Although most mobile contracts include helplines and customer support numbers, there are still many premium rate numbers to watch out for. Calling a premium rate number can be costly, even if the number you are calling is based within the UK. In these instances, it is best to seek another way of contacting a business or person, such as via email or video call.
Despite the costs, there are times when you may need to or want to call a premium rate number on your mobile phone. If this is the case, it is good to know what premium rate numbers are and which numbers count as premium rates. This article will help you to understand premium rate numbers in more detail, so you can avoid racking up large phone bills.
What Are Premium Rate Numbers?
Premium rate numbers are a set of numbers that cost more to call compared to normal UK numbers. Most mobile and landline numbers will be covered in your contract and will count towards your monthly minute allowance. Typically, premium rate numbers start from around 15p per minute, but some phone numbers can charge much more.
In fact, some premium numbers cost a whopping £3 per minute, which could very quickly eat into your monthly budget. If you are expected to be stuck on hold, it is best to avoid calling a premium rate number like this through your mobile. Your mobile phone provider may even bar certain premium numbers to protect you.
Before making a call, you should always check the costs. You can find out more about the costs of premium rate numbers through your mobile provider’s website and by looking on the website for the number you wish to call.
At the start of a call to a premium number, you may hear a warning that states that calls to this number are ‘X pence’ per minute. This is known as an access charge, and you can find more information about this later on in the article. You will need to check elsewhere to find out the cost per minute from the business you are calling.
What Is a Premium Number?
A premium rate number typically starts with 08, such as 0875 or 0845. The charges for these numbers can differ quite a lot, depending on the pre-fix. Other premium rate numbers include 09, 0873, 0871, 0872, and 118. Premium numbers can cover services like competitions, charity donations, or weather information.
Premium numbers are different from service numbers, as service numbers are often cheaper or included within your monthly call allowance. Service numbers start with prefixes like 03, 084, and 087.
Are There Any Regulations Around Premium Rate Numbers?
Yes, there are regulations in place around premium rate numbers that aim to protect callers from unexpected and costly phone bills. As of July 2015, major changes for premium and service numbers were put in place. Before this, calls to premium rate numbers from mobiles were simply a guessing game. Customers often had to call the number, and hope that the prices weren’t too high.
This left customers frustrated, and often with ridiculously high mobile phone bills. Due to this, customers were also less likely to call these premium rate numbers, which are often associated with customer helplines and complaints. If a customer was unhappy with a product or service, they were far less likely to go ahead with speaking to someone, for fear of the cost.
Ofcom, which is the communications regulator within the UK, decided to make premium rate numbers and charges clearer for the consumer. This means every mobile network must have a price list available of all calls to premium rate and service numbers per minute. You can usually find these rates on your mobile phone contract, or online.
If you are still unsure of the cost of a premium rate number, your mobile service provider should be contacted via online chat or phone call.
Is There More Than One Charge for a Premium Rate Number?
Yes, the cost for premium rate numbers from a mobile provider is known as an ‘access charge’. This is a charge set by your provider for calling a certain high-cost number and is different to the cost per minute set by the business you are calling.
The ‘service charge’, is the cost per minute assigned by the business you are calling and is completely separate from the access charge, which is a charge from your mobile company. When calling a premium rate number, this means there are two costs to look out for. Often, this is where customers get confused, leaving them with a higher bill than expected.
As these prices are now completely transparent and available for customers, you will not be able to claim that you weren’t aware of the charges and ask for a refund. This is why it’s so important to do your research before calling a premium rate number.
How Can I Avoid Calling Premium Rate Numbers?
The best way to avoid calling premium rate numbers is to not call any number that you do not know, especially if you are only calling back a number that has called you. Some marketing scams will use this as a tactic to get you to call back, so they can charge you per minute.
You should also speak to your provider about setting a cap, which is a limit to how much you can spend outside of your monthly allowance. For example, if you pay a monthly payment of £20 for your SIM, you could set a cap of £5. This means if you call a premium number, your phone bill cannot go over £25 a month. If you are reaching the end of your cap, you will usually hear a message before the phone call or receive a text.
You can also set a £0 cap which means you cannot use anything over what is already provided within your contract. You will not be able to call premium rate numbers at all and the call will not connect. Setting a cap will give you peace of mind when you are not sure whether the number you are calling is a premium number or not.
A cap can also be helpful if you have a mobile contract under your child’s name. Many unexpected phone bills are made by older children who don’t know what a premium number is, or the costs involved. When you give your child their own mobile, it’s important to teach them about premium rate numbers or to tell them to come and ask you if they aren’t sure.
What Are the Most Expensive Premium Numbers?
The most expensive premium numbers are any number starting with 09. These can rack up a serious charge, so you may want to bar these numbers completely from your phone. With a 09 number, you could be spending anything from 1p to £3.60 per minute. Not only this, but 09 numbers can charge a one-off calling fee which could cost up to £6.
This means a 10-minute call to a number like this could knock you back between £30 and £45! 09 numbers are usually connected to TV voting lines, such as X Factor or Strictly Come Dancing, competitions, and chat lines. Just make sure you are aware and happy to pay the fees associated with the call before making it.
Are There Any Other Numbers I Should Know About?
Most of the phone numbers you should look out for have already been covered throughout this article, but there are a few other numbers you should know about.
Freephone numbers are, as the name states, always free. It is good to be aware of these numbers, as knowing about them will ease your mind of any unexpected bills. Freephone numbers are free from both mobile phones and landlines and start with either 0800 or 0808.
116 numbers are also free of charge and are usually associated with services of social value. A few examples of organisations within the UK that use 116 numbers include Childline, Samaritans, and the Missing People helpline.
Premium Rate Charges: A Summary
As you can see, there are many premium rate numbers to be aware of. When calling a premium rate number, you also need to remember that there are possibly two or three charges going on during the call. One of these is the access charge, which is a cost set out by your mobile provider for contacting a premium rate number.
The service charge is the cost that the business you are calling has set and is usually defined per minute. Some premium numbers can charge a one-off fee for making a phone call to their number, so this is yet another cost to be aware of before making a call.
Luckily, premium rate numbers are not as common as they used to be and any important numbers, such as mobile phone customer service numbers or numbers of social value are free from mobiles and landlines. If you are ever unsure about making a call, speak to your mobile provider first.