The 03 Number Range - revenue sharing

About this document

03 telephone numbers are UK-wide, non-geographic numbers typically used to provide voice services such as customer service helplines and public services. The retail price charged for calls to 03 numbers must not exceed that of calls to standard geographic numbers, i.e. those that begin 01 or 02. Calls to 03 numbers must be included in any call allowances or discounts offered to customers in the same way as geographic calls. Communications providers are not allowed to share revenues they receive for 03 calls with end-users.

In this document we clarify that callers are end-users with respect to 03 calls and therefore communications providers are prohibited from sharing with them any revenues they receive, directly or indirectly, from calls to 03 numbers allocated to or operated by them. We consider that such revenue-sharing by communications providers could put at risk call allowances commonly provided to subscribers, encourage inefficient use of the telephone network and undermine consumer confidence in the 03 number range. We provide examples of services that are prohibited by our regulations.