National Rail Enquiries (NRE) telephone number changes from 0845 to 0345

[All Line Rover]

The telephone number for National Rail Enquiries has changed from 08457 48 49 50 to 03457 48 49 50. Although the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, which came into force on 13 June 2014, have forced most companies offering customer service numbers to move away from 084x/0847x prefixes to standard-rate prefixes (01/02/03) or freephone (0800/0808), National Rail Enquiries were adamant that this didn't apply to them (including in correspondence with Passenger Focus, who wanted them to change the number) because, and I quote, "The law applies to traders only. As we do not sell tickets or products the law does not apply."; this despite the fact that they are collectively owed by a group of traders - the train operating companies - and provide a customer service function on behalf of those traders.

The NRE number was still 08457 48 49 50 as recently as late March 2015. But it has been changed to 03457 48 49 50 since at least late June 2015. Does anyone know the reason for the sudden change of heart?

 

[dtaylor84]

Don't know, but it could be related to the recent changes (effective from today!) to pricing of non-geographic numbers (08, 09, 118). (See http://ukcalling.info)

Regardless of the thinking behind it, it's great news as it'll now be part of bundled minutes for most callers.

Edit: the old 0845 number now costs "5p/min plus your provider's access charge". The access charge can vary from a few p/min for cheap VoIP providers, up to a whopping 44p/min for EE mobile customers.

Perhaps the thought of angry customers complaining about being charged 49p/min was the reason they changed?

 

[yorkie]

Looks like the previous legislation wasn't good enough as National Rail appeared to find a loophole. But their loophole has now been closed.

It's nice when the boot is on the other foot for a change!

 

[All Line Rover]

Looks like the previous legislation wasn't good enough as National Rail appeared to find a loophole. But their loophole has now been closed.

Yes, indeed. Passenger Focus wanted NRE to change the number because even if keeping an 0845 prefix was within 'the letter of the law' (and I have my doubts that it was), Passenger Focus said it certainly wasn't within 'the spirit of the law'. Apparently, ignoring 'the spirit of the law' and taking advantage of weaknesses within it is OK for ATOC, but not for passengers!

 

[alexl92]

Funny, when I called NRE from my o2 mobile, I used to get a message saying 'calls to this number are not free from mobile phones. Please hang up and redial without the first zero' - was that not the case for everyone?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I noticed that other organisations have done the same. Network Rail National Helpline which was 08457 11 41 41 has been changed to 03457 11 41 41

 

[Stats]

it's great news

The cost of calling NRE has just increased by 283% in the daytime and 1,816% in the evening from a BT landline and you call it great news and laugh. Of course this is not NRE's fault. Ofcom's so called simplification has substantially increased the cost of calling service numbers.

 

[Hadders]

Ofcom's so called simplification has substantially increased the cost of calling service numbers.

Ofcom are obviously taking a lead from the rail industry when it comes to simplification then!

 

[dtaylor84]

The cost of calling NRE has just increased by 283% in the daytime and 1,816% in the evening from a BT landline and you call it great news and laugh. Of course this is not NRE's fault. Ofcom's so called simplification has substantially increased the cost of calling service numbers.

The cost of calling the 0845 number, you mean?

What I called great (as was obvious from the context you removed) was NRE switching to an 03 number.

 

[ADRboy]

The telephone number for National Rail Enquiries has changed from 08457 48 49 50 to 03457 48 49 50. Although the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, which came into force on 13 June 2014, have forced most companies offering customer service numbers to move away from 084x/0847x prefixes to standard-rate prefixes (01/02/03) or freephone (0800/0808), National Rail Enquiries were adamant that this didn't apply to them (including in correspondence with Passenger Focus, who wanted them to change the number) because, and I quote, "The law applies to traders only. As we do not sell tickets or products the law does not apply."; this despite the fact that they are collectively owed by a group of traders - the train operating companies - and provide a customer service function on behalf of those traders.

The NRE number was still 08457 48 49 50 as recently as late March 2015. But it has been changed to 03457 48 49 50 since at least late June 2015. Does anyone know the reason for the sudden change of heart?

