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Chapter 4 - DQ timing and Cost Comparisons

Overall Performance

4.1 As mentioned above some DQ providers offer more than one level or type of service and as such have more than one '118 number' to distinguish between them, in addition there are various pricing structures. The following tables show the performance of each DQ supplier for residential and business requests ranked by call duration and by cost. Each table shows three variables:

• cost (based on calls made from a BT landline);
• time taken to obtain one number; and
• accuracy of the number given.
  

4.2 The relative importance of each of these factors will differ from consumer to consumer - for example some may not mind having to wait a long time if the cost is lower whereas for others speed may be more important than cost. Therefore, the following tables illustrate the data based on each of these aspects and according to type of request. No overall ranking has been calculated.

4.3 The tables that have been ordered on cost should not be taken as an indication of recommended 'best buys' from Ofcom or ICSTIS.

4.4 The overall average time spent waiting for a call to national DQ services to be answered in person was eight seconds. Calls to 118 866 (Telegate) had the shortest average waiting time (two seconds) and calls to 118 429 (118 GAY) the longest (19 seconds).

4.5 The overall average times from the end of dialling to being given a residential number and to being given a business number (chargeable time) were very similar: 47 seconds for residential and 40 seconds for a business number.

4.6 Average costs based on up-to-date pricing information (inclusive of VAT) and the average time taken from the end of dialling to receiving the number requested ranged between 27p and 65p. Around half of all requests cost less than 40p to obtain one number. Given that price structures vary according to provider (i.e. some providers have per-minute charge structures, and others have per-call charges) the length of time taken to obtain the number does not in all cases directly correspond with the overall cost. It should also be noted that pricing comparisons have been based on charges for the directory enquiry itself, and some tariffs have been structured in order to be attractive to those wanting to onward call connect.

Figure 4a: Average time (seconds) from end of dialling number and being answered, to obtaining information (chargeable time) - compared with overall accuracy and cost

DQ No. (196 requests each)	DQ Provider	Time taken (seconds)	Total cost (pence)	Overall accuracy (all)
118 499	Share Charity	33.9	42	91%
118 355	Telegate	34.7	30	96%
118 429	118 GAY	34.8	29	96%
118 288	Kingston	35.4	35	94%
118 848	Conduit	36.1	27	86%
118 111	One.tel	36.1	35	88%
118 000	Orange	36.4	49	83%
118 321	Tesco	37	35	85%
118 878	ntl	37.3	40	87%
118 770	Telewest	38	30	91%
118 099	Cable and Wireless	38.4	35	86%
118 747	UK Directory Assistance (Jumbo Directories)	38.2	65	89%
118 114	Opal Telecom	38.5	40	86%
118 866	Telegate	38.5	55	93%
118 877	Telco Global	38.9	33	85%
118 511	British Gas	39.2	35	89%
118 811	The Number UK Ltd	40.2	30	92%
118 119	192.com	40.3	45	90%
118 707	BT	41	29	83%
118 180	Telewest	41	45	83%
118 888 (Welsh)	Conduit	41.2	45	81%
118 888	Conduit	41.4	45	80%
118 800	Directory Enquiries UK	41.8	35	91%
118 118	The Number UK Ltd	42.6	55	90%
118 500	BT	44.2	51	93%
118 404 (Welsh)	BT	44.7	51	95%
118 212	Maureen	44.9	40	86%
118 080	Simunix	46	50	89%
118 247	Yell Ltd	47.8	32	89%
118 453	Freedom Discovery	54.1	36	90%

* Some service providers offer multiple services and pricing structures (see paragraph 4.1)

Base: All requests, 5880 requests, March 2004

 

Figure 4b: Average time (seconds) from end of dialling number and being answered, to obtaining information (chargeable time) - compared with accuracy of provision of residential requests and cost

