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Call charges to 118118

w23
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Call charges to 118118

Is this correct?  (From this month's Plusnet home phone bill)

        30/04/2013 118118 12:47:17 00:02:00   £6.75
09/04/2013 118118 15:32:15 00:02:00   £6.75
09/04/2013 118118 15:30:28 00:02:00   £6.75
06/04/2013 118118 17:54:31 00:01:00   £4.79
  TOTAL:                                                   £25.04

Yes, that's £25 for 4 directory enquiry calls.
From 118118 website:
Quote
What Does it Cost to Use 118 118?
Calls to 118 118 cost 79p per call plus £1.79 per minute, (minimum 60 second charge) from most landlines. This is how BT charges for landlines, but there may be differences in how other networks charge.

By my calculation Plusnet are charging me 60% above the already expensive BT rates, have I missed something?
Angry
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127 REPLIES 127
shalom2010
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Re: Call charges to 118118

Why would anyone want to ring 118118 anyway? (Phone numbers are readily available online)
w23
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Re: Call charges to 118118

I keep telling Mrs W23 that but the amount of the charges still came as a bit of a surprise shock!
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Oldjim
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Re: Call charges to 118118

According to this http://www.bt.com/pricing/current/Call_Charges_boo/1634_d0e5.htm#1634-d0e5
Calls to 118118 are charge rate dq143 which isn't listed here http://www.plus.net/home-broadband/tariffs/
However it is listed on the BT charges http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumer/assets/downloads/BT_PhoneTariff_SpecialNos.pdf
 
Fixed Fee 258.00
Pence per minute (Inc. VAT) 179.00
Just found the BTw listing from 1 Feb 2013
dq143 (118 118, 118551)
Fixed fee 227.5 - Add VAT increases it to 273p
Price per minute 150.167 Add VAT increases it to 180.2p
So basically 118118 aren't telling the truth given the proportion of phone lines provided by BTw
w23
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Re: Call charges to 118118

But Plusnet are charging £4.79 for the first minute and £1.96 per minute (or part minute) thereafter.
BT's 'fixed fee' part of the call tariff INCLUDES the first minute:
Quote
Calls Charged by Fixed Fee and Timed Duration (where the fixed fee is the charge for the first 60 seconds of the call, or part thereof, and the duration charge applies following the first 60 seconds)

If the cost is not listed on Plusnet's tariff does anyone think it reasonable for the first minute charge to be £2.21 (over 85%) more than BT [And £2.06 (over 75%) more then BT's older (higher) charge]   Angry Angry
[EDIT] At least in searching 118.com I found this (though I'm still feeling thoroughly 'ripped off'.):
0800 118 Free / 0800 118 3733 (No charge)*
* terms and conditions apply
Call me 'w23'
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Oldjim
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Re: Call charges to 118118

I agree
Although the BTw prices aren't clear as to whether the fixed charge includes the first minute the BT retail ones are and normally Plusnet mirror the BT retail ones
This is from the BTw listing
Calls Charged by Fixed Fee and Timed Duration (and where the fixed fee and the duration charge apply from the start of the call) - which is really helpful
w23
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Re: Call charges to 118118

This (kind of) gets worse.  I just re-read your post Jim and I now see that you were giving BTw prices compared to BT Retal (I previously thought it was simply an older version of BTs prices as the retail prices are dated as effective from 19th April).
I now have to ask: How can BT Wholesale prices be HIGHER than BT Retail?  Don't BT Retail purchase services from BT Wholesale the same as any other BT Network telephone service provider?  BT cannot be retailing at a loss and I'd assume Wholesale must charge all providers the same or do BT Retail have some unfair advantage?
Either way, I'm still fuming at being charged £25 for 4 118118 calls that are clearly advertised on 118.com at nearer £15 (not to mention what I think of Mrs W using that rip-off service in the first place).
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w23
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Re: Call charges to 118118

Hmmmm,
Just found one going back to December:
19/12/2012 	118118 	14:58:32 	00:02:00 	  	£4.14

