What is an 0871 number?

Answer 1

Calling an 0871 or 0872 number has three cost components:

1. The "service charge" or "revenue share" or "premium".

This varies from 5p/min to 10p/min depending on exactly which number you call.

Every caller, whether from landline or mobile, pays the same amount of "service charge".

Ofcom maintains a list of these rates.

2. The "access charge" or "markup" or "profit".

Callers from BT landlines pay ZERO for this component. BT is regulated to make no profit on calls to 0843, 0844, 0871 and 0872 numbers.

Callers from other landlines pay 2p/min to 10p/min "access charge" and this varies depending on who you pay your phone bill to; e.g. Virgin is approx 4p/min.

Callers using mobile phones pay 10p/min to 30p/min for this component, and it varies depending on which mobile operator you pay your phone bill to.

3. VAT

VAT is currently 20% of the total price.

Note: 0870 numbers currently work slightly differently. The revenue share for 0870 numbers was approx 5p/min but varied depending on the provider. Ofcom scrapped revenue sharing on 0870 numbers in 2009. The call price from landlines is usually about 5p/min to 10p/min but many landline providers allow these calls within inclusive minutes. Ofcom is likely to align 0870 pricing with that for 0871 and 0872 numbers in April or May 2013 with the introduction of "unbundled tariffs".