3 ms·

Actually, this makes a lot of sense, and I don't see why the use of premium numbers should be restricted. Why not make it part of a business model? I should be

by jwr 13y ago

Actually, this makes a lot of sense, and I don't see why the use of premium numbers should be restricted. Why not make it part of a business model? I should be able to get a number that costs extra to call. My time is valuable and anyone calling me should think twice whether the call is worth his money. And I don't mean just telemarketers — anyone. Getting my immediate attention should not be free or cheap, it should be expensive. I am willing to share profits with my telco. I think telcos should make this a standard offering and let any number be switched to a premium one, with cost per minute set by the user. To avoid unexpected charges and subsequent problems they should play a recording while connecting (before actually charging for the connection), warning about the costs and explaining that holding will ring my phone and start accumulating charges. If there was a telco offering that kind of service, I'd switch in a heartbeat.

vidarh 13y ago
The use of premium numbers are heavily regulated because they are subject to a lot of scams. The main consideration is that the caller needs to be aware of the cost, and there needs to be a mechanism to handle complaints. I think the regulator is exaggerating here - "eveyone" knows that 0871 numbers are charged at a higher rate, and as long as he is prepared to answer complaints and doesn't try to misrepresent the costs, he should be in the clear. For genuine companies it should not be a big deal - after all they happily call cellphones all the time. Now, if he was using 070 numbers it'd be dicier. 070 numbers are notorious - they're basically "follow me" numbers that can be rerouted wherever you want. Except they cost 40p per minute, which means there's whole armies of women paid to hang out on chatlines and dating sites and drop 070 numbers to people because people confuse them with cellphone numbers (07x where x is 4 or above, though there are some other services like pagers too in that range). In fact, the last time I saw a "genuine" 070 number was in 2000 or so. As for your proposed service: While you can't keep your number, in the UK you can certainly set up your own 09 number at 25p (I think) up 150p per minute, or 07 number at 40p, or the 0871 at 10p. The 09 numbers must play a recording, and most 0871 numbers will also play recordings to be on the safe side. I think that's the closest you will get - in the UK the regulator will not allow premium charges outside of the designated ranges not just because of confusion but also because if you can have premium rates everywhere, then automated blocking of premium rate numbers becomes problematic - you'd have to create an API or something to check the rate, and have everyone who wants to block premium rate numbers update their PBX's, and then it's far simpler to just keep the numbering plan.

by jwr 13y ago

vidarh 13y ago

The use of premium numbers are heavily regulated because they are subject to a lot of scams. The main consideration is that the caller needs to be aware of the cost, and there needs to be a mechanism to handle complaints. I think the regulator is exaggerating here - "eveyone" knows that 0871 numbers are charged at a higher rate, and as long as he is prepared to answer complaints and doesn't try to misrepresent the costs, he should be in the clear. For genuine companies it should not be a big deal - after all they happily call cellphones all the time. Now, if he was using 070 numbers it'd be dicier. 070 numbers are notorious - they're basically "follow me" numbers that can be rerouted wherever you want. Except they cost 40p per minute, which means there's whole armies of women paid to hang out on chatlines and dating sites and drop 070 numbers to people because people confuse them with cellphone numbers (07x where x is 4 or above, though there are some other services like pagers too in that range). In fact, the last time I saw a "genuine" 070 number was in 2000 or so. As for your proposed service: While you can't keep your number, in the UK you can certainly set up your own 09 number at 25p (I think) up 150p per minute, or 07 number at 40p, or the 0871 at 10p. The 09 numbers must play a recording, and most 0871 numbers will also play recordings to be on the safe side. I think that's the closest you will get - in the UK the regulator will not allow premium charges outside of the designated ranges not just because of confusion but also because if you can have premium rates everywhere, then automated blocking of premium rate numbers becomes problematic - you'd have to create an API or something to check the rate, and have everyone who wants to block premium rate numbers update their PBX's, and then it's far simpler to just keep the numbering plan.