New rules to combat high call costs from 070 numbers

Ofcom have stated that phone users will be protected from high charges for calling ‘070’ numbers – which are often mistaken for mobiles, but cost much more to call.

Ofcom will be placing a cap on 070 numbers which will be aligned with the existing cap set by Ofcom for calls to mobile numbers – currently around 0.5 pence per minute.

Before the new price cap is introduced, providers who offer 070 number services may need to change the way they run their businesses, to comply with the new rules. This may include changing their billing systems and contacting their customers, or even moving to a different number range. So there will be a 12-month implementation period to make these changes before the new price cap comes into effect.

Full details from the Ofcom press release is available for information