tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993498847203183398.post3743772170753615484..comments2024-03-29T11:00:39.953+00:00Comments on RevK<sup>®</sup>'s ramblings: Social care / low income mobile tariffsRevKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12369263214193333422noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993498847203183398.post-60689325515568409612017-12-02T11:23:19.420+00:002017-12-02T11:23:19.420+00:00"you'd probably want to ensure the Citize..."you'd probably want to ensure the Citizens Advice website, and similar advice websites are also zero rated"<br /><br />It's a simple matter for calls to Citizen's Advice to be zero-rated. They just need to change to an 0800 number!<br /><br />The fact is, for many years Citizen's Advice used premium rate 0844 and 0845 numbers. They very reluctantly moved to 03 numbers only after much external pressure, for example: (2014) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2597569/Hard-people-calling-government-backed-helpline-debt-advice-charged-41P-A-MINUTE-calls.html and (2016) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3730428/Citizens-Advice-62p-minute-phone-rip-Charity-cashing-desperate-callers-despite-claiming-offer-advice-free.html<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993498847203183398.post-39765405413234109232017-12-02T11:12:15.678+00:002017-12-02T11:12:15.678+00:00DWP changed their helplines for existing claimants...DWP changed their helplines for existing claimants from 0845 numbers to 0345 numbers on 17 March 2014. In late 2017, they are moving them to 0800 numbers. This ensures that no-one has to pay when they make a call.<br /><br />Since 2010, DWP has used 0800 numbers for new benefit claims - except for UC. All new UC claims must be made online. DWP also had a "special arrangement" with the major mobile phone providers to make these calls free of charge from mobile phones. Since 1 July 2015, all 0800 and 0808 numbers have been free-t-caller on landlines and on mobiles.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993498847203183398.post-9746791268061366912017-12-02T11:05:27.447+00:002017-12-02T11:05:27.447+00:00"It would make sense for the universal credit..."It would make sense for the universal credit helpline to move to an 0300 number for this. I am puzzled as to why they are on an 03 and not an 030 number now!"<br /><br />DWP used 0345 numbers as they had migrated from the exactly matching 0845 numbers on 17 March 2014. Since 2007 all users of premium rate 084 and 087 numbers have had the option to move to the exactly matching 034 or 037 number. Calls to 034 and 037 numbers cost exactly the same as calls to 030 numbers and the same as calls to 01, 02 and 033 numbers.<br /><br />As of 30 November 2017, DWP has started moving their benefit helplines to 0800 numbers. The first was the Universal Credit Helpline. Others will follow by the end of 2017. Calls to 0800 and 0808 numbers are free-to-caller on landlines and on mobiles.<br /><br />Since some time in 2010, DWP had already been using 0800 numbers for all new claims for benefits as these could be long calls. However, there was no 0800 number for new claims for Universal Credit as all new UC claims must be made online.<br /><br />Every benefit, including UC, had/has an 0345 helpline number for existing claims. Those are now all changing to 0800 numbers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993498847203183398.post-54393762928849809882017-12-02T10:57:17.930+00:002017-12-02T10:57:17.930+00:00"Mobile data is a tricky one - I image that i..."Mobile data is a tricky one - I image that is not "needed" for a social care package".<br /><br />As more and more public services - and especially benefits claims - move online (likewise, banking and billing for gas, electricity and phone), mobile data must be seen as essential.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993498847203183398.post-59859223623112108062017-12-02T10:53:08.646+00:002017-12-02T10:53:08.646+00:00"Freephone calls from mobile are now set up t..."Freephone calls from mobile are now set up to ensure the mobile operator gets some reverse payment for the call, and so such a service could offer freephone calls (080 at least, even if not 00800) for no charge. The recipient pays."<br /><br />Given Ofcom's reforms effective 1 July 2015, calls to 080 numbers must (not "could") be free-to-caller.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993498847203183398.post-39001154402355507082017-10-19T17:43:10.158+01:002017-10-19T17:43:10.158+01:00I think there is a general problem in that service...I think there is a general problem in that services for the affluent are generally better served and more likely to be internet enabled. Poor are forced to use the lowest common denominator service like a call centre, Hours of waiting on the line to get an answer to a simple question that could be answered with a bit of googling. <br />Stuart Wardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11152511520405147616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993498847203183398.post-21429230489377516322017-10-19T16:07:12.446+01:002017-10-19T16:07:12.446+01:00I would be interested to see how much this tarrif ...I would be interested to see how much this tarrif is actually used these days on landlines, especially with broadband etc. I am visually impaired and pretty much all of the people I know on benefits (and that is over 50) use iPhones with a contract and data allowance. That may have something to do with the fact that iPhones have speech feedback and all the non smartphones don't, but even then would this tarrif really be used by anyone other than the older generations?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06785547595149410996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993498847203183398.post-32106933851262911302017-10-19T10:16:55.287+01:002017-10-19T10:16:55.287+01:00Good point - edited.Good point - edited.RevKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12369263214193333422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993498847203183398.post-88410590277966699872017-10-19T10:14:46.459+01:002017-10-19T10:14:46.459+01:00> Obviously it has to be SIM free
