For Argyll

Ofcom, the industry regulator, has failed utterly to control the costs charged by phone operators for 0870 numbers, usually used by the call centres none of us can avoid these days. It has been trying to get companies to bring charges for these numbers into line with charges for normal numbers. It has been ignored. BSkyB and Tiscali have respectively raised charges to 10p a minute and 8p a minute. T-Mobile has doubled the charge for 0870 numbers for people on its Flext scheme. Just now, Flext customers are charged 10p a minute but from the end of July the charge will be 20p a minute and some T-Mobile contracts will charge as much as 40p a minute for 0870 calls. Tim Wolfenden, head of uSwitch.com, the price comparisons website, is quoted as saying ‘Not everyone is going to listen to the regulator’. Ofcom is consulting with phone groups on tariffs and is to issue a ruling this Autumn which might compel the reduction of these charges.