Ask our Expert

How much do calls to 0844 numbers cost?

Our Home Phone expert says...

Hello Christa, thanks for getting in touch. It’s always a good idea to know how much calls are costing you - ideally before you make them so that nasty phone bill surprises can be avoided.

It’s easy to get confused about what’s included in your deal and which calls cost you extra. Depending on your Virgin Media (www.virginmedia.com) package, calls to other UK landlines and even to mobiles could be covered by your monthly fee.

But certain numbers are almost never included in call packages - regardless of which provider you choose. What’s most annoying is they are often numbers we have little choice about ringing, like technical helplines and doctors’ surgeries.

Unfortunately, most 0844 numbers fall into this category.

How expensive are 0844 numbers?

I’m sure you’ll be pleased to know, Christa, that 0844 numbers are not charged at a “premium” rate and are far from being the most expensive to call. However, they are rarely covered by monthly home phone fees and show up on you itemised bill with other paid calls.

Calls to 0844 numbers - used by lots of companies for customer service lines - are not included in any of Virgin Media’s talk plans. The cost of phoning an 0844 number varies, but with a Virgin Media line you typically pay around 5p a minute, plus a call connection fee of about 13p for each call.

The cost of calling a specific phone number can usually be found on the Phonepay Plus website. Usage of 0844 numbers in the UK is regulated by Phonepay Plus, the organisation that looks after premium rate services in the UK.

What does my Virgin Media phone package include?

Whether you are charged for a phone call will depend on the Virgin Media call package you receive. Remember that while other providers may charge less or more, you will also be paying for a landline - so it’s a good idea to compare line rental as well as just the cost of making calls.

Virgin Media customers pay £13.90 a month for line rental, which is more than people with TalkTalk (www.talktalk.co.uk), BT (www.bt.com) or Primus Saver, though another provider may charge more for calls and calling features. Below is a brief outline of some popular Virgin Media packages.

It is worth noting that after 60 minutes on the phone, even calls included in your package will be charged at the standard rate - but you can redial within an hour to avoid paying.

Mobiles

While calls to Virgin Mobile customers may be included in your monthly home phone package, you could be charged as much as 31p a minute for calling mobiles on other networks. For £2 a month on top of your standard fee, a Talk Mobile makes all calls to non-Virgin mobiles 10p a minute.

International

The cost of calls to international destinations varies enormously. Standard rates can be anywhere from 60p to £3 a minute, but a Talk International add-on considerably reduces these charges. It could provide value for money if you regularly call people abroad.

0845/0870

Calls to 0845 numbers are excluded from all Virgin Media call packages, so will always be charged at a rate of around 10p a minute. With 0870 numbers, as long as you phone at the right time - if you’re on the Talk Weekends or Talk Evenings & Weekends packages - your monthly fee will cover it.

Directory Enquiries

Be especially careful when using directory enquiries services, as these often carry a premium charge. The only one that’s free to Virgin Media customers is the provider’s own 118 180 number. Others, such as Yell, BT or 118 118 cost anything from 40p to £3 every time you call.

What can I do to prevent massive phone bills?

The simplest way to avoid unexpectedly high phone bills is to make sure you fully understand your home phone package. You need to be clear on what is and isn’t included, as well as how much you will have to pay in charges and costs for calls not covered by the monthly fee. If you subscribe to a limited package like Virgin Media’s Talk Weekends, you could save money by waiting until Saturday and Sunday to make less urgent calls.

Before dialling an 0844, 0845 or 0870 number it’s worth checking beforehand how much you’ll be charged. You could also consider using other forms of communication, such as email or text, where the option is available, or even an internet phone service like Vonage (www.vonage.co.uk).

If you want cheap phone bills, it is also best to avoid premium rate phone numbers - usually starting 09 - used for phone votes for TV shows such as The X Factor and competitions. These normally incur a fixed fee, which could be anywhere from a few pence to £1 or more.

If you have children, it may be worth paying around £2 a month extra for a call barring feature. This is another add-on product which essentially blocks premium rate phone numbers. It could be useful for anyone with a house full of young X Factor fans eager to keep their favourites in the show!

Can I get cheaper calls with a different provider?

Virgin Media is not the cheapest home phone provider, but that isn’t to say it can’t provide the best value for money. If you’re looking to lower your costs, you may want to compare prices - but don’t forget to look at line rental as well as just the headline monthly fee.

The cheapest UK line rental is currently available from Primus Saver, exclusively through Homephonechoices.co.uk, for £6.79 a month. Its standard call rates are also some of the lowest on offer at the moment.

However, there may be other home phone providers that offer packages more suitable to your needs. As well as comparing prices, you might like to look at customer feedback online or ask friends and family about their providers.

Also, remember that if you receive Virgin Media broadband and/or TV services, bundling your broadband with a phone package or your broadband and TV with a phone package with a single provider often offers much better value for money than signing up with several different companies.

Ask us a question

If you have a general switching or provider query please email us at ourexpert@homephonechoices.co.uk