Sounds like yet another case of Jobsworth.

However, one pertinent question might be what would happen if the employee returned to base with the money for one more cup of tea than the number of teabags dispensed?

Perhaps the customer should have asked for a cup of tea but with the teabag served separately?

The comment about "auditing issues" likely refers to the suspicion that employees could sell cups of hot water and pocket the cash.

(d) TfL^» (Transport for London - about) publishes a "step free access" tube map.

Olympia tubes run only at the weekend these days.

With private and public sector organisations abandoning 084 and 087 numbers en masse ahead of various BIS^▸ (Battery Isolating Switch) and Ofcom regulations that shortly come into force, calling 084 and 087 numbers will become something of a rarity for most people in the fairly near future.

DWP pays huge fees to make their 0800 numbers free from mobile phones. When all 080 numbers become free calls from all mobile phones on 26 June 2015, DWPs bill for this will substantially reduce. DWP are paying over the odds for their 0800 numbers at the moment.

At the 2 September 2013 Public Accounts Committee enquiry, DWP claimed the savings they will make from the running costs of their 0800 numbers will be enough to fund the running costs of the new 0345 numbers that will shortly replace the existing DWP 0845 numbers. DWP will have to pay about 1p/min for incoming calls to their new 0345 numbers.


The long list of 0500, 0800 and 0808 numbers published by O2 covers a number of charities, lines operated by DWP and phone numbers for organisations that are members of the Helplines Association. These numbers are free from mobiles and many of these do not appear on phone bills thereby hiding the fact they have been called.

Every mobile network publishes a similar list of 080 numbers that are free to call. While the core numbers are the same on every list there are some significant differences between networks.

The long list of 0845 and 0870 exemptions published by O2 are, I believe, numbers for various customer service lines belonging to O2, rather than lines for contacting other organisations. Please correct me if I am mistaken.


EA have had the new 0345 floodline number on test since November 2013. However, they did not want to publicise a change of telephone number in the middle of bad weather, just in case it confused anyone. The extended bad weather delayed their plans further.

Had they started advertising the new number during the bad weather, it would have saved callers a lot of money. However it is also likely that EA would have been criticised for "messing around with phone numbers rather than getting on with fixing the flooding". They couldn't win either way.

EA claim they "made no money" from their 0845 number but neglect to mention that callers pay a hidden Service Charge within the call price which their provider uses to cover costs incurred in running the number and routing the call to the final destination. Callers are therefore subsidising a service already funded through taxation. It is this issue that is driving the move to 03 numbers. The fact that mobile operators massively inflate the call price by adding an excessive mark-up is a side issue and one that will be addressed by Ofcom's "unbundled tariffs" system when it comes into force on 26 June 2015.

0845 numbers can pay out about half a penny per minute revenue share to high volume users. DWP declined to receive this payment so they could claim they didn't profit from the number. It is likely that EA did the same. Ofcom wants transparency here. By 26 June 2015, all users of 084, 087 and 09 numbers will be required to declare the Service Charge wherever their number is advertised, whether or not that leads to a revenue share payment.

If you have a BT line (or you are with a provider that copies BT call prices) with no inclusive calls in force at the time of day you want to make the call, or you are on Vodafone pay as you go, continue to call the 0845 number. Almost everyone else should call the new 0345 number.

Seems like it was definitely going to get as far as Southampton, with some uncertainty as to what would happen after that.

However, once at Southampton there are plenty of opportunities to change to other services for onwards travel to Portsmouth.

One more seen today... https://twitter.com/IsabelOakeshott/status/428477116636610560

Looks a bit dangerous. Hope those doors are locked, or there's nothing on the other side either.

DWP today (27 January 2014) published their long-awaited announcement that 0345 numbers will be adopted in place of the existing 0845 numbers used for their enquiry lines.

• http://www.gov.uk/government/news/dwp-helps-cut-telephone-call-costs-from-march-2014

The document also confirms existing 0845 numbers will continue to be offered for the small number of callers that have a deal where 0845 calls are offered at a discounted rate (this is mostly people on "BT Weekend" who make calls on weekdays - most of whom would probably be better off with an "AnyTime call plan).

The document also confirms that existing 0800 numbers will continue to be available for new claims. DWP has a deal with six major mobile operators such that these are free calls from mobile phones. DWP pays massive fees for that.

The main FGW^▸ (First Great Western) number is now 0345 7000 125 replacing the matching 0845 number. The new 03 number is charged at the same rate as calling an 01 or 02 number and calls to it also count towards inclusive allowances on landlines and mobiles.
 
Calls to the 0844 number incur a 7p/min Service Charge which, if the number is retained, will have to be declared by 26 June 2015. However, Section 41 of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Payments) Regulations 2013 applies from 13 June 2014 and this requires migration to either the matching 0344 number, or to a new 01, 02, 033 or 080 number. If an 080 number is chosen, an 01, 02 or 03 number must also be run in parallel until such time as calls to 080 numbers become free from all mobile phones. That's scheduled for 26 June 2015.