So the 2 minute call charge has been increased by Plusnet from £4.14 to £6.75 (a 63% increase in cost with NO NOTIFICATION)  I can see that contractually allowing me to come out of my recently renewed contract (including a pro-rata refund of my 'non-refundable' LRS).
With call charges like these I'd be better off taking my telephone service to BT who at least include Caller Display at no additional charge.
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picbits
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Re: Call charges to 118118

I feel your pain. I've been trying to get the wife to use saynoto0870.com to get geographical landline numbers - she has an iPad, internet enabled phone and laptop to hand but still dials non call plan inclusive numbers !
w23
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Re: Call charges to 118118

I'd also like to know why one of the most well known (certainly the most advertised and therefore likely to be the most used by those with no concept of the associated costs) directory enquiry services is not listed in Plusnet's Home Telephone Tarrifs - Come on guys, failing to advertise (or even allow customers to find) your prices, especially when so much higher than the openly advertised rates for the same service from others, is leaving yourselves open to a lot of criticism and discontent.

I've not tried it yet so I can't vouch for its quality but I have entered 0800 118 3733 in my telephone handsets now under 'Directories' in the hope that she'll use that instead in future.
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Oldjim
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Re: Call charges to 118118

This is the previous BTw price and category
dq131 (118118) 176.7 133.5 effective 1-3-2012 ex VAT prices
212 and 160.2 incl VAT
Oldjim
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Re: Call charges to 118118

Quote from: w23
I'd also like to know why one of the most well known (certainly the most advertised and therefore likely to be the most used by those with no concept of the associated costs) directory enquiry services is not listed in Plusnet's Home Telephone Tarrifs - Come on guys, failing to advertise (or even allow customers to find) your prices, especially when so much higher than the openly advertised rates for the same service from others, is leaving yourselves open to a lot of criticism and discontent.

A bit of digging
TalkTalk   setup 234p 180p per minute but calls under 60 seconds incur only call connection charge
Sky   setup 306    196p per minute but calls under 60 seconds incur only call connection charge
So we can safely say that Plusnet appear to have it wrong in charging setup and the first minute but the actual charges are about the same
w23
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Re: Call charges to 118118

Thanks for taking the time to dig up all that information Oldjim.
So it seems that Plusnet are about the only one that doesn't even list their charge for 118118.  Lips_are_sealed
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Anotherone
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Re: Call charges to 118118

Quote from: Oldjim
Calls to 118118 are charge rate dq143 which isn't listed here http://www.plus.net/home-broadband/tariffs/

If there's no charge listed, then there should be no charge - simples. Ask for a refund.
Quote from: Oldjim
This is the previous BTw price and category dq131 (118118) 176.7 133.5 effective 1-3-2012 ex VAT prices 212 and 160.2 incl VAT

So if Plusnet had charged at the previous dq131 rate, their cost would have been 234 for the first minute +180 per minute, in other words exactly as w23 was billed in December.
Quote from: w23
Hmmmm,
Just found one going back to December:
19/12/2012 	118118 	14:58:32 	00:02:00 	  	£4.14

So the 2 minute call charge has been increased by Plusnet from £4.14 to £6.75 (a 63% increase in cost with NO NOTIFICATION)  I can see that contractually allowing me to come out of my recently renewed contract (including a pro-rata refund of my 'non-refundable' LRS).
With call charges like these I'd be better off taking my telephone service to BT who at least include Caller Display at no additional charge.

I think you have every justification to ask to be released from your contract and get a pro rata refund on your line rental. Putting up prices without notification is something Trading Standards will be very interested in.
w23
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Re: Call charges to 118118

Quote from: Anotherone
If there's no charge listed, then there should be no charge - simples. Ask for a refund.

I like your thinking but I accept that this MUST be a chargeable call, however, if no charge is listed I'd expect it to be the same as the rates clearly published on 118.com
Any staff comment here please?
Call me 'w23'
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