# 0766 numbers are premium rate lines and not covered by most contracts!¬



## mathepac (1 Aug 2017)

I got my eir phone bill and a shock at the same time.

I was under the distinct impression that area-code 076 numbers were ordinary landlines, just not geography specific - in other words the location you're calling could be in Leitrim or Limerick, Donegal or Dublin, but the charges were included in most plans as "calls to Irish landlines". Thanks to Adam & Aoife at  eir I was informed that this is not the case.

If the number is 0766, it is outside most bundles and is chargeable as a premium rate number. If the 076 is followed by any digit other than 6, it is just a regular non-geo specific landline and the call will be free, depending on your specific plan.

0766 - be warned, I don't ever remember being warned that these were premium rate lines, like 1890, 1850, etc.


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## thedaddyman (1 Aug 2017)

I think the issue may not necessarily be the banks and other bodies fault, it could be the telecom providers not including 076 numbers in their bundled minutes

http://www.*****************.com/new-0761-phone-numbers-to-reduce-phone-bills.html


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## mathepac (1 Aug 2017)

The information contained in that link is incorrect. Both eir and tescomobile, my current and previous providers, treat *076* numbers as ordinary Irish landlines, but *NOT 0766* numbers.


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## RedOnion (1 Aug 2017)

I don't believe that's correct? The prefix is '076', so I don't see how they would distinguish based on another digit.
The Tesco mobile price plan allows charge for all 076 numbers.
Eir inclusive bundles exclude all 'non-geographic' numbers. I believe Eir don't charge personal customers for calls to 076 VoIP numbers allocated to their own broadband customers.


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## mathepac (1 Aug 2017)

My facts are backed up by my old Tescomobile statements, my current and last month's detailed eir statements, my conversations with Aoife last week, also confirmed by Adam today.

Following your flawed logic, it would also be impossible to distinguish between 1850, 1890 and 1800 numbers, but as we know it is perfectly possible.


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## RichInSpirit (1 Aug 2017)

Thanks Mathepac for highlighting this practice, I was just checking my phone for any of these 0766 numbers and my Bank of Ireland bank manager has one of them.
It's incredibly sneaky of Bank of Ireland.


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## Brendan Burgess (1 Aug 2017)

Mathepac

How much are you being charged for them?

Are they premium numbers or just numbers not covered by most of the packages?

It seems from this    http://www.saynoto1890.com/2016/02/what_are_076_numbers/

  that they cost from 5c. to 50c. per minute.

And they are widely used 


*Money Advice & Budgeting Service*
MABS Helpline 0761072000


*Insolvency Service of Ireland*
Information and General Enquiries 0761064200
Case Management Division 0761064200
Bankruptcy Division 0761064232
Regulation Division 0761064234


*Citizens Information*
Phone Service 0761074000
Website Team 0761079000


*Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI)*
SUSI Support Desk 0761087874



Brendan


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## mathepac (1 Aug 2017)

Attached is my current (July & Aug) eir bill. Loads of stuff redacted sorry for the patchy appearance but I've left detail for the 0766 numbers and the 0761's which are included in my package, or free if you like.

According to my contacts in eir, the owner of the 0766 number can apparently charge what they like, one person mentioned as much as €2.50/minute. I haven't seen charges like that but I wasn't aware of the 0766 charge until today. Thanks again to eir customer services, very helpful and well informed.

I've been billed a total of €8.71 inc VAT on the sly and I confirm that the 0766 numbers are all various parts of BoI. I haven't worked out the per minute cost yet.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4ztx4o70augzal0/eir detail 2017.pdf?dl=0


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## mathepac (1 Aug 2017)

RichInSpirit said:


> I was just checking my phone for any of these 0766 numbers and my Bank of Ireland bank manager has one of them.
> It's incredibly sneaky of Bank of Ireland.


Are there charges clocked up on the 0766? It may not just be BoI, they're probably all at it, although for my AIB contacts I have emails and regular landline numbers.


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## mathepac (1 Aug 2017)

It looks like 0.38/0.40 per minute, so not cheap for calling 0766 numbers.

Correction:-  €0.30 per minute or part thereof.


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## RedOnion (1 Aug 2017)

Enough of the scare mongering. It's not a premium number, but a charge imposed by phone providers.

From your bill, it's 30c per minute, exactly as per Eir price plan, for all VoIP calls:


My understanding is that Tesco no longer include 076 in bundles (because they realised they could charge for them).

Comreg have a price ceiling in ALL 076 calls.


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## mathepac (18 Aug 2017)

COMREG proposing clearing up some of the confusion in the low-cost/free/premium telephone number space but no mention in the article about 0766 numbers http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/comreg-calls-time-on-1850-and-1890-number-36039552.html


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## RedOnion (18 Aug 2017)

mathepac said:


> but no mention in the article about 0766 numbers


The article does mention 076, which as mentioned above is the only actual prefix.


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## mathepac (18 Aug 2017)

and I refer you to the fact that 0766 numbers are treated and charged differently to, for example 0761 numbers. Stop confusing the issue please.


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## Leo (18 Aug 2017)

mathepac said:


> and I refer you to the fact that 0766 numbers are treated and charged differently to, for example 0761 numbers. Stop confusing the issue please.



You do know some providers charge the same rates for all 076 options?

The issue is that it is up to the operators how they treat 076X numbers and classify them as in or out of bundle. Different providers are free to apply different rules. So incorporating all 076 options is absolutely the right thing to do. Why would you want the scope limited to 0766 and still allow providers to treat others differently?


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## mathepac (18 Aug 2017)

I have shown above that two mobile providers treat 0766 numbers one way (they charge €0.30/min) and 0761 differently (they include them in the bundle). Instead of obscuring the issue, why not list the providers who charge for ALL 076 numbers, irrespective of the 4th digit. 

Show specific bills in support in order to clarify the issue for consumers to show what operators charge how much for which numbers.


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## Leo (21 Aug 2017)

I don't see how limiting the discussion to just the service providers you have experience with is obscuring the issue. Maybe it's obscuring your particular experience of the issue with the bigger picture, but AAM isn't here to serve one person. 

If you were following the story a little more closely you'd be aware that a number of providers have changed how they charge for 076 numbers since their introduction. Once they began to realise that the rules on charges for some of the 076 range were set to local call rates only from Eir landlines, things started to change. Many initially included them in bundle pricing, but the majority now exclude them from bundle rates, and charge premium rates for them. 

Vodafone, iD  - no difference in treatment of any 076 number, Three don't even list them but confirm on their forum that they're all treated the same.

With , 07610 & 07611 are charged as local calls, and they confirm all 076 calls are excluded from bundle pricing. 

In response, Comreg are currently reviewing practices for non-geographic numbers with a view to resetting the rules.


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