Cheaper alternative to 1890 numbers

johnnykilo

I've been shopping around for insurance quotes lately and as is the way, a lot of the time you need to ring them as they won't quote you (well me anyway) online.

Invariably these numbers are 1890 numbers which cost a fortune from mobiles and aren't generally covered in your free minute packages. The following site gives local number alternatives to the 1890/1850 numbers:

http://www.saynoto1890.com/category/a-z-listing/

Apologies if everyone knows about this site already (I see there was a thread about it 5 years ago) but it's new to me and it's incredibly useful when dealing with the banks, insurance companies and other utilities, and I don't have any affiliation with them either for the record!

icrusader

Fantastic, just what i was looking for . Thanks

guil

I saw that somewhere before and never bookmarked the site. Thanks.

whowantstwoknow

Also for whoever your are looking to ring, check their website as they may also provide a number for international callers that you can utilise..

W.

Phantom99

Cheers OP. Hate those 1890 numbers

Sam Kade

I rang aib with 1890 number last month call cost €10:mad:
If you ring the ordinary number do they just transfer your call to the 1890 number instead?

johnnykilo

Sam Kade wrote: »

I rang aib with 1890 number last month call cost €10:mad:
If you ring the ordinary number do they just transfer your call to the 1890 number instead?

No, it just gets you through to the call centre via a local number rather than a 1890/1850 number, you might have to go through 1 or 2 more options but that's the only drawback in my experience

Stinicker

1890 aren't that bad, its 0818 that I really hate.

moodrater

Stinicker wrote: »

1890 aren't that bad, its 0818 that I really hate.

A huge percentage of people can call national numbers for free on landline, mobile and voip. 1890 is 50c a minute from my mobile, 28.8c a minute from my voip provider I can call fiji for less.

dilallio

moodrater wrote: »

A huge percentage of people can call national numbers for free on landline, mobile and voip. 1890 is 50c a minute from my mobile, 28.8c a minute from my voip provider I can call fiji for less.

And the real irony is you end up talking to someone in India

tomdempsey200

moodrater wrote: »

A huge percentage of people can call national numbers for free on landline, mobile and voip. 1890 is 50c a minute from my mobile, 28.8c a minute from my voip provider I can call fiji for less.

1890 is about 5c/min from landline
not too bad

the worst thing is you have free calls on your mobile that takes all your topup credit..and then the damn car breakdown rescue is 1890

johnwd

tomdempsey200 wrote: »

1890 is about 5c/min from landline
not too bad

Sounds about right but some sneaky telcos slide in OTT charges for 1890 nos that can be totally avoided if you know the local number. Adds up for a business that is calling insurance cos. 50-100 times a week (say solicitors office).

tomdempsey200

ridiculous having the breakdown assist 1890

only in Ireland

my new insurance co is 1800

evolving_doors

johnwd wrote: »

Sounds about right but some sneaky telcos slide in OTT charges for 1890 nos that can be totally avoided if you know the local number. Adds up for a business that is calling insurance cos. 50-100 times a week (say solicitors office).

Any problems with my credit card I always ring the international (calling from abroad number).

dodzy

Armelodie wrote: »

Any problems with my credit card I always ring the international (calling from abroad number).

An option that has worked for me for years. Good advice there.

bromley52

For UK numbers use:

http://www.saynoto0870.com/

I usually look for an "if calling from outside Ireland" number.

I'll bookmark that one OP

cerastes

whowantstwoknow wrote: »

Also for whoever your are looking to ring, check their website as they may also provide a number for international callers that you can utilise..

W.

Have found not getting through or takes longer to get through, I think on one occasion they were aware I told me Id used the wrong number.

Stinicker wrote: »

1890 aren't that bad, its 0818 that I really hate.

I thought 1890 were a fixed rate, need to check this, at least Im sure its a flat rate from my UPC landline, which is better than from mobile, but not within my free minutes, but it was the main reason I went ahead and got the landline given it was so cheap at the time.

Given how long it can take to get through 1890 is really stupid for breakdown, can alternatives be found through the links?

dubmick

ringing Sky is the worst

Stroke Politics

My Eircom package doesn't include 1890 numbers, and I call 01 404 4000 for when using Banking 365 to ensure that it is covered by my free calls package.....

