I READ with interest the letters page of (Travel Weekly November 8) and would like the opportunity to clarify a number of points raised by your reader, Mike Bellingham.
Firstly, Mr Bellingham suggests that local rate numbers, such as 0345 and 0645, have now been replaced by the 0870 range of numbers, charged at the national rate irrespective of where the call originates and its destination. This is not the case. Local rate numbers are still available, using the 0845 range.
Secondly, he refers to an article in The Sunday Times (October 31), which suggested that profit-sharing between the network provider and the service operator was behind a switch towards NationalCall Services at the expense of local rate services.
That report, however, confused the difference between premium-rate services (090 prefix) and NationalCall services (0870 prefix) which are charged at the national rate. The charging structures and call charges for the two services are very different, so the article’s assertions about profit sharing and profiteering in relation to NationalCall services is incorrect. Following publication, a letter was dispatched from Cable and Wireless Communications to the editor of The Sunday Times highlighting these inaccuracies.
In fact, those companies which negotiate a ‘profit share’ on NationalCall services receive substantially less than 50% of the call revenue, and use this income to install and maintain the ITsystems and services necessary to handle the large volumes of incoming calls from consumers. In many situations companies do not take any revenue, instead they use a negotiated volume discount to take more equipment or services to take more equipment or services from the telephony provider to reinvest in their electronic customer services.
Finally, may I take the liberty of offering a suggestion to the travel industry on behalf of Cable andWireless Communications. Local rate numbers are still very much alive and well.
Those travel agencies looking to take advantage of these tariffs should simply ask for them.
Kate Griffiths
Manager, telebusiness marketing
Cable andWirelessCommunications
London