1. The caller pays only local rate charges when calling you from any location in the British Isles. You pay nothing.

2. Having an 0845 number increases the perceived value you place on customer care.

3. The perceived size and image of your company is greatly increased with the use of an 0845 number.

4. The increased response rates makes an 0845 number the ideal solution for an advertising campaign.

5. 0845 numbers are Non-Geographic which means you location is completely unknown to the caller.

6. There is no need to change phone numbers if you move office - your 0845 number simply moves with you.

7. Because new equipment and/or engineers are not required, an 0845 number is very quick and simple to set-up and can be routed to any UK telephone number.

8. Your 0845 number is "future-proof" against any further OFTEL number changes.

9. The termination number can be changed quickly if for any reasons you need to change the number your 0845 calls ring on.

10. By having a Non-Geographic 0845 number you can market in areas where you have no physical presence whilst keeping a local identity.

11. There is zero risk of misuse as you pay nothing towards the call.

12. Upon receiving your order, your 0845 numbers should be activated and operational within 48 hours.

13. You can receive an unlimited amount of calls.

14. Other companies, including BT, will charge you by the minute for all incoming calls received on your 0845 number, as well as a hefty connection charge. BT would charge you £360 per year, plus 6.5p per minute on calls - we make no charge to connect calls to landlines.

Q. What is an 0845 number?

A. An 0845 number allows callers to call you from anywhere in the UK and pay only a local call charge.

Q. What costs are involved with your 0845 service?

A. Other than the initial small setup charges - none whatsoever.

Q. How does it all work?

A. Firstly, you decide how many 0845 numbers you want. Next, let us know the existing telephone line numbers to which you want us to direct your new 0845 numbers to.

Q. Which Telephone Company carries the calls?

A. OPAL Telecommunications - a division of Carphone Warehouse - an established Tier 1 communications provider.

Q. What if I move offices or home?

A. If you move, we simply re-direct your 0845 number/s to your new address, anywhere in the UK.

Q. How much does it cost to divert our number to our new office if we move?

A. A one-off charge of £25. We will switch your number within 3 working days. If you need a more urgent change over, this can be discussed and arrangements may be made if possible.

Q. What if I have more than one office?

A. We can supply you with sequential 0845 numbers if you have a number of business lines and faxes. You may also wish to have different 0845 numbers for each office in your company. An added advantage is that you can communicate between offices and pay only local call rates.

Q. Does my customer have to pay more when they call me?

A. No. In most cases they will pay less, as they are only charged at local call rates, no matter where they are calling from in the UK.

Q. Does this affect my current telephone number?

A. No, your calls are received as normal, the only difference being, the caller dials your 0845 number which is routed to your existing telephone line number.

Q. I already have an 0845 service, can I switch the service to you and keep our existing 0845 number?

A. Yes. We can "port" your number from British Telecom, Energis and Cable and Wireless. This will allow you to retain your existing 0845 number, and the service will work in exactly the same way. You will also save money, of course!

Q. Can 0845 Numbers be accessed internationally?

A. Yes, by dropping the 0 in the same way as you would a standard telephone number i.e. +44 (0) 845 xxx xxxx. However, as we have no control over international telecoms carriers, we recommend including your standard telephone number in any international marketing campaigns. When calls are accessed from abroad they are charged to the customer at the international telecoms carrier's international rate.

Q. Will my customers know that calls to our 0845 number are only charged at local rate?

A. It is widely known that calls to 0845 numbers are charged at local rate. In many cases, companies using 0845 numbers have the words "calls charged at local rate" next to or underneath the number.

Q. Do I need new telephone equipment installing?

A. No, not for 0845 numbers.

Q. Do you "compress" the calls in any way - will we lose quality?