Sorry to be ...> Obviously it has to be SIM free<br /><br />Sorry to be a pedant, but I think you mean SIM Only... ;)rtho782https://www.blogger.com/profile/02052870855136709228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993498847203183398.post-82167542708051439692017-10-19T03:53:36.807+01:002017-10-19T03:53:36.807+01:00I am a tad confused as I understood it was on an 0...I am a tad confused as I understood it was on an 03 number and they are trying to move it to an 080. What number was it on do you think?RevKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12369263214193333422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993498847203183398.post-69737724828998257112017-10-19T01:19:06.054+01:002017-10-19T01:19:06.054+01:00I'm a CAB advisor, and former O2 Tech support ...I'm a CAB advisor, and former O2 Tech support (broadband and Mobile), so I', interested to hear your thoughts on this one Rev.<br /><br />I think the good part of what the market has established with Mobile Telecomms is that incoming calls are free, and keeping an active sim for incoming calls can be done for a £5 or less a month through PAYG, or even Simo, so there's no desperate need for a new plan I think.<br /><br />The problem I think as you've identified is outbound calling. Today May's backdown has seen the Universal Credit helpline moved to 03, and all the benefit lines - hell all government service lines should be too.<br /><br />However, I don't think you can separate off data as being some sideline. The new range of benefits are supposed to be applied for primarily online - they'll only let you apply on the phone if you have some sort of physical impairment from doing so - so having online access is vital, especially as the government is closing job centres and councils are closing libraries.<br /><br />At the very least, you'd have to zero rate gov.uk sites, and you'd probably want to ensure the Citizens Advice website, and similar advice websites are also zero rated... But if the goal is to get people out of the situation, then really they need full access so they can apply for jobs.Chad Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06466797076721870606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993498847203183398.post-28891942021096316962017-10-18T23:49:39.396+01:002017-10-18T23:49:39.396+01:00It's about time people embraced 'federated...It's about time people embraced 'federated' VoIP as an alternative. <br /><br />Obviously it doesn't help those with no internet or data access at all (although my local library offers an hour of free internet access for card holders), but it *should* be relatively straightforward for local and national governments to provide a WebRTC 'portal' to contact various departments free of charge.<br /><br />I noticed A&A are contactable via SIP. Nice touch.marroldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14587482147531978196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993498847203183398.post-34842862093900977882017-10-18T22:57:28.764+01:002017-10-18T22:57:28.764+01:00What about Internet Service Providers? The governm...What about Internet Service Providers? The government is moving more and more services onto the web. Should ISPs be obliged to offer an "at cost price" service for people on benefits?<br /><br />How about gas and electricity companies? Royal Mail? (special stamps?) Supermarkets? (cost price food?) <br /><br />Or benefits could just be made to be sufficient to cover normal living costs.<br /><br />I know which I prefer! <br />Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06921910962154653022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3993498847203183398.post-14228540030895059372017-10-18T21:42:50.835+01:002017-10-18T21:42:50.835+01:00(Long time reader, first time comment-er) With reg...(Long time reader, first time comment-er) With regard to a basic/cheap/low income mobile tariff, I think those already exist, they're just what the market seems to have available. Three for example have a 200min/unlimited-text/500MB PCM plan for £5 per month. I think this is quite reasonable really. Sure it's a 12month contract but it doesn't change price after the 12 months, it retains that plan monthly unless you change it. I'm currently on the £9 one (4GB/unlimited-calls/unlimited-txt) and have been for a couple of years.<br /><br />I feel that the real issue is the limitations of only having a mobile phone, the main one being that you can't call utilities (AAISP clearly isn't one of these) from a mobile with your inclusive mins. <br /><br />I personally despise the idea that a large company can have a phone number for support when you need them the most that allows them to be able to charge outside of the inclusive minutes of a mobile phone contract. <br /><br />On my landline at least once a year I've doubled my monthly bill phone bill in order to deal with some fsckup with a utility companyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com