Likewise for the other 0845 number, calls incur a 2p/min Service Charge and the same declaration and migration rules will apply.

And another:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/About-Us/Customer-services/Contact-us

A development!

https://en-gb.facebook.com/FirstGreatWestern/posts/10151870336806806

"contact our customer services team by either calling us on 08457 000 125 up to 22:00 tonight 20 January 2014 or on 0345 7000 125 from 07:00 Tuesday 21 January 2014 onwards"

Now you see it ... (0345 number mentioned four times, 0845 number mentioned twice)
www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/~/media/PDF/AboutUs/CustomerServices/PassengerCharter/Passenger_Charter_October_2013.ashx

Now you don't ... (0845 number mentioned six times)
www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/~/media/PDF/AboutUs/CustomerServices/PassengerCharter/Passenger_Charter_2013_nov.ashx

Someone, somewhere, is still tinkering:

0345 7000 125

20 Oct 2013 - NU

15 Dec 2013 - "You have successfully connected to the ported-in test-announcement on the Energis network",

31 Dec 2013 - "This number is no longer in service".

The Cabinet Office today (26 December 2013) published their HMG Guidance document Customer Service Lines recommending the use of 01, 02 and 03 numbers (and 080 numbers in specific circumstances) for all government departments and providers of public services.

• http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmg-guidance-for-customer-service-lines

• http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/268785/hmg-guidance-customer-service-lines.pdf

• http://kbpa.weebly.com/2/post/2013/07/john-healey-mp-welcomes-call-for-the-government-to-stop-using-high-cost-phone-lines.html#comments

• http://www.valerievazmp.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Report-Final.pdf

Paragraph 2.3 of the guidance is of significant importance. It confirms that where a non-geographic number is required, "03 numbers" should henceforth be selected as the default choice.

Although the document is titled as "guidance", since it originates from the Cabinet Office, other departments will treat it as being "policy".

Departments using 084, 087 and 09 numbers are recommended to transfer to the matching 034 or 037 number or to a new 01, 02, 030, 033 or 080 number. The old number may be retained during a transition period as long as the new number is promoted as the primary number.


See earlier posts for Ofcom and BIS^▸ (Battery Isolating Switch) announcements: http://tinyurl.com/FGW13054c24

If FGW^▸ (First Great Western) had made a public announcement at any time before the end of last week about their forthcoming new 0345 telephone number, they would have been seen to be pro-actively reducing the cost incurred by customers in calling them for help. They failed to take that opportunity.

On 13th December 2013, BIS^▸ (Battery Isolating Switch) published the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Payments) Regulations 2013 which bans the use of 084, 087 and 09 numbers for customer service helplines for advice, complaints, refunds, renewals and cancellations from 12 June 2014.

Even if FGW become the first major transport company to get a press release out stating their intentions, they'll now only be seen as "just another company that reduced the cost of calling them only when forced to do so by legislation". I don't think they realise how great a PR^▸ (Public Relations) opportunity they have missed.

BIS^▸ (Battery Isolating Switch) today (13 December 2013) published the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Payments) Regulations 2013 (SI:2013/3134) implementing the provisions of the Consumer Rights Directive in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom). This bans the use of 084, 087 and 09 numbers for customer service lines used by traders.

• http://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-cuts-off-costly-calls

• http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265898/consumer-contracts-information-cancellation-and-additional-payments-regulations-2013.pdf <- see section 41
• http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265916/enterprise-act-2002-part-8-eu-infringements-order-2013.pdf
• http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265938/bis-13-1368-consumer-contracts-information-cancellation-and-additional-payments-regulations-guidance.pdf <- see section J

• http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265801/bis-13-1365-stakeholder-response-to-the-implementation-of-consumer-rights-directive.pdf

• http://www.gov.uk/government/policies/providing-better-information-and-protection-for-consumers/supporting-pages/implementing-the-consumer-rights-directive-2011-83-eu

• http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/3134/pdfs/uksi_20133134_en.pdf
• http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/3134/pdfs/uksiem_20133134_en.pdf
• http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/3134/pdfs/uksitn_20133134_en.pdf

There are several changes compared to the draft previously published in August 2013. In particular, the provisions have been extended to also ban the use of these numbers for passenger transport services.

See sections 6 and 41 of the regulations, and section J in the separate guidance notes. These provisions will apply from 12 June 2014.

Businesses using 084, 087 and 09 numbers for customer service lines are required to move to the matching 034 or 037 number or to a new 01, 02, 030, 033 or 080 number before that date.


See later posts for Cabinet Office and DWP announcements: http://tinyurl.com/FGW13054c30