Telephone Number Support

What Is a 03 Non Geographic Number?

Ofcom has recently introduced 03 numbers as an alternative to the much hated 0870 and 0871 number ranges.

The new 03 numbers, like all 08 numbers, are 'UK-wide' as they are not limited to a particular local area like 01 and 02 numbers.

Calls to these numbers cost the same as calls to ordinary geographic numbers (starting 01 or 02) and are included in contract mobile phone calling plans.

There are several 03 number ranges available but we've simplified it to just two.

• 033 - These numbers can be used by anyone.
• 030 - These numbers are for use by charities, public bodies and not for profit organisations only.

Ofcom have provided a guidance note on who may use 030 numbers.

03 numbers cost £3 per month. If you'd like one you can find them on the UK Non Geographic Numbers - 033 page in the Control Panel.

Our own 03 number is: 0330 088 5555.

What Is a Geographic Number?

Geographic numbers are the normal way of numbering landlines and denote your location. So that in the old telecommunication world, a 0207 number is fixed to Central London and a 01273 number is fixed to Brighton.

For £3 per month you can choose to have a UK Geographic number. This allows people to call you from UK landlines and mobiles at the standard rates for their telephone service.

Calls to your Geographic number from other Voipfone customers are free.

However, with Internet Telephony you can choose ANY geographical number, no matter where you are actually located. You could finally finish up in Calcutta! And, of course, if the number is called by another Voipfone customer, the call is totally free.

There are many uses for these numbers; the obvious one being that a business can have a prestigious telephone address whilst being somewhere else entirely. You can also now move your office to anywhere in the world and keep this telephone number.

For the personal user, it means that if you have moved abroad but still have family in the UK you could take a number for the town your relative lives in, they can then make ordinary calls to you, no matter where in the world you are, for the cost of a local call.

What Is a 0560 Number?

When you sign up with Voipfone you automatically receive a free 056 telephone number which can be called by anyone anywhere.

The 056 number ranges form part of the New Voice Service (NVS). This has the format 056 xxxx xxxx. This is a new number range specifically for Internet Telephone companies. Like the Voipfone numbers, calls between 056 numbers are free but unlike them, they can be dialled from any telephone anywhere.

When someone calls a 056 number from the UK using an ordinary telephone, the caller will be charged at the NVS call rate.

When they are called from outside the UK they are charged standard international rates.

These numbers are very new and you may occasionally find that calls from some telephone operators in the UK or abroad may not connect.

What Is a 0845 Number?

For only £3 per month you can choose to have a 0845 number. 0845 was introduced as a Lo-Call number as callers were charged at local rates (when called from landlines) no matter where they were.

At one time, there was no longer a different charge for local and national calls to ordinary geographic numbers so the marketing distinction was lost, and they were still slightly cheaper to call than geographic numbers (from landlines).

With the advent of UK Calling, the price of calls to these numbers has changed. Callers will be charged 2p per minute (inc VAT), plus their own phone company's access charge. We recommend the use of an 030/033 number instead.

They are often not dial-able from abroad and they can be charged at a high rate from mobiles.

What Is a 0800 Number?

0800 numbers are powerful marketing tools as more than 90% of consumers know that they can call them for free. (Source: Henley Centre research).

They have two main uses:

• You can provide free access to your business for you customers - you could use them as sales lines for example.
• In advertising campaigns you can offer your potential new customers a 'freephone' number to call in response to an advert or promotion.

They are especially valuable when marketing to new customers because customers can phone your business free of charge from anywhere in the UK. They are also a proven way of increasing business and developing customer loyalty.

Some Benefits of 0800 Numbers

They remove the price barrier for a customer calling youThey 'nationalise' your companyThey give you an advantage over your competitors (if you have one and they don't, you have an edge). They increase your advertising response and attract new customersThey convey a professional imageThey are portable and are yours for life - they don't change if BT changes its number schemeThey also provide useful information about your ad campaigns and promotions. By using separate 0800 numbers on each of your advertisements or by having a different number in each of the media you advertise in, you can monitor their effectiveness simply by looking at your free call statistics on-line, in real time, at any time. So, you can save money by choosing the adverts and media that produce the most effective results.

With Voipfone, 0800 numbers works instantly, there is no ordering or waiting. There are no contracts and no set-up charges. You can cancel them at any time - just use them when you need them.

Diverting 0800 Numbers

Your 0800 number can be directed to any other number. This means that you do not even need a broadband VoIP installation at all - you can simply divert the incoming calls to your existing BT telephone number. You do this on line in Your Account. It's instant and can be changed at any time.

The diverted leg of the call will be charged at our normal rates which can be found by using our call cost calculator. Typically this will be about 1p per minute to landlines in most of the Western World.

Monitoring & Reporting

Calls to the 0800 number are recorded in Your Account with information on time, duration and incoming number. They can be downloaded to CSV file and analysed in any way you like using your spreadsheet software such as Excel. There is no charge for this service.

Features & Functionality

The numbers have the same features as ordinary number which means they can be diverted to Voicemail, put on hold with music, transferred to any number, used with the Virtual PBX and Call queuing services etc. The full list of services (most free) can be found under 'Services'.

How Much Do They Cost?

The numbers cost £5 per month (ex VAT). Calls to the number will be charged to your account at 3p per minute (ex VAT).