DQ No. (96 requests each)	DQ provider	Time taken (seconds)	Total cost (pence)	Overall accuracy (residential)
118 355	Telegate	35.3	30	94%
118 866	Telegate	37.8	55	90%
118 848	Conduit	39	27	75%
118 770	Telewest	41	30	89%
118 800	Directory Enquiries UK	41	35	93%
118 099	Cable and Wireless	41.5	35	89%
118 111	One.tel	41.8	35	92%
118 747	UK Directory Assistance (Jumbo Directories)	42	65	79%
118 321	Tesco	42.4	35	87%
118 288	Kingston	43	35	83%
118 114	Opal Telecom	43	40	83%
118 499	Share Charity	43	47	87%
118 429	118 GAY	44	37	86%
118 707	BT	45	29	79%
118 878	ntl	45	40	86%
118 511	British Gas	45.1	35	87%
118 877	Telco Global	45.5	34	86%
118 000	Orange	45.8	49	79%
118 119	192.com	47	49	91%
118 180	Telewest	47.5	49	75%
118 888	Conduit	47.8	46	81%
118 453	Freedom Discovery	48.8	33	90%
118 212	Maureen	51.3	42	93%
118 888 (Welsh)	Conduit	53.2	47	84%
118 500	BT	54.2	54	79%
118 247	Yell Ltd	57	38	89%
118 811	The Number UK Ltd	57.7	30	85%
118 404 (Welsh)	BT	58.7	55	89%
118 080	Simunix	59.5	50	91%
118 118	The Number UK Ltd	60.6	58	86%

Base: All residential requests, 2880 requests, March2004

Figure 4c: Average time (seconds) from end of dialling number and being answered, to obtaining information (chargeable time) - compared with accuracy of provision of business requests and cost

DQ No. (100 requests each)	DQ provider	Time taken (seconds)	Total cost (pence)	Overall accuracy (business)
118 499	Share Charity	32.5	41	91%
118 429	118 GAY	33.5	28	97%
118 288	Kingston	34.2	35	96%
118 321	Tesco	36.2	35	85%
118 878	ntl	36.2	40	87%
118 355	Telegate	34.6	30	96%
118 848	Conduit	35.7	27	88%
118 000	Orange	35	49	84%
118 877	Telco Global	37.9	33	85%
118 111	One.tel	35.2	35	88%
118 811	The Number UK Ltd	37.5	30	93%
118 511	British Gas	38.3	35	89%
118 119	192.com	39.3	45	90%
118 099	Cable and Wireless	38	35	86%
118 770	Telewest	37.6	30	91%
118 118	The Number UK Ltd	39.9	55	90%
118 866	Telegate	38.6	55	94%
118 747	UK Directory Assistance (Jumbo Directories)	37.7	64	91%
118 114	Opal Telecom	37.8	40	86%
118 180	Telewest	40	45	84%
118 707	BT	40.4	29	83%
118 800	Directory Enquiries UK Ltd	42	35	91%
118 404 (Welsh)	BT	42.6	51	96%
118 500	BT	43.6	51	95%
118 080	Simunix	44	50	89%
118 212	Maureen	44	40	85%
118 247	Yell Ltd	46.4	31	89%
118 888 (Welsh)	Conduit	48.1	46	81%
118 888	Conduit	49.6	46	80%
118 453	Freedom Discovery	54.9	37	90%

Base: All business requests, 3000 requests, March 2004

 

Figure 4d: Average cost (pence) based on average time taken from end of dialling number and being answered, to obtaining information (chargeable time) - compared with average time and accuracy of provision of all requests

DQ No. (196 requests each)	DQ Provider	Total cost (pence)	Time taken (seconds)	Overall accuracy
118 848	Conduit	27	36.1	86%
118 707	BT	29	41	83%
118 429	118 GAY	29	34.8	96%
118 355	Telegate	30	34.7	96%
118 770	Telewest	30	38	91%
118 811	The Number UK Ltd	30	40.2	92%
118 247	Yell Ltd	32	47.8	89%
118 877	Telco Global	33	38.9	85%
118 288	Kingston	35	35.4	94%
118 111	One.tel	35	36.1	88%
118 321	Tesco	35	37	85%
118 099	Cable and Wireless	35	38.4	86%
118 511	British Gas	35	39.2	89%
118 800	Directory Enquiries UK	35	41.8	91%
118 453	Freedom Discovery	36	54.1	90%
118 878	ntl	40	37.3	87%
118 114	Opal Telecom	40	38.5	86%
118 212	Maureen	40	44.9	86%
118 499	Share Charity	42	33.9	91%
118 888 (Welsh)	Conduit	45	41.2	81%
118 888	Conduit	45	41.4	80%
118 119	192.com	45	40.3	90%
118 180	Telewest	45	41	83%
118 000	Orange	49	36.4	83%
118 080	Simunix	50	46	89%
118 500	BT	51	44.2	93%
118 404	BT	51	44.7	95%
118 866	Telegate	55	38.5	93%
118 118	The Number UK Ltd	55	42.6	90%
118 747	UK Directory Assistance (Jumbo Directories)	65	38.2	89%

