December unusual billing charges - Services G21 ?

[MajorBash67]

• Hi. My latest bill dated 28th December is higher due to £18.96 of calls to EDF Energy 0333 numbers being charged as SERVICES G21. These were advertised as standard-rate calls and I wasn’t warned they would be chargeable. I’m disputing these charges and raising this before the payment date on 6th January. My bill is usually £32.00, however this December bill is £49.66 including these unusual unauthorised charges. Also can these SERVICES G21 numbers be blocked in my account?

Best regards

Steve G.

[Philile-TT]

@MajorBash67 It will be better like that, unless you consider adding a UK calls boost. 

[MajorBash67]

Thank you kindly, and to everyone who replied. I will endeavour to use a mobile phone with included call package in future. It appears that it's the wild west out there, and not enough sheriffs.

[Philile-TT]

@Gliwmaeden2 thank you for the information. 

[Gliwmaeden2 · Accepted solution]

@MajorBash67 the people to complain to if you think it's not clear enough are really EDF:

 

But it repeatedly says that calls are charged at the national rate.

However you choose to label it, not having a calls bundle, the charge comes in at 24p per minute  - even with the boost, after one hour you'd need to redial in order to not get charged. 

So it's actually safer to use free mobile calls, if you possibly can, in case waiting in queues etc causes you to clock up more time.

[Gliwmaeden2]

@MajorBash67,

Talktalk no longer even lists the G21 charges as a separate category. They are covered by "non-geographic 03" numbers so are exactly as advertised for 01, 02 and 03 calls, all of which are the same price.

[mandisa1-TT]

Services G21 Rate is written on the call destination column.
The first call was 21 minutes and you were charged £5.04 
21 x £ 24 = £5.04
 

[MajorBash67]

Thanks for the explanation. If these were standard 01/02/03 calls charged at 24p/min, then they should not be shown on my bill as SERVICES G21 RATE.
EDF customer service numbers are not service lines.
Please can this be corrected and the £18.96 credited as a billing classification error.

[mandisa1-TT]

Thank you so much for the support @Gliwmaeden2 🙂

[Gliwmaeden2]

@MajorBash67, it's been 24p a minute for ages, any time of day, as displayed in Talktalk's "cost of calls" sheet:

https://help-centre.talktalk.co.uk/Telephone/Find_info_or_guidance_about_my_telephone/UK_call_costs

Till recently that was the higher end of the market rate, but a quick check reveals that others are catching up / overtaking. 

Unless you have an option of unlimited calls to ordinary numbers on your mobile, calling from a landline is going to clock up quickly. The Boost for Anytime Calls is definitely worth having if you need to use the landline much at all in the course of a month - sometimes you can catch the boost advertised at a discount. Minimum term is one month.

[MajorBash67]

Thank you for confirming that 01, 02 and 03 numbers are standard geographic calls.
That is exactly my point. These EDF calls should therefore not be shown or billed as SERVICES G21.
They were EDF Energy customer service numbers and I received no service charge warning.
Please can this be reviewed as a misclassification and the £18.96 credited.

[mandisa1-TT]

That is correct the 01,02,03 numbers are included if you have the Unlimited UK calls boost, however if you do not have this call boost calls are charged at standard rate of £24p.
Please refer to the following articles: UK call costs

[MajorBash67]

Standard UK call rates for 01, 02 and 03 numbers are:

Included in bundles, or

Typically 3–15p per minute

24p/min is a service tariff

[mandisa1-TT]

The calls are showing as services G21 rate, however they have been charged at standard prices as it is 24p per minute.

[MajorBash67]

I understand my plan does not include unlimited calls. However that is not the issue.
The issue is that EDF Energy Supplier 0333 customer service numbers were billed as SERVICES G21 instead of normal geographic calls. 03 numbers are advertised as standard-rate. I received no warning these would be charged as service calls.
I am disputing £18.96 of charges on my 28 Dec bill and requesting they be reviewed and credited.

Best regards

Steven G.

[mandisa1-TT]

If you do not have the Unlimited UK calls boost, calls that you make to other services providers are charged at standard rate.

[mandisa1-TT]

Looking into your account, you do not have the Unlimited UK calls boost, hence you have been charged for the calls you made. 

[mandisa1-TT]

Hi there @MajorBash67 I would love to assist you with your query, I will be looking into this for you.