Council's wrong number

I read with dismay that Sandwell Council is making £1,000 per month from residents because they are made to use an 0845 telephone number to get in touch with council offices.

And then, just to rub salt into our wounds, Cllr Pauline Hinton comes out with the statement: "We would like to reassure residents that the cost of calling our 0845 numbers at the contact centre from a standard BT line is the same as the cost of calling an 0121 number" (September 7). Does she think we are all stupid or what?

Most people these days either sign up to calling plans (either BT or Cable) that are all inclusive, meaning that all numbers starting with 01, 02 or 03 are free and unlimited as to how many times you ring and how long you are on the phone.

Likewise some people only have mobiles and no landline, and again the contract from the mobile company is similar, in that 01, 02 and 03 numbers are free.

But both landline and mobile deals do not allow for free calls to 0845, 0870, 0871Êetc and you get charged for the connection as well as the call.

So Cllr Hinton, how do you work out that it's the same to call your 0845 number as it is to call your 0121 number? I suggest you know the true facts before you make comments like that again.

Also I would like to make readers aware (some may already know) that if you have a PC and are connected to the internet, there is a website (which is all legal and above board) called "say no to 0870" (www.sayno-to0870.com) that allows you to search for alternative numbers to the 0845, 0870, 0871 etc that a lot of companies are using.Ê

I have used this website for about eight months now and the big companies (eg British Gas, Npower, Sky) who all have these premium numbers, all have alternative numbers to phone which are free on inclusive call packages.

Try it and you will be surprised how many times we are all ripped off by these premium numbers.

Carl Burkitt

Connor Road, West Bromwich.