Home > Consultations > Consultation Documents > Raising Confidence in Telephone Nos > Statement

Statement

Summary

The purpose of this document

1.1 This document confirms one specific Ofcom decision on how telephone numbers will be regulated in the future. This decision concerns placing an obligation on originating communications providers (‘OCPs’) to follow the pricing-related requirements of the UK National Telephone Numbering Plan (‘the Plan’), for calls to 03 numbers and to 070 Personal Numbers (‘PNs’). This obligation affects how Ofcom can enforce those requirements.

1.2 Ofcom is responsible for managing telephone numbers effectively. This includes making sure that enough numbers continue to be available to consumers, so that they can benefit from the services which numbers support. We also aim to ensure continued trust in the meaning provided by numbers, so that consumers can use them with confidence.

1.3 The specific decision in this document directly concerns the second of those two objectives: consumer confidence. That confidence has been threatened by confusion about the prices and services associated with certain numbers, including services beginning with 08 numbers. Consumer confidence has also been threatened by the misuse by some communications providers (‘CPs’) of certain types of numbers, such as numbers beginning with ‘070’, which tends to bring all services offered on such numbers into disrepute.

1.4 Having set out our general strategic framework and proposed changes to the Plan in July 2006 (‘the July document’) , Ofcom published a further document in February 2007 (‘the February document’) . The February document included two decisions and modifications to the Plan that are relevant to this document:

• the creation of a new range of numbers - beginning with ‘03’ – which we think many customers will trust to a significant degree. Consumers will pay no more to call 03 numbers than they would to call a geographic number (beginning with ‘01’ or ‘02’). We think that many businesses, public services and voluntary services will want to enable their customers to call them on 03 numbers rather than 08 numbers; and
• increased consumer protection from abuses on some existing 070 PN services. For these numbers - which are often confused with mobile numbers – the Plan requires that (from 1 September 2007) callers get a free announcement about call costs, before the call begins, for any call costing over 20p (per minute or per call).

1.5 As well as making changes to the Plan, the February document consulted on one specific proposal in order to make those changes to 03 and 070 more effective, and thereby support consumer confidence. That proposal was to require OCPs to follow the new pricing and pre-announcement requirements of the Plan for 03 and 070 numbers. Ofcom proposed that this obligation should be placed on all OCPs, through an amendment to General Condition 17 (‘GC 17’) of the Conditions of Entitlement. The GCs are a set of rules that apply to CPs, and GC 17 contains obligations relating to how telephone numbers are to be used.

Policy decision

We are promoting consumer confidence about pricing arrangements for 03 numbers and 070 personal numbers by requiring all originating communications providers to follow the requirements of the Plan, through an amendment to General Condition 17

1.6 Having considered the representations made in responses, Ofcom today amends GC 17 so that all OCPs are directly responsible for adhering to the Plan in respect of 03 and 070 numbers.

1.7 The final amendment is adjusted slightly from that which we consulted on, in terms of clarifying the wording and changing the placement of the obligation within GC 17. There is, however, no substantive change to the effect of the amendment.

1.8 Ofcom in due course plans to consider the case for a GC 17 amendment that would make all OCPs subject to the requirements of the Plan in the same way as for 03 and 070 numbers.

Implementation of 03 and 070 obligations

1.9 Ofcom consulted in the July document on the relevant changes to the Plan for these number ranges, and made consequent changes to the Plan in the February document. Ofcom policy and the Plan in respect of these number ranges were not therefore subject to consultation in the February document.

1.10 The obligation in respect of 070 numbers therefore remains that tariff pre-announcements should be provided from 1 September 2007 for any call to PNs that exceed 20p (on a per minute or per call basis). The decision to require pre-call announcements above some price trigger was published in the July document. However, given some response comments on the February document, Ofcom has provided further clarification of what might constitute acceptable content for a generic 070 pre-call announcement message. Whilst any message needs at least to indicate the maximum charge that could be incurred for 070 calls, alternatives to the example message that Ofcom gave in the February document may be preferred from practicality, consumer or competitive perspectives.

1.11 On 03 numbers, the obligation implemented in the Plan through the February document also is unchanged. Ofcom developed simple tariff arrangements for 03 calls, which are supported strongly by consumer research and opinion. The GC 17 amendment requires all OCPs to follow those tariff arrangements. Ofcom believes that these simple tariff features should make 03 numbers a popular choice for many service providers (‘SPs’), and make 03 numbers a relevant option for locally-based as well as nationally-based SPs. It should be noted that, in answer to comments in some consultation responses to the February document, Ofcom is not delaying or deferring its plans for 03 or 0870 calls. The two ranges involve different issues and Ofcom maintains that the policies are consistent.

