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Published March 2006

Executive Summary

Significant improvement in general accuracy levels across the DQ market with 95% of calls to 118 services resulting in the exact number or an acceptable alternative being given, and 90% being given the exact number

• The level of ‘general accuracy’^(-1-) has increased to 95% in November 2005 from 91% in November 2004, with a range across DQ providers from 87% to 96%.
• ‘Specific accuracy’^(-2-) at 90% remains statistically unchanged from previous reports, although for residential requests it has improved from 83% in April and November 2004 to 88% in November 2005.
• In 4% of calls to DQ providers no number was given despite the information being available to the provider.
• In only 1% of calls was the number offered neither the exact number nor an acceptable alternative.

Spontaneous awareness of a real 118 number is around one in two. Awareness, and reported use, is highest for 118 118 and 118 500

• Around half of UK adults can spontaneously recollect a genuine “118” number, confirming the fall from 60% to 53% between April and November 2004. Upon prompting this rises to two in three.
• Spontaneous awareness among DQ users is 80%.
• There is also a fall in reported use; with fewer than half of UK adults saying they now use DQ services (with almost two-thirds calling mainly from fixed-lines). Perceived increases in costs are cited as the main reason for lower use of DQ services.
• 118 118 The Number and 118 500 BT are the most frequently used services, reported by consumers^(-3-) as being called by 42% and 26% of DQ users respectively. The next most popular 118 number is reported as being called by 6%. Both fixed-line and mobile customers say they choose a service because they know about it primarily through advertising or the ease of remembering the number.

Levels of satisfaction with 118 services are generally high and have improved since 2004. On balance 192 is still thought to have been better and consumers continue to say that increased choice is ‘not that important’

• Satisfaction with DQ providers is up six points to 54% since November 2004 and those who have chosen a particular provider are more satisfied than those who have not.
• Although 192 is still perceived to be better, there is a warming towards 118 with most now saying 118 services are as good as, or better than, 192 with those considering it to be worse having fallen to fewer than one in three.
• Most DQ users only use one provider and therefore feel that having a choice is not important. Over two-thirds of consumers say that the level of choice is confusing.
• Just under half feel that competition will have benefits in reduced cost and improved service.

• The number of complaints to Ofcom about DQ services has now fallen to its lowest level since liberalisation, and is lower than the number of complaints to Oftel before liberalisation.

Awareness of additional services offered by 118 providers is increasing

• Consumers may not be making the most of the potential of the services offered by DQ providers as knowledge of the additional services is not comprehensive.
• Text-back service has notably improved both in terms of its stated availability and the delivery of text messages. Call Connect is correctly mentioned in the majority of cases though call handlers are still not always stating the onward call charges.
• Half of adults are aware of any of the additional options (up from November 2004) and awareness is highest for call connect and text-back (just over a quarter for each).
• Lack of knowledge about costs may also play a role in limiting use of services as only one in ten DQ service users who have a mobile are aware that the text-back service is free.

Call costs vary widely across providers and networks, with calls from mobiles more expensive than from fixed lines

• The average call cost from a BT fixed line phone is 54p, up 4p from November 2004.
• By comparison, the legacy 192 service cost 40p from a BT phone when it was discontinued in August 2003.
• Calls from a BT fixed line to 13 of the 30 services tested cost 40p (the cost of BT’s old 192 service when it ceased in August 2003) or less.
• The average call duration to obtain a single number is 45 seconds. Calls requesting a residential number are on average four seconds longer than those for a business number.
• There is a range of different pricing structures. These vary widely and depend on which network is used and which DQ provider is called.
• The lowest costs tend to be those which are charged at a flat fee rather than on the basis of call duration.
• There is little correlation between accuracy and cost.
• In November 2004 the range of costs was 27p to 65p. Costs for all but one of the services now range from 29p to 66p. 118 866 Ring True has raised its initial charge to £1.50, and an average call now costs £1.71.
• Calls to DQ providers from mobiles are generally more expensive than those from fixed lines. Of the mobile network providers “3” is generally the cheapest and Orange the most expensive.
• The least expensive call to a mobile is to 118 888 Conduit (40p) on Virgin Mobile, and the most expensive is 118 499 Share Charity (£2) on the Orange network.

Call costs are not well known, although information comparing costs between 118 providers does not seem to be important to the majority of consumers

• Given the wide variation costs and how costs are calculated it is perhaps not surprising that call costs are not well understood by consumers. Many are neither able to say what their chosen provider charges for a single call nor where they would go for trusted information.
• On the whole, 118 services are perceived to be more expensive than 192 although the perception remains that 192 services were cheaper than was actually the case.
• The majority of DQ users are unlikely to use information comparing DQ costs, and almost half do not know where they could find trusted information about 118 services.

Footnotes:

1.- ‘general accuracy’ – ‘a request results in the correct number being given and in the case of business requests the number reaches the requested business but not necessarily the requested department’

2.- ‘specific accuracy’ – ‘a request results in the correct number and in the case of business requests the number reaches the requested department’

3.- Reported usage does not necessarily reflect market share. The awareness survey did not cover businesses, and among consumers users of different DQ services may have different usage patterns.

The full document is available below:

30|03|06
This version corrects an error in the original publication. The 118 747 service is provided not by BT, but by UK Directory Assistance.

• Evaluation of Directory Enquiry Services [pdf]
  Full print version

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