Many small business owners in the UK are now mapping 0845 numbers to mobiles.

One of the main advantages of mapping 0845 numbers to mobiles is professional perception. Advertising your mobile number as a contact number, even though it looks personal, can give the impression that your business is small. For most start-ups this is not the first impression they want to give to a potential customer.

Secondly, when businesses map 0845 numbers to mobiles they don’t have to worry about changing their company literature at a later date. A great advantage of using non geographical numbers is they can redirected within minutes. So when your business moves to a stable location with a designated landline, your non geographical number can be mapped to it straight away.

0845 Numbers To Mobiles – Make sure you receive a quality Call Management Package

For a small business a professional image is essential. When looking for a non geographical number supplier, it’s important to check that they have a quality call management package with their numbers.

With a professional call management package a small business can take advantage of many additional services, which will add considerable value to their companies image.

0845 Numbers To Mobiles – What Do They Cost To Setup?

With so many non geographical number providers out there, it can be difficult to choose which one has the best service. At 08 Direct we keep it simple. With a setup fee of £9.99 and monthly call packages from £4.99, even the smallest new business start-up can take advantage of a non geographical number for their business.

All our call management services come free with our numbers, so there is no need to worry about any hidden costs at the end of the month!

0844 numbers will be replacing the 0845 number range as the most popular UK business number in the coming year. Here are a few reasons why your business should consider using

0844 numbers

one.

1. No Connection Charge – Unlike the 0845 number range that has a 6p connection charge, 0844 numbers are connection charge free. The customer only pays for the amount of time spent on the call.

2. Memorable Numbers – Gives your customer a professional, easy to remember 08 number to call.

3. No Call Charges To Your Business – Your business will receive no call charges on any calls received.

4. Take Your Number With You – Once you have chosen and registered your 0844 number it’s yours. Even if you decide to relocate, you can take your number with you.

5. Built In Disaster Recovery – In the event of a disaster, 0844 numbers can have an in built disaster recovery system that immediately diverts incoming calls, potentially saving you money, and making sure you don’t lose out on business.

Telecommunications giant BT has announced it will be scrapping call charges on 0870 and 0845 numbers for its customers.

Changes to current call charges will cost BT anything up to 24 million pounds, but will give BT’s existing 14 million customers something to cheer about in the New Year.

BT customers have often complained about BT’s exclusion of 0870 and 0845 numbers from their option packages.

BT said the changes would cost it “tens of millions” of pounds, but had decided, “to give customers what they want”.

John Petter, Managing Director of BT’s consumer business department, said: “We know that the public is frustrated by having to pay higher charges for these numbers, even though BT’s rates are cheaper than their rivals, so we worked out a way to go further and include all calls to 0870 and 0845 numbers in our call packages”.

Steve Cordingley, Director of 08 Direct, a UK based telecommunications company believes “the reduction in cost from BT landlines should go a long way to improving the image of these popular number ranges.”

These changes may be a very shrewd move by BT. Ofcom’s proposed restructuring of the way 0870 numbers work is reportedly happening in early 2009. By making this move early, BT may take the limelight for forcing a change on the 0870 number range amongst the big service providers.

Both Virgin Media and SKY have made no comment yet on whether they will be following suit.

0845 numbers

1.    0845 numbers are extremely popular – 0845 numbers give a business a national and professional presence. 0845 numbers are widely the most accepted non-geographic number in the UK, and have an extremely high public understanding.

2.    Memorable 0845 numbers - Businesses can choose memorable 0845 numbers. Memorable numbers allow a business to choose a 0845 number that reflects their products and services.

3.    Smarten up and attract enquires – 0845 numbers can smarten up the way your business deals with calls. Calls to 0845 numbers can be easily re-directed to the correct department of your business. They can be used to attract enquires from outside your own physical area as 0845 numbers are not judged on their location.

4.    Quick and easy to set up - 0845 numbers simply point to your existing landline telephone numbers. You won’t lose your old numbers and your customers can still ring your old numbers should they wish to do so.

5.    Call statistics - Every 0845 number can be tracked, this means that through your 0845 number every enquiry to your business, the time, day, date, duration and even the origin number of the call can all be fed into a database which your business will have access to.

6.    0845 numbers are for life – If in the future you decide to relocate, your 0845 numbers can move with you.  Potentially saving you money in reprinting costs.

7.    Specific purposes - 0845 numbers can be used for specific purposes, like on websites or advertising.

8.    Versatile – 0845 numbers are very versatile, they offer businesses large amount of flexibility and power immediately without having to install extra equipment.

9.    Benefits - 0845 numbers can encourage callers to use your services; 0845 numbers enable you to promote your business without geographic restriction.

10.  For everyone – 0845 numbers are for everyone, from large businesses to small businesses, anyone can use them.

Ministers increase pressure on GP’s to stop using 0845 and 0844 numbers in their surgeries.

Ministers have launched an England-wide consultation to ask the public whether they want GP surgeries to keep their 08 numbers.

Over 1000 surgeries across the UK are now using 0844 and 0845 numbers. These numbers generate a small amount of income for the practices, which is then spent on improving patient services.

These lo-call rate 08 numbers cost up to 5 pence a minute from a landline, and up to 20 pence a minute from a mobile.

Health Minister Ben Bradshaw said: “We are concerned that some people are paying over the odds to contact the NHS. For people on low incomes who need to contact their local doctor or hospital regularly, these costs can soon mount up.”

Both GP’s and the British Medical Association are defending the use of 08 numbers in general practice. Dr Laurence Buckman, GPC chair, said: ‘Where 0845 numbers are used by the NHS there is good evidence that patient satisfaction has improved, with better and quicker access to services because of the additional functions within the telephone system.’

In 2005 the Department of Health put pressure on GP’s to change from 0870 numbers, which cost the caller significantly more than the 0845 range.

An official review is being conducted into whether surgeries and governing bodies should be made to use the 03 number range. These numbers cost the same as a local call but will not contribute to funding the telephone systems currently installed in surgeries across the UK.

Ministers have failed to highlight how these services can be funded if these changes do take place.