topic Re: Regulator Acts On 118 Calls in Off-Topic

Regulator Acts On 118 Calls

Bambino — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 22:39:20 GMT

I don't know why anyone still uses these services, but they do.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-44473507

Re: Regulator Acts On 118 Calls

Cleoriff — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 22:47:51 GMT

Not before time!

"Market leader 118 118 charges £11.23 for a 90 second call to its service."

What a rip off!

Re: Regulator Acts On 118 Calls

jonsie — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 23:11:26 GMT

@Cleoriff wrote:
Not before time!
"Market leader 118 118 charges £11.23 for a 90 second call to its service."
What a rip off!

I knew they were expensive but holy crap, that's legalised theft!

Re: Regulator Acts On 118 Calls

Glory1 — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 23:50:49 GMT

But incredibly in spite of this news many fools will continue to use them. What did I say on another thread about a fool and his money?

Re: Regulator Acts On 118 Calls

jonsie — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 00:30:38 GMT

They simply rely on peoples' stupidity and there must be plenty of stupid people about, otherwise they still be in business. This is the world we are mow in whereby people now want everything at their fngertips.

Re: Regulator Acts On 118 Calls

Cleoriff — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 06:07:16 GMT

I bet there are only a few of us here who remember when a call to 'Directory Enquiries' was free...?

Just showing my age you understand...

Re: Regulator Acts On 118 Calls

gmarkj — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 07:03:19 GMT

wow. just, wow.
why anyone would call them when google is free, and so is the say no to 0870 website, is beyond me.

Re: Regulator Acts On 118 Calls

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 08:25:39 GMT

I remember the free directory enquiries. 192 I believe?

Re: Regulator Acts On 118 Calls

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 09:33:20 GMT

@Cleoriff wrote:
I bet there are only a few of us here who remember when a call to 'Directory Enquiries' was free...?
Just showing my age you understand...

Yes, I do remember it, but I suppose nothing in life is ever truly free

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1854472.stm

Edit: I love how that news report ends with "No flowers"

Re: Regulator Acts On 118 Calls

Cleoriff — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 09:32:37 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Cleoriff wrote:
I bet there are only a few of us here who remember when a call to 'Directory Enquiries' was free...?
Just showing my age you understand...
Yes, I do remember it, but I suppose nothing in life is ever truly free

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1854472.stm

It was at the time though.....compared to £11.23 for a 90 second call to 118 nowadays....

Re: Regulator Acts On 118 Calls

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 10:11:42 GMT

@Cleoriff wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Cleoriff wrote:
I bet there are only a few of us here who remember when a call to 'Directory Enquiries' was free...?
Just showing my age you understand...
Yes, I do remember it, but I suppose nothing in life is ever truly free

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1854472.stm
It was at the time though.....compared to £11.23 for a 90 second call to 118 nowadays....

@Cleoriff

Well yes, and at least BT did the right thing in the end, by closing that service down. One or two have questioned why people are still using these rip-off services today, it's because sometimes they find themselves in an emergency situation, and it's often the quickest solution, particularly if they've no access to the internet. But just looking at the following stats from the OP's original news report, it becomes clear why they think they can get away with charging so much:

"Overall 2% of adults or one million people use a 118 service, rising to 4% among those over the age of 65".

Re: Regulator Acts On 118 Calls

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 17:52:56 GMT

@Cleoriff wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Cleoriff wrote:
I bet there are only a few of us here who remember when a call to 'Directory Enquiries' was free...?
Just showing my age you understand...
Yes, I do remember it, but I suppose nothing in life is ever truly free

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1854472.stm
It was at the time though.....compared to £11.23 for a 90 second call to 118 nowadays....

I too remember Directory Enquiries ... when I lived in York I did a temporary stint as a BT Directory Enquiry operator

@Anonymous I think a smile is free ... you can't buy a smile unless you're a professional comedian ... & ... a smile is something which is given

Re: Regulator Acts On 118 Calls

Tsidkenu1es — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 20:44:14 GMT

...Unfortunately we're living in a World of uncertainty...! because of a system controlled by a few... forcing dog eat dog...

Re: Regulator Acts On 118 Calls

jonsie — Fri, 15 Jun 2018 00:10:46 GMT

I had many a strange conversation with 192 operators, most amusing but some downright infuriating. I do remember when I was working at the bank, calls to 118 were charged at 50p per call rather than the wallet-busting second mortgage rates these days although 50% of the time they couldn't find the ferkin number!

Re: Regulator Acts On 118 Calls

Anonymous — Fri, 15 Jun 2018 19:14:19 GMT

I've used DQ services a few times when I didn't have a smart phone and I wasn't near a PC.

I tended to use the Yellow Pages one as you could text them and they'd text you back the number, I think that was about 2.50

I do remember think it was utter madness when the market was opened up and there seemed to be literally hundreds.