BT reportedly start charging indirect access numbers

[HiPD]

A thread has appeared on the no longer nifty forum stating that a member has now been charged by BT for using a 0870 callthrough number.  When the charge was queried, he was told that it was an indirect access number which is specifically excluded in the free calls offer (together with internet access 0845 numbers).

"One swallow does not make a spring", but BT is starting to get tough it seems.   

[mobaholic]

A thread has appeared on the no longer nifty forum stating that a member has now been charged by BT for using a 0870 callthrough number.  When the charge was queried, he was told that it was an indirect access number which is specifically excluded in the free calls offer (together with internet access 0845 numbers).

"One swallow does not make a spring", but BT is starting to get tough it seems.   

Thank you for your post HiPD.  It is not really one about a service discovered by a member, though I admit that it is difficult to see where else it would better be placed.  I shall leave it here therefore.           

I have received an email from 0870.co.uk inviting "free calls" through their 0870 number.  Members might like to note that their access number is just a single digit different from the one reportedly charged on telecomforum, so it is likely to incur a similar fate.
Indeed both numbers might be run by the same company.       
Be warned therefore about such offers !       

[andy]

Being pedantic, the wording used in that post may not be quite specific enough

What I'm getting at is that perhaps it depends whether that customer asked about that particular number, or just a generalised query without the CS examining the call record

It's occurring to me that, if the latter, another possibility could be charging for going over the 1000 minutes fair use policy instead, without the number being identified and sanctioned yet

Coincidentally, I'm just swapping emails with the company about this, after they sent a general promotional circular yesterday (I'm on their list from about 3 years ago, and the 0870 service was actually launched mid 2006)

[mobaholic]

andy's point is quite valid.  The same thought occurred to me this morning, but when I saw that both Heinz and BigJohn had 'bought' the OP, I reckoned that they might know something about its being legitimate.

I decided that the balance of the evidence favoured the OP, because he should have been given a different argument if he had exceeded his free allowance of calls or minutes.  As it was, he was told that it was because it was an indirect access number instead.       

But is is always possible that the muppets didn't know the explanation - and just made up an answer !