A common bugbear among mobile users is that you can have all the free minutes in the world but it still costs you money to phone an 0800 number, so this and broadband are the often the main reason people keep a landline. With 4G on the rise, one reason is going and now the other seems to be being taken care of as well.
From 26th June 2015, which sounds a long way away but is only about 18 months, 0800 numbers will be free to call from mobiles in what OFCOM is calling the biggest changes to UK telephone providers in over a decade. Ed Richards, the chief executive of OFCOM said: “Freephone will mean free for all consumers, and the cost of calling other services will be made clear. Telephone users will be able to see how much they’re paying, and where their money is going.”
Calls to 0808 and 116 numbers (for charities) will also become free and calls to 09 numbers will be capped, although at what hasn’t been announced.
There will also be changes to the cost of calling these, and other non-geographic, numbers from landlines as well; so the cost will be split into an access charge and a service provider charge so you will know exactly what you are paying. This does mean that the likes of Dermot O’Leary on the X Factor will have to learn a slightly different spiel but only a small problem for them, it’s good for everyone else.
Source: Pocket-lint