Collect call
Encyclopedia : C : CO : COL : Collect call
A collect call in the USA and Canada or reverse charge in the UK and other countries (or calling collect) is a telephone call in which the calling party wants to place a call at the called party's expense. In the past, collect calls were only possible as an operator-assisted call, but with the introduction of computer-based telephone dialing equipment, it is now possible to place a collect call without using an operator.
Some commercial businesses provide collect call services. In the US, MCI WorldCom's 1-800-COLLECT and AT&T's 1-800-CALL-ATT are replacements for the phone company's collect call services. In the UK, there is 0800-REVERSE. These numbers are toll-free, and are typically free for the calling party from most land lines.
More collect calls are made on Father's Day than any other day.The Book of Useless Information, page 240, published 2002.
Other forms of paid communication, such as telegrams, could also be sent "collect".
0800 REVERSE
On 25 January 2006, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned a TV advert starring pop star Holly Valance for misleading consumers about the costs of calls.[ASA broadcast report] (PDF).Anyone accepting a call from 0800 Reverse is charged at least GBP 2.50 for connection, plus a minimum three-minute call charge but the commercial did not show these charges. The ASA said the cost was likely to influence a viewer's decision to use the service and a recipient's decision whether to accept a call.
The ASA said its test of 0800 Reverse revealed that the automated operator didn't mention the charges either.
References
People are now saying that 0800 Reverse should be used in emergencys due to the fact of the price.
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