CAT ruling to highlight benefits of local phone numbers?

Date: 10/08/2011

Businesses and other organisations may wish to consider switching to local phone numbers in order to keep customers happy following a recent tribunal ruling involving BT.

The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) adjudged the fixed-line telecoms provider is allowed to charge mobile phone networks higher rates for terminating calls made to non-geographic numbers, reversing Ofcom's ruling in 2010 that such charges could not be implemented

Firms such as Vodafone, O2 and Everything Everywhere will now have to pay substantial sums to BT if they do not alter the amount they charge consumers to call such numbers - costs that could be passed on to mobile phone users.

Businesses can avoid the risk of clients becoming angry about the amount they are charged to call such lines by switching to local phone numbers, which are often covered by inclusive call packages offered by mobile networks to those on monthly contracts.

Some Sheffield GP surgeries are yet to switch to geographical numbers despite legislation giving them a deadline of July 31st to do so, according to the local Star newspaper.