Should I be getting charged for unanswered calls to mobiles?

[#1]

I know there was a discussion about this several months ago but it ended quite abruptly and I'm unclear what the upshot was (or if there was one).
My bill shows I get charged 26p every time I call my friend's mobile, even though I only ever let it ring twice and then hang up. No one picks up/no connection is made. My friend then calls me back. It's our code (she has ex amount of free calls to get through per month). We had this same arrangement long before I joined Plusnet (a few months ago) but I was never charged for these "un-calls" before - not by my last supplier, BT, nor even by the previous lot I was with which was AOL/TalkTalk, and they never normally miss a trick! So what's Plusnet's official line on this - does anyone know?
Cheers
Mizzle

[#2]

If the call isn't connecting in any way then no, you shouldn't get charged for them. Are you confident the mobile isn't being answered or picked up by voicemail?

[#3]

Hi Chris - and thanks for taking up this Q
Yes, I'm pretty sure the vast majority of calls to the mobile number in question are not connecting. I say "vast majority" - rather than 100% - as I'm aware of a couple of times (during billing period Nov/Dec) when my friend did accidentally pick up (and for which I link:censored her severely). So obviously those charges are valid. But otherwise when I've rung that number no one picked up and there was no connection to an automated answering system.
So what should I do now?    

adie:red avoidance of swear filter removed.

[#4]

If a call to a mobile number is being charged then the mobile operator's system would be 'telling' the BT Wholesale system that the call has connected (and the mobile operator will be charging BTw for connecting the call), any 'fault' in this case would most likely be with the mobile operator.  I'd suggest your friend takes this up with their mobile operator, perhaps after trying a few 'test calls' at agreed times where you have arranged with your friend to definitely not answer that particular call.

[#5]

Can you post up the operator of the mobile you are calling just for future reference ? If it's a specific operator then you may have identified an issue which could be repeated. Any chance of the first five digits of the number as well ?
I tried calling my Virgin Mobile phone when someone else posted the same issue a month or so ago and wasn't charged for that.

[#6]

When I first got a mobile [ a number of years ago], I was told the connection charge was to the network so even if the call wasn't answered there would be a charge.

[#7]

You may have been referring to my post http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,117551.msg1039407.html#msg1039407
BTOR had been asked to look at this but no response was ever received / posted. 

[#8]

Indeed - as long as we keep the momentum going then we should eventually get an answer from PN - they seem to need a bit of a nudge now and again.
It would be interesting to see if it is a particular carrier who flags the call as connected even when it isn't.

[#9]

Ooh, hello, all! - and thanks for the replies. Looks like I need to check in here more regularly. Sorry to keep you/the thread waiting.
Mr T - Yes, I think it was your post I read before. Sorry you've had no joy yet. I did think the thread ended a bit abruptly! Who is BTOR?
Dom S -  The network's Orange - starts 07527. Re calling your own mobile - great idea! Unfortunately my own mobe died recently and I've yet to replace it (we were very close, you know how it is). Btw, were you able to look for a charge on your actual bill - like, post dd payment? - or was it a mid-bill 'to-date' check you did? I'm not sure if that even makes a difference but I just wondered.
Erm... I think there was one or two other people who answered but I can't remember the names now. I'll be able to check again once I've posted this.
Cheers

[#10]

BTOR = BT Openreach who service all of the BT phone system (which most internet providers use to deliver their services).
My unanswered call to my mobile has never showed up on any of my bills - we tend to use the anytime calling feature and rarely make a chargeable call so it would have flagged up immediately.
My son also called his mobile to test it over Christmas and we weren't charged for those calls either (mine is on Virgin, the son's is on GiffGaff)

[#11]

Please note, if checking, it can take a couple of days before calls show in the control panel.

[#12]

Thanks, Dom and 57.32.33 (may I call you 57 from now on?)
Dom - well, narrows it down then. The smoking gun seems to be in Orange's lap at the mo. Can't remember who Mr T was having trouble with..?
57 - yes, I'll ask my friend to contact Orange and make enquiries that end. I've just been googling various Qs myself - like; "charged 26p pre-connection for call to Orange mobile from landline" but, as you can imagine, this got me nowhere. I barely understand what I googled myself and I wrote it! But then I tried the more sensible "cost of set-up charge to call Orange mobile from BT landline" and still couldn't really get an answer. With the latter I was just trying to see if their set-up charge costs 26p - coz then that'd more or less settle it. But, well, hmm ... another plan bites the dust.
I'm just hoping now that Chris P is going to come back with some useful advice for what I should do next - apart, of course, from "don't call your friend AT ALL" as I have already put that plan into action. Stupid friend!

[#13]

Oh yeah - this is nothing to do with my prob, 57. I just wanted to say I love that universe/coincidence quote. Great stuff. Thanks

[#14]

Slightly OT but you could ask your friend to change to Giffgaff and also get yourself a Giffgaff sim (needs an 'unlocked' or O2 mobile handset), calls between the two are free if you top up every 3 months.

Quote from: mizzletopff

(may I call you 57 from now on?)

57 is fine (or w23), I've certainly been called worse things! 

[#15]

Quote from: 57

57 is fine (or w23), I've certainly been called worse things!

You're all about the numbers, aren't you! Actually I've just noticed the 'aka w23' under your more formal title - so w23 it is (any relation to wd40? No, stop - don't even dignify it!) Re Giffgaff - that sounds like a good plan. Thank you. However, meanwhile I'd still like to hear something back from PN on this whole rather weird non-connected call charging thing. I've just been reading Mr T's old thread again and it's actually confused me even more as to who (or whom?) is actually applying (or making?) these charges. Personally I'd rather we all went back to yogurt cartons and string.
dick:green Quote fixed.