Access and Service Charges

[#1]

I've just read up on the website about the new accesscharge that Plus Net are adding to the service charges of the organisations you call, on the 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers fro the 1st July!
Absolutely disgusted with it because it means we have to pay more for the calls we make  >:(!

"How it will work from 1st July 2015
From 1st July 2015, the cost of calling any of these numbers will be made up of two parts:
Access Charge
This is the part of the call Plusnet charges you for, charged as pence per minute. The Plusnet access charge will be 9.58p per minute. This charge will only be applied to calls made to 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers.
Service Charge
This is the remainder of the call charge. The organisation you are calling decides the service charge and must communicate it. For example, if the service charge was 20p per minute, the organisation you are calling might say "Calls cost 20p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge". Plusnet will publish the list of industry agreed service charges on our website from 1st July 2015.
By adding together the access charge and the service charge, you'll know exactly what the call will cost you.
Here’s an example:
Our access charge is 9.58p per minute. Let’s say the service charge for a particular number you want to call is 20p per minute. In that case, you would see information like this:
“Calls cost 20p per minute plus your phone company's access charge.”
In this particular example, the call would cost 20p per minute (the service charge), plus 9.58p per minute (the access charge). So the call would cost you 29.58p per minute.
If the call lasted for 2 minutes, the charge for the call would be 59.16p
Your call charges will be rounded up to the nearest whole penny on your itemised bill, just as they are today."
As my landlord is a company that uses 084 numbers to get through to any of their departments, will cost me a lot of money because I use Next Generation Text Service (NGTS) which is a text relay assistant and that will take longer during a call.

[#2]

This is an OFCOM decision and shouldn't change the total you pay - the idea is that it just splits the existing charge in two to show how much the person who owns the number is making

[#3]

Quote from: Spooooky

I've just read up on the website about the new accesscharge that Plus Net are adding to the service charges of the organisations you call, on the 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers fro the 1st July! Absolutely disgusted with it because it means we have to pay more for the calls we make  >:(!

That seems like a bit of an over reaction.  The new rules simply make clearer how much of the call cost goes to the phone provider and how much goes to the called party.  It makes it necessary for the phone provider to be clear how much they are charging for the access part of the service.  See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32877289
Also you've omitted the good part of the changes - 0800, 0808 and 116 number now have to be free no matter which access provider you use - land line or mobile.

[#4]

Quote from: Townman

That seems like a bit of an over reaction.

Actually I don't think it is an over reaction because ...... (read on)
As for Premium phone costs 'will fall on bill changes'  ........really, no they won't on all providers
Plusnet announced in March (something I didn't spot then but was aware that changes were coming) that such changes would be coming, and so far have not told us what these "access charges" from the 1st of July are going to be.
My PAYG mobile provider - EE/Orange has told me that for 084 numbers the Access Charge will be 40p per minute 
then there's the normal called party charge on top, certainly NOT cheaper than at present
As Plusnet have so far failed to tell use what the charges are going to be (it's now 12th June), I will certainly refuse to pay any additional charges from July 1st and also from any subsequent date that is less than 30days from when/if I receive a formal notification of these charges, and depending on the charges, will be considering which phone service provider I will use in future.

[#5]

this is the actual statement https://www.plus.net/ukcalling/

[#6]

I recieved an email from Plusnet advising the change, it included a link: https://www.plus.net/ukcalling/ and the Access charge is on that page:

Quote

Access Charge This is the part of the call Plusnet charges you for, charged as pence per minute. The Plusnet access charge will be 9.58p per minute. This charge will only be applied to calls made to 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers.

[#7]

I thought it meant the current unified charge for a relevant call was being split into it's two component parts for clarity.
Maybe I read it wrong.

[#8]

http://media.ofcom.org.uk/news/2015/phone-charges-made-simpler/
also
http://www.ukcalling.info//whats-happening

[#9]

I received the email as well but it was tacked on the bottom of the advance notice of the direct debit payment
This was the heading
"Information on call charges & advance notice of your Direct Debit payment"

[#10]

it's still excessive though!
Not a lot of us have a good wage and it's not good for older people either.
It just stinks that we have to pay charges on top of what businesses charge to call THEIR numbers!
No wonder I prefer to contact via email rather than use NGTS.....

[#11]

I don't think the charges for these calls are being increased by Plusnet, there has always been a component of the charge going to the number's service provider and a proportion going to your telephone company - the changes just make 'who gets what' clear.
Charges for 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers have always been arguably 'excessive'.

[#12]

I use 0845 numbers to make calls to overseas mobile numbers, these are not included in my plan (anytime international 300).
I currently pay a 15p connection fee (to PN), then 5p/minute to call provider.
So a 10min call costs 15p + 50p=65p.
With the new charges:
PN will charge 9.58p/minute and the call provider 5p/minute, a 10min call will now cost £1:45!
The 0845 number I use is not included in my plan 
Once more, government regulations screwing the "little guy"

[#13]

If you are not being charged by more than 5p a minute by Plusnet for that particular 0845 number at present, that could be pure luck due to an error in PN's billing system -
And as far as inclusive minutes go

Quote

Non-geographical numbers (0845 & 0870) (Calling cards, indirect access and dial-up Internet numbers are excluded)

also

Quote

Customers who took phone before 10th June 2014 and have not changed product are charged 9.58p for calls to 01, 02, 03 numbers, Lo-call (0845) numbers, and National (0870) numbers.

otherwise it's currently 9ppm (that's what seems to change to 9.58ppm from July 1st, so a small increase for some in line with everyone else)
But we are supposedly being assured that the overall cost of an 0845 call will not change on July 1st.
Which country's mobile are you calling, is that 0845 the cheapest way anyway? Other (indirect access) services are available.

[#14]

Actually, my mistake, it's an 0844 number that is a g28.
And yes, PN have always charged 15p connection, then 5p/minute.
Maybe I'm confused about what the new charges will be?
The only thing I found "difficult" about knowing how much the call should cost was:
The advertised cost on the call2call website is based on BT pricing, you have to find out the call tariff (in this case g28), then look up the charges on PN tariff guide.
So, I'm not sure if I will he charged differently from July 1st?

[#15]

Oh, and I make calls to mobile numbers in Ireland.
I have looked at many access numbers on different websites, the prices advertised on the website are based on BT pricing, so you have to first find out the tariff of the number, then find the PN charges, 5p/minute is the best I found so far.
If you can tell me another way if doing it (especially after July 1st) I'd appreciate it.