Base: All requests, 5880 requests, March 2004

 

Figure 4e: Average cost (pence) based on average time taken from end of dialling number and being answered, to obtaining information (chargeable time) - compared with average time and accuracy of provision of residential requests

DQ No. (196 requests each)	DQ provider	Total cost (pence)	Time taken (seconds)	Overall accuracy (residential)
118 848	Conduit	27	39	75%
118 707	BT	29	45	79%
118 355	Telegate	30	35.3	94%
118 770	Telewest	30	41	89%
118 811	The Number UK Ltd	30	57.7	85%
118 453	Freedom Discovery	33	48.8	90%
118 877	Telco Global	34	45.5	86%
118 800	Directory Enquiries UK	35	41	93%
118 099	Cable and Wireless	35	41.5	89%
118 111	One.tel	35	41.8	92%
118 321	Tesco	35	42.4	87%
118 288	Kingston	35	43	83%
118 511	British Gas	35	45.1	87%
118 429	118 GAY	37	44	86%
118 247	Yell Ltd	38	57	89%
118 114	Opal Telecom	40	43	83%
118 878	ntl	40	45	86%
118 212	Maureen	42	51.3	93%
118 888	Conduit	46	47.8	81%
118 888 (Welsh)	Conduit	47	53.2	84%
118 499	Share Charity	47	43	87%
118 000	Orange	49	45.8	79%
118 119	192.com	49	47	91%
118 180	Telewest	49	47.5	75%
118 080	Simunix	50	59.5	91%
118 500	BT	54	54.2	79%
118 866	Telegate	55	37.8	90%
118 404	BT	55	58.7	89%
118 118	The Number UK Ltd	58	60.6	86%
118 747	UK Directory Assistance (Jumbo Directories)	65	42	79%

Base: All residential requests, 2880 requests, March 2004

 

Figure 4f: Average cost (pence) based on average time taken from end of dialling number and being answered, to obtaining information (chargeable time) - compared with average time and accuracy of provision of business requests

DQ No. (196 requests to each)	DQ provider	Total cost (pence)	Time taken (seconds)	Overall accuracy (business)
118 848	Conduit	27	35.7	88%
118 429	118 GAY	28	33.5	97%
118 707	BT	29	40.4	83%
118 355	Telegate	30	34.6	96%
118 811	The Number UK Ltd	30	37.5	93%
118 770	Telewest	30	37.6	91%
118 247	Yell Ltd	31	46.4	89%
118 877	Telco Global	33	37.9	85%
118 288	Kingston	35	34.2	96%
118 111	One.tel	35	35.2	88%
118 321	Tesco	35	36.2	85%
118 099	Cable and Wireless	35	38	86%
118 511	British Gas	35	38.3	89%
118 800	Directory Enquiries UK Ltd	35	42	91%
118 453	Freedom Discovery	37	54.9	90%
118 878	ntl	40	36.2	87%
118 114	Opal Telecom	40	37.8	86%
118 212	Maureen	40	44	85%
118 499	Share Charity	41	32.5	91%
118 888 (Welsh)	Conduit	46	48.1	81%
118 888	Conduit	46	49.6	80%
118 119	192.com	45	39.3	90%
118 180	Telewest	45	40	84%
118 000	Orange	49	35	84%
118 080	Simunix	50	44	89%
118 404 (Welsh)	BT	51	42.6	96%
118 500	BT	51	43.6	95%
118 866	Telegate	55	38.6	94%
118 118	The Number UK Ltd	55	39.9	90%
118 747	UK Directory Assistance (Jumbo Directories)	64	37.7	91%

Base: All business requests, 3000 requests, March 2004

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