June 11, 2013 11:12 am | Leave your thoughts
The team from 08 Direct would like to say a huge thank you to the organisers at The Business Startup Show and everyone who came down to visit us at the Excel last week.
The two-day event was a great success for everyone involved, with 08 Direct managing to spread the word about the benefits that 08 and 03 numbers can bring for businesses within today’s climate.
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March 26, 2013 9:54 am | Leave your thoughts
There are already so many non-geographic numbers ranges, so why do we need another one, we hear you ask…
The answer is simple: an 03 number works in the same way as 08 numbers but it has one major difference, it was designed specifically to be mobile-friendly.
The 03 number range was introduced by Ofcom as an alternative to the high charging 08 numbers. Calls to 03 numbers are never charged at more than a local rate call to an 01 or 02 number and when calling from a mobile, the minutes are taken from most monthly bundles, making the calls effectively free from mobile phones.
This is the first non-geographic number range that allows for mobile users to benefit from, offering advantages that no other non-geo number has brought before. Because of the low-rate calls, 03 numbers are highly favoured by the public, reflecting well upon the businesses that use them.
The use of these numbers has been shown to improve customer confidence because of the impression they give out to the customer and the trust it instils. More and more people are using mobiles to make the majority of their calls but are put off from calling businesses with non-geo numbers because of the high calling costs. Imagine how pleased, and more willing to call you, your customers will be if your business numbers were focused on making mobile calls affordable.
Many businesses have already moved over to 03 numbers, such as Hilton Hotels, First4Lawyers and Richer Sounds and are already reaping the benefits of this specialised number range.
Visit our sister site www.03NumberShop.co.uk to find out more about how your business can benefit from an 03 numbers today!
December 6, 2012 5:15 pm | Leave your thoughts
Following a strong negative reaction to the NHS providing the public with 08 contact numbers, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has broke this trend.
Many hospital departments, as well as GP surgeries are now offering the public 0844 or 0845 numbers for areas such as appointment lines, advice lines and to check test results.
08Direct has long since been a strong supporter of 03 numbers, backed up by our launch of 03NumberShop earlier this year. Gloucestershire NHS Trust have become one of the first adopters of 03 numbers across the NHS and should significantly raise their profile.
The result of them changing their contact numbers to 03 will mean instant cheaper call rates across the board. Calling an 03 number costs the same as calling an geographic 01 or 02 number, regardless of whether the call is from a landline or mobile. This means that essentially the call is free to mobiles that are connected to a monthly bundle of minutes. The calls are just deducted from the bundle.
As such there are currently many high profile charities who use 03 number as donations lines. This includes Children in Need, Sport Relief and Give Blood. We have also set up an 03 number for Dreams & Wishes, the charity our Chief Executive (Mahmood Mazhar) works for as an ambassador.
David Warden, IT and Governance Manager for Gloucester NHS Trust, lead the phone number changeover: “As health partners in Gloucestershire, we are very pleased to be able to introduce the 0300 number which will bring down the cost of calls to benefit patients, their families and carers.”
October 19, 2012 2:19 pm | Leave your thoughts
Tonight’s Stand Up To Cancer campaign on Channel 4 is calling on the nation to raise as money as possible for Cancer Research UK. The fund raising drive is being supported by the biggest stars from TV, film and music.
Stand Up To Cancer originally started in the USA in 2008 and has so far raised millions for new research into the causes of cancer and cancer treatments.
Tonight’s show will feature a mix of entertainment and fundraising, including an Alan Carr special chat show, High Stakes Million Poind Drop and Dr Christian will be the on hand expert to explain all the science.
The help raise funds, Channel 4 have given viewers a range of options to raise money, which includes a highly memorable 0300 number. The 03 number is ideal for the fund rasing drive as calling the 03 number from either a landline or mobile is treated as the cost of a local call. This makes the call essentially free if you have a mobile contract, or a landline minute bundle as the calls will just be taken off your bundled minutes.
Stand up to Cancer is the latest in a line of big charities who have introduced 03 numbers, this includes Children in Need, Sport Relief and Give Blood.
Although all 0300 numbers have been specifically reserved by Ofcom for charities and public bodies, there are a range of other 03 ranges for business. At 08Direct we have a whole host of memorable 0333, 0330, 0345 and 0370 numbers. We have also launched a brand new website dedicated to 03 numbers, 03NumberShop.co.uk. Our packages started from just £3.99 per month, with includes 800 minutes and a free call management package worth £200!
