The cost of calling 11811 etc from a mobile

Brendan Burgess

Founder
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From the ads on the radio, I had assumed it was free to call these numbers and wondered how they made their money.

But I see that it cost me €1.91 to get a number from 11811 from my mobile. And I took a note of the number and made the call myself.

Does anyone use 11811 from a landline? Would you not use a directory or the internet?

I presume that most of the calls are from mobiles.

Brendan
 
I'd only use it if I had no easy access to the internet. I assume many people don't have access to the internet, or are are not at home when they need a number.
 
I used it once in an emergency (I know how expensive it is from a mobile).

I had the name and address of a business in Tallaght and I needed the number.

They said the business was not listed and could not give me the number.
I rang someone else who got it on the web in seconds.

Not a mistake I'll repeat.
 
Does anyone use 11811 from a landline? Would you not use a directory or the internet?

I presume that most of the calls are from mobiles.

Not quite, seems these directory enquiries guys have a steady stream of business from the likes of Revenue.

Maybe they're way ahead of everyone else and it's an efficient way of tracking down numbers, however the suggestion I saw elsewhere (possibly the SBP) is that a cost saving clampdown on personal calls was the trigger, i.e. the personal calls are placed via directory enquiries and show up as calls to directory enquiries as the callers ask the provider to place the call.

It's also a useful tip for unfaithful but well-heeled spouses wanting to hide their sneaky phone calls.

http://www.joe.ie/news-politics/cur...iries-cost-the-taxpayer-over-e40000-0021809-1