Just dial 118 followed by your credit card number

[Guest chucky.egg]

Anybody interested in a petition to Oftel to tell them that this new 118 malarky is a HUGE rip-off for mobile users?

I spent quite a while checking out which of the 118 numbers was going to be best for me and the mrs.

I chose a provider - 35p flat rate - and was quite happy, thinking that I saved myself 20p or so on every Directory Enquiries (DQ) call. I later found out, quite by chance on the MSN site, that Orange charge me an additional 50p+, and make it a per minute charge.

That means I pay TRIPLE the advertised rate (which is for landline calls). You what!?

So being the ignorant bloke I am, I complained to OFTEL. Now to be fair they did answer, but they basically said "Hey, thats competition for you!" (I can post their email response if anybody actually cares).

The main points from their email:

* Shop around if you dont like the price/product [but I cant' I'm on contract!]

* They cant maintain a comparison of prices of all providers 'cos there are too many of them [so make the providers do it, dofus!]

* Mobile call charges are normally higher [Oh, that's ok then!]

I've only just replied to their email, so I'm still kinda tetchy about it, but I'm open to ideas on how I can make them see what utter dickheads they are. [excludes killing the bunny and boiling it... for now at least]

For those that dont know... In the UK we have a "watchdog" called OFTEL that is supposed to protect consumers against abuses of "power". They scrapped the old DQ number and introduced "tens of hundreds" (their words) of others. Genius. And they get paid for this you know. Jeez.

[Guest chucky.egg]

Quick follow up:

I've looked around, but without checking prices Orange charge for other providers I cant tell for sure what they're going to cost.

The only alternatives I've found are:

* Web based searches (dont know of a quick low-graphics service though)

* 88118 - SMS queries @ 50p a go. Their info isn't very reliable though from the tests I've done.

[Guest fozzie]

Sign up to OneTel for their CC service. Their Directory Enquiries is free until the end of Dec when they will then review their policy ;)

More info here.

[Guest chucky.egg]

Fozzie:

Do you actually use this yourself?

I've been recommended them before, but I cant see what I'm supposed to sign up to! I dont want to pay over the odds just for 0800 access to DQ

Can you tell us what plan you are on?

[Guest fozzie]

I've been using them for several years now. You don't have to pay anything to use the sevice. It's a post-pay service and so you just get billed at the end of each month just for the calls that you make. Their rates are very competitive.

Take a look at their website. It's got all the info there, including call charges etc. You can sign up and register your mobile number(s) for access, all online. Basically, you create an account which is based on your landline number. This then allows you to access the service directly from your registered landline number(s) as well as indirectly from any other landline (you have to enter your account number and PIN from non-registered phones). Then, you add to your account any mobile numbers that you want to access the service from.

It's all pretty straightword. As I say, take a look at their website. It's full of info and is quite easy reading ;)

[Guest chucky.egg]

Fozzie:

I think I've got it right, but can you check for me, I didn't find their site easy to understand at all!

I've regsitered for the "Low Standard Rate" package, and added "Mobile Override". I got the Orange 0800 access number from there.

So now I add a phonebook entry 0800957NNNNp118111 for their DQ service? (Where 0800957NNNN is the Orange access number, and 118111 is their DQ number)

Orange dont charge for the 0800 call, and OneTel say they dont either, so presumably I get no charge at all for the call?

Is that right? I dont want to sound paranoid, but it sounds too easy! (especially after all the fecking about I've been doing finding the best rates!)

[Guest fozzie]

Spot on ;)

I use this service for all my 'out of bundle' calls, both within the UK and abroad. I take it you also noted down the number to call for the current Orange access number? You need to call that if the access number ever changes.

fozzie

[Guest chucky.egg]

Thats a good solution then, better than 88118 (and cheaper too) and it sticks it to Orange (which is nice!)

Lets hope the 118 service continues after the new year!