Implications for stakeholders

Customers

1.12 For customers, the implementation of the GC 17 amendment underpins the introduction of 03 numbers and the extra protection provided on 070 PNs. It means that consumer benefits will be provided when calling from all providers on all lines – whether a BT line, any other fixed line, a mobile or a payphone.

1.13 The new 03 range is designed to provide consumer certainty and confidence to make calls. It will thereby address the key customer concerns about many 08 numbers, and should increase willingness to make calls. The 03 range will deliver benefits in that:

• call tariffs and call discounts will be the same as calls to geographic (01 or 02) numbers. This applies to all call minutes, including ones that are part of the customer’s inclusive minutes;
• revenue sharing is not permitted, so callers can know in advance that they are paying only for the call, not for contributions to the organisation being called; and
• Ofcom has made available a dedicated part of the 03 number range for the exclusive use of public bodies and other not-for-profit organisations, to make it easier for them to offer 03 services using memorable numbers.

1.14 Ofcom hopes that the first 03 services will be launched within the next month or two. CPs are currently involved in technical preparations to offer 03 services, as well as discussions with other CPs and SPs about charges and other arrangements for offering 03 services.

1.15 For 070 PNs Ofcom has provided a degree of protection to consumers calling those numbers. If a call to a 070 number costs more than 20p (per minute or per call), customers will get a free-to-caller pre-call announcement about the charge involved. Such pre-announcements should be provided from 1 September 2007. Whilst the exact wording of the pre-call announcement may differ between CPs, we would expect all customers to be better protected by this measure.

Service providers

1.16 For SPs, we anticipate that 03 numbers will involve similar services to 08 numbers, such as managing call volumes in a flexible way and collecting useful call data. We expect 03 numbers to be attractive to a variety of SPs, including public services. Since mid-March 2007 Ofcom already has allocated about nine million 03 numbers to about 60 CPs, many of which are the more memorable numbers. A variety of numbers is now available. We recommend that SPs who are interested in acquiring a 03 number should contact their CPs about the available numbers and the commercial issues involved.

1.17 SPs using 070 numbers are advised to note the changes being introduced and to consider their possible impact on the interconnection arrangements for 070 numbers.

Communications providers

1.18 The GC 17 amendment means that all OCPs who have retail relationships with consumers have the following obligations deriving from the Plan amendments made in the February document, and the GC 17 amendment that takes effect today:

• For 03 calls, retail pricing must match that for calls to 01 and 02 numbers, with immediate effect. This includes a requirement to treat calls to 03 numbers like calls to standard 01 and 02 numbers in respect of their inclusion in bundled minutes and whether they qualify for discount packages; and
• From 1 September 2007, for any calls to 070 numbers exceeding 20p (per minute or per call) OCPs must ensure that customers receive a pre-call announcement informing them of the price they might pay for the call.

1.19 OCPs that have a retail relationship with customers are responsible for ensuring that free-to-caller pre-call announcements are provided for 070 calls where appropriate. Resellers need to arrange for this commercially with the network OCP originating their calls. Ofcom has set out various acceptable forms for the content of a generic message that might be provided by a network OCP to cover 070 calls by customers from various resellers on its network .

1.20 OCPs should note that Ofcom has stated that it will consider using its powers to place an obligation on all public electronic communications networks (‘PECNs’) if end-to-end-connectivity is not provided to customers (thereby enabling customers to call all number ranges) . Also, whilst costs may be incurred by some OCPs to implement pre-call announcements, we expect those costs to be recoverable.

Other progress on numbering

1.21 As described, the measures in this document are part of a long-term plan for telephone numbers. Several other strands of work are involved in implementing that plan. These include a review of the detailed service and tariff descriptions for each type of number (including 08 and 09 numbers), for which we expect to consult later in 2007 on detailed proposals.

1.22 Ofcom is making no changes to the geographic telephone numbers traditionally used by most households and businesses. We do not think that this is needed, mainly because of changes we have made to how we manage the allocation and use of telephone numbers, so that they can be used more efficiently by the growing number of CPs that want these numbers. Ofcom will also continue to monitor the availability of geographic numbers and take appropriate steps to minimise disruption to consumers and businesses.

• Guidance on bodies eligible to use ‘030’ telephone numbers
  Version 2 - 31 May 2007
• Raising confidence in telephone numbers [pdf]
  Full Print Version

Back to top