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0800 numbers are now being released for the first time by Flextel, in response to Ofcom's recently announced plans to make calls to 0800 'freephone' numbers genuinely free, even from mobiles.
Currently, calls to 0800 numbers from a mobile can cost up to 21p per minute. However the actual rate depends on the mobile network, the time of day and who is being called, causing confusion over how much callers will realistically be charged.
"By making calls to 0800 numbers free from all phones, we will clear up any uncertainty about making calls, especially from mobiles, to the benefit of consumers and service providers alike," explains Ofcom's Chief Executive, Ed Richards, in their press release.
Will Goodall, Chairman and founder of Flextel and former Head of Telecoms at Vodafone, points out that Ofcom is only just starting to tackle this problem because the cost of mobile calling is now cheap enough to allow free 0800 calls from mobiles. This means that all 0800 numbers will be truly free to call, at all times and from all phones.
"I'm delighted to see Ofcom giving this long-standing issue the priority it deserves," he says. "This will help vulnerable citizens who cannot afford a landline contract and rely on pay-as-you-go mobiles to make important calls. Likewise, businesses that use 0800 numbers will become much more accessible to everyone
Thurso Surf School, Scotland