0870 number

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The United Kingdom dialling code 0870 is defined by OFCOM as Special Services: Higher Rate. When originally introduced, it was to be charged at no more than BT's standard national rate.

It is a non-geographic number; that is, it does not relate to any particular location in the United Kingdom like a standard geographic (01 or 02) telephone number does. From a BT line, the current costs to call an 0870 number are as follows (prices correct as of December 2005):

Residential

7.509p/minute (Daytime)
3.749p/minute (Evening)
1.5p/minute (Weekend)

Business

7.91p/minute (Daytime)
3.95p/minute (Evening)
1.50p/minute (Weekend)

(All prices include VAT)

History

The 0870 code was originally introduced as 0990, the code formerly used for Ascot, when it was subsumed into 0344 (Bracknell). 0990 numbers were originally six-digit, and when 0870 was brought in to replace 0990, the six-digit numbers were prefixed with a 5 to make 0870 5xx xxxx. Mercury Communications Ltd (now Cable & Wireless) had a similar scheme, with its numbers beginning with 0541. Like 0345, they were also renumbered into the 0870 scheme, with the numbers becoming 0870 1xx xxxx. Other operators (such as Vodafone) also had national rate codes and were renumbered in a similar way.

Like 0845 numbers, 0870 numbers have much of the same features and benefits, such as routing by time of day, location of caller, day of week, capacity, etc.

Future

0870 numbers are falling out of favour with sections of the general public now that calls to geographic numbers from some lines, especially residential, are on the whole now charged at a considerably cheaper rate than the original "national rate" that 0870 numbers are still charged at. It is now much cheaper (or free) to call a geographic number than an 0870 number, especially at night and at the weekend. Websites such as [saynoto0870] have appeared, giving alternative geographic numbers for 0870 numbers, allowing the caller to call a company at a much cheaper rate. That said, many UK businesses are still continuing to use them.

Ofcom are, at the time of writing (December 2005), in the process of conducting a consulation exercise on the future of 0870 and 0845 numbers.

External links

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