I know NRE had been planning the changes since at least Jan/Feb when I first seen the new numbers mentioned.

 

[quarella]

Just to cause confusion the original NRES number was 0345 484950. I think it became 03457 and then 08457.

 

[northwichcat]

The cost of calling NRE has just increased by 283% in the daytime and 1,816% in the evening from a BT landline and you call it great news and laugh. Of course this is not NRE's fault. Ofcom's so called simplification has substantially increased the cost of calling service numbers.

0*45 numbers were originally created so that businesses could allow everyone to call them for the price of a local phone call, not just people local to the business. However, with most people no longer using BT landlines to make phone calls it means most people had to pay more to phone a number which was supposed to be cheaper.

 

[Stats]

The cost of calling the 0845 number, you mean?

What I called great (as was obvious from the context you removed) was NRE switching to an 03 number.

No, the cost of calling the 0845 number before to calling the 0345 number now. The increase to the 0845 number is even more.

 

[AM9]

0*45 numbers were originally created so that businesses could allow everyone to call them for the price of a local phone call, not just people local to the business. However, with most people no longer using BT landlines to make phone calls it means most people had to pay more to phone a number which was supposed to be cheaper.

That started to break down when web access started to be available for 1p per minute via lo-call 0845 numbers. I think the original revenue split was 0.4p for the originating carrier and 0.6p per minute for the terminating service.
Then the revenue-split cat was out of the bag and which started the trend of 0844, 0843 etc. which were grabbed by those for whom 0.6p per minute wasn't enough reward for keeping callers hanging on listening to menus and messages.
There was a luxury revenue split set of numbers started by the 'national number series, originally 0870 which has since grown to 0871 and others. 0870 numbers were originally 10p per minute, supposedly the same as a band c trunk call in the day. Now of course, all true goegraphical numbers cost the same (excluding off shore exchanges like the Channel Islands).
Persoanlly I have 0845 and 0870 included in my BT bundle so they don't cost but I really object to customer services numbers having 0844 charge rates. I normally go through sales lines, reminding them that it is illegal to have a non-support customer service line as a non-geo number.

 

[All Line Rover]

The cost of calling NRE has just increased by 283% in the daytime and 1,816% in the evening from a BT landline and you call it great news and laugh. Of course this is not NRE's fault. Ofcom's so called simplification has substantially increased the cost of calling service numbers.

Somehow I can't imagine many passengers calling NRE from a BT landline.

Out-of-bundle charges for basic rate phone calls on most landline and mobile networks have been a running joke for years. Not that it matters, as the vast majority of customers with such networks have inclusive allowances, for which an 0345 instead of an 0845 prefix is a great improvement.

 

[AM9]

Somehow I can't imagine many passengers calling NRE from a BT landline.

Out-of-bundle charges for basic rate phone calls on most landline and mobile networks have been a running joke for years. Not that it matters, as the vast majority of customers with such networks have inclusive allowances, for which an 0345 instead of an 0845 prefix is a great improvement.

Why not. There is still information that isn't available online.

 

[dtaylor84]

Why not. There is still information that isn't available online.

So they'll call from a mobile? Or call from a landline with inclusive minutes?

I hadn't actually realised how *cheap* out-of-bundle 0845 was in the specific case of BT landlines (a combination of regulation by Ofcom and historical accident), but for the vast majority this is a positive change.

The cost of calling NRE has just increased by 283% in the daytime and 1,816% in the evening from a BT landline and you call it great news and laugh. Of course this is not NRE's fault. Ofcom's so called simplification has substantially increased the cost of calling service numbers.

EDIT: after a bit more searching, it turns out it isn't that cheap. I'm not sure where those percentages came from, but they don't seem accurate to me.

It's complicated by the fact the prices depend what calling plan you're on.

 

[WatcherZero]

Timings a bit odd, the same week that Freephone numbers become free for mobile users by law.

 

[dtaylor84]

Timings a bit odd, the same week that Freephone numbers become free for mobile users by law.

That's part of the same changes introduced by Ofcom -- more relevant is the change to the cost of calling 0845 numbers.