an uncomfortable situation with Ofcom officials someway down the line.
What's happening?
From spring 2008, Ofcom will restore the link between 0870 and geographic calls. This means that calls to 0870 numbers must be charged at the same rate, or less than, calls to 01 or 02 numbers. The new regulations also put an end to out payments for calls to your 0870 numbers.
Instead of being revenue generating, 0870 numbers will actually begin to cost you, the business, every time a customer uses your number. In short, current 0870 numbers will begin to work like the current 0845 numbers. Ofcom has also hinted that it may withdraw 0870 numbers altogether at some point in the future.
The changes for 0871 numbers are even more dramatic and potentially expensive for businesses that use them. 0871 numbers will remain revenue generating, but will be reclassed as premium rate numbers. This usually applies to numbers that start 09, which are often used for quiz shows, competition lines and technical support service hotlines. While the rates your customers pay may not have to change immediately, you will be subject to stringent advertising practice guidelines.
Available options
If you receive low volumes of calls to your 0870 number(s) you may decide that it would cost you more to update your promotional material than you will lose on your out payments. Therefore you may wish to continue to use your 0870 number for the time being.
For companies that receive higher volumes of calls, the loss of out payments will be more significant. There are a number of options available, each dependent on your individual company requirements. The table below contains a summary of available options:
What to do now?
If your business is currently using 0870 services you will need to consider your future communication needs carefully, in order to be ready for the changeover in services scheduled for spring 2008.
There are a number of things you will need to consider should you decide to change your numbers, including; the costs of changing advertising and re-educating customers on new numbers; changing number listings in published directories; communicating number changes to customers in advance; reprinting brochures and business cards; new advertising practice guidelines for advertising premium rate numbers; and whether to pay for a new memorable number to help customers through the transition.
These are all issues that Kube Networks will be taking into account with our customers, from large corporates to smaller SMEs, to ensure they donÕt find themselves caught in the number change trap.
Julie Inglis is director at Kube Networks
Full details of the changes can be found at www.ofcom.org.uk
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