You could try using the following site which lists Geographical numbers for a lot of companies.
http://www.saynoto0870.com/

Just checked, and other numbers are listed for P & O. I use it all the time as I totally object to paying these companies ££ for hanging on for ages.

It seems that nearly every company now uses 0870 numbers.

Isn't 0870 a national call rate, rather than premium rate ?

David

I was told recently that 0870 is more expensive than national telephone rate with BT maybe someone else has more info

Yes it is more expensive than dialling a Geographic Landline. 0870 numbers attract different charges. Some are 8p per minute and some are 10p per minute. I think BTs website lists the actual charges for all the no's per minute.

Slightly off topic but very annoying for me was last year my car insurance company debited my premium twice!!. I obvioulsy had to phone them and the total cost of that call was something like £1.60. I was on for about 15 minutes. Strange though as my hubby phoned his friend in Oz and was on for 45 mins and the call was actually cheaper

Now I will always check the above site to see if there is an alternative number. Especially as I get free weekend and evening calls to Geographical landlines.

0870 is a premimun number which is charged at priminum rate. and the companies that use this get a percentage of the charges for them. So they usually make you end up listening to crap music for 5 mins or so.

0845 is a geographical number which is charged at local rate. This aint so bad a number, but it pays to look.

Like in the above post a visit to http://www.saynoto0870.co.uk may save you some money. this is a site that we alwyas use when we have to dial one of the above mentiond numbers. Sometimes there is a freephone number. So it pays to look.

According to BT, 0870 numbers are Nationalcall rate numbers (not premium rate) where users pay the long distance rate regardless of where they are calling from.

Subscribers do not receive a percentage of each call charge, but they do receive payment for call volumes in excess of 10,000 calls a month.

Call charges vary from 1.5p per min at weekends, to 3.75p per min weekday evenings and nights, to 7.51p per min weekday daytime (incl VAT).

BT say that users often mistakenly confuse charges for 0870 numbers with those for 0871 numbers, or some of the more expensive premium rate services, which have a fixed rate at all times of day and also provide subscribers with a share of call generated revenue.

David

Even low volumes of calls can earn revenue for businesses or the individual using 0870 numbers..in the region of 1 to 2p per minute on peak rate for smaller users. Many small businesses use them because of the back end facilities that can make a small business seem like a large one. Its arguable whether its worth the extra income, if it puts customers off ringing you in the first place. And the back end facilities can be applied to 0845 and 0800 numbers as well