Travel companies face thousands of pounds in extra charges when telecoms regulator OFCOM’s new charging structure for 0870 numbers comes into force in February 2008.
The cost of calling an 0870 number will fall from 7p a minute to 3p for those using a BT landline. Network providers will be banned from sharing revenue from the number with the company that owns it.
This can be worth up to £100,000 a month to big-volume call centres, according to Harry Bott, director of marketing firm Mediahawk.
Bott said: “Telecoms providers have warned they will charge for an 0870 number to cover the costs of the service. Where a company is getting a rebate of £10,000 a month now, instead it will have to pay £10,000 a month. That is £20,000 in lost income.”
OFCOM justified the switch in charging structure by saying consumers are confused about the cost of calling 0870 numbers.
Spokeswoman Helen Simpson said: “From February, consumers will know the cost before they make a call. It will either be the same as a standard number or the company must make a free pre-announcement stating how much it will charge.”
She said the charges to companies by telecoms providers were not part of the OFCOM changes.
Income-sharing will continue with 0871 numbers, to which calls cost up to 10p a minute. However, 0871 numbers cannot be called from abroad and will fall under the remit of premium-rate regulator Icstis from February 2008.
Thomson said it would move to using 0871 numbers on February 1. A spokesman said: “We have made a significant investment in call-centre staff and telephony. There is no point paying extra costs for calls we receive.”
Thomas Cook said the issue remained under review.
A spokesperson for Brittany Ferries said the company would replace its 0870 numbers with 0871, but has yet to decide the charges to callers.