May 30, 2012 8:59 am | Leave your thoughts
Some of the biggest names from the world of showbusiness and sport rubbed shoulders on Sunday to take part in the fourth Soccer Aid event, which raised over £4million for UNICEF.
And the eagle-eyed amongst you who tuned in to see England beat the Rest of the World 3-1 at Old Trafford will have noticed that organisers used a 03 number for the donation telephone number. By using an 03 number, they were giving the nation access to a donation line that is free to call from most contract mobiles in the UK. A call to an 03 number is often included within minute bundles, which effectively means the caller doesn’t pay any extra money for calling. That said, we always advise you check with your network operator before calling.
Kasabian’s Sergio Pizzorno opened the scoring on the night for the Rest of the World with a superb chip over David Seaman before England’s star names stepped up to turn the game on its head.
Teddy Sheringham, who raised a few chuckles with a crunching challenge that resulted in TV chef Gordon Ramsay being carried off on a stretcher, equalised before Jonathan Wilkes blasted England in front.
Blackpool striker Kevin Phillips is still going strong at the ripe old age of 38 and took great satisfaction in slotting home the winner, much to the delight of the crowd of 75,000 and a TV audience that averaged at 6.3million.
Other stars on show for the much-loved charity fundraisers included John Bishop, Gerard Butler, Hernan Crespo, Will Ferrell, Paddy McGuinness, Mike Myers, Jaap Stam Robbie Williams.
David Bull, UNICEF UK Executive Director, said: “Soccer Aid 2012 has been the most amazing yet.
“There was an incredible atmosphere, it was a great match, and over £4million was raised to help save children’s lives.”
There’s still time to donate and show your support for the fantastic work UNICEF do around the world, while you can also watch the game again on ITV Player.
September 15, 2011 11:06 am | Leave your thoughts
From December landline and broadband customers won't be automatically tied into new contracts
Ofcom has confirmed that rollover contracts, which tie landline and broadband customers into repeated minimum contract periods unless they opt out, will be banned from December this year.
The contracts, also known as Automatically Renewable Contracts (ARCs), roll forward to a new minimum contract period – with penalties for leaving – unless the customer actively opts out of the renewal. The ban will apply to ARCs for landline and broadband services sold to residential and small business customers.
It estimated that about 15 per cent of UK customers who sign up to a broadband and landline provider are tied to Automatically Renewable Contracts (ARCs).
Ofcom said it would require comms providers to eventually shift all residential and small business customers off rollover contracts and over to alternative deals.
“Ofcom’s evidence shows that ARCs raise barriers to effective competition by locking customers into long-term deals with little additional benefit. Our concern about the effect of ARCs and other ‘lock in’ mechanisms led to our decision to ban them in the communications sector,” said the regulator’s chief Ed Richards.
Naturally, providers that currently use ARCs disagree that these contracts are detrimental to either the customer or competition, but Ofcom’s mind is made up and BT has already said that it would no longer be selling ARCs to residential customers now that the ban has been confirmed by Ofcom.
Here a 08Direct, we think this is a good thing. That’s why we’ve never tied customers into lengthy contracts – 30 days notice is all we ever ask, even from day 1 of the service being provided.
What do you think? Are ARCs good for anybody but the provider? Or are you glad to see the back of them?
April 5, 2011 3:29 pm | Leave your thoughts
Here at 08 Direct, we love our customers and we hope you love us too.
And if you do, we’d like to say thank you.
You’re certainly not alone – thousands of businesses use our services and almost all are happy to recommend us. We have featured a small selection of them on our testimonials page.
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March 14, 2011 4:17 pm | Leave your thoughts
Chris Moyles - ranted about Radio 1's 03 number
Driving into work this morning, the sun was shining, the birds were singing and, as usual, I had the Chris Moyles Show on the radio. Now, Moyles likes to talk but one particular link caught my attention when he had to read out Radio 1’s telephone number so that listeners could call the show.
Now it isn’t unusual for him to have a bit of a rant, but in this case Moyles vented an opinion that he thinks Radio 1’s phone number is, frankly, rubbish. And he’s got a point because most radio stations use a phone number that has something to do with either their broadcasting frequency or the name of the station. But Radio 1’s number is 03700 100 100.
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