Could we have a sticky on this board for low-cost alternative numbers and update it with numbers we use to avoid expensive calls?

danjo-xx

I think there should be an obligation on companies to quote both the 1890 number and the local number, makes note to write to Alan about this:D

Sam Kade

danjo-xx wrote: »

I think there should be an obligation on companies to quote both the 1890 number and the local number, makes note to write to Alan about this:D

The aib keep telling me to ring the 1890 number which costs a lot from a mobile I wonder do they get a cut out of the cost of the phone call :mad:

DMcL1971

cerastes wrote: »

I thought 1890 were a fixed rate, need to check this, at least Im sure its a flat rate from my UPC landline, which is better than from mobile, but not within my free minutes, but it was the main reason I went ahead and got the landline given it was so cheap at the time.

1850 numbers are always a fixed price regardless of duration. 1890 numbers are always charged per minute.

The cost of calling a 1890 number is split between the company and the phone service provider. That is why so many companies use them, they actually get paid for taking your call. Perhaps this explains why you have to listen to five minutes of bull from most IVR systems before they will let you speak to a human.

I never ring them. I will use the landline number that they advertise for international access or ring their main reception and ask to be transferred instead. Also the fact that calls to 1890 are rarely included in a local call bundles or free minutes is frustrating.

Ah-Watch

Sam Kade wrote: »

The aib keep telling me to ring the 1890 number which costs a lot from a mobile I wonder do they get a cut out of the cost of the phone call :mad:

AIB internet Banking is 017712424. I always use it and never have a problem instead of 0818724724 . 0818 is included in my call package but I was used to the 01 number. As above I also dial 01 404 4000 for BOI Phone and Internet Banking.

Kristopherus

dubmick wrote: »

ringing Sky is the worst

If your landline is with Sky, all 0818 calls to them are free.

Farmer

Now wouldn't it be nice to have an app that would automatically intercept your 1890 outgoing call and look up and dial the direct number instead

There's an opening for somebody;)

Cs2

Never knew that brill
Thank you

loki7777

I had problem ringing ESB helpline - sale dept.(no such option when calling this free number) from local - ended up calling 18xx

vienne86

I would always try to find the number for international callers on the web site, but sometimes it's hard to find - the website put up by the OP is great - have used it a few times recently.

haymur

I look up the web sites of the firms and use the outside Ireland number. When I get trough I always ask them to record feedback from me that I am not happy with having to pay up to 58c per minute to give them my business. If the firm has no local or international number I don't use them

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

haymur

48 charge 58c per min for 1890... numbers

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

gazzaman22

Financial Services Ombudsman 1890882090
Call Instead – 016620899

That one made me larf.... only in ireland!!!!

Ogham

DMcL1971 wrote: »

1850 numbers are always a fixed price regardless of duration. 1890 numbers are always charged per minute.

The cost of calling a 1890 number is split between the company and the phone service provider. That is why so many companies use them, they actually get paid for taking your call. Perhaps this explains why you have to listen to five minutes of bull from most IVR systems before they will let you speak to a human.

.

Breakdown of 1890 call costs from various networks here
http://www.moneyguideireland.com/how-much-do-calls-to-1890-numbers-cost.html

SpaceTime

Can you all lob a complaint into Comreg - at least letting them know that you're annoyed about it wouldn't be a bad thing as they're probably mostly getting feedback from the industry rather than consumers.

Consumerline@comreg.ie

It's an absolute pain in the rear that the landline and mobile providers are allowed to treat 0818, 1890 and 1850 as outside your bundle given that the calls cost no more to process in reality.

Also, a lot of them exclude calls to 076 VoIP numbers which is utterly ridiculous.

A lot of companies use those 0818 and 1890/1850 numbers because they make sending calls into a call centre system a lot easier as you can do all sorts of fancy routing and it creates an impression of scale and you can get memorable numbers etc and keep them should you move your call centre around.

Sometimes they may terminate on real geographic numbers, but these days that's not necessarily the case as the network's quite sophisticated and doesn't need to map everything to geographic numbers, so it's quite possible there is no alternative numbers for some services.

Also, radio stations and other services likely to cause 'bursty traffic' are obliged to use those numbers to prevent issues with congestion on exchanges.

1850 / 1890 71X XXX is reserved for that purpose, so the exchange systems can be programmed to prioritise other traffic if there's a capacity issue.

Dubh Geannain

Stroke Politics wrote: »

My Eircom package doesn't include 1890 numbers, and I call 01 404 4000 for when using Banking 365 to ensure that it is covered by my free calls package.....

Could we have a sticky on this board for low-cost alternative numbers and update it with numbers we use to avoid expensive calls?

Stickie might be a good idea. I don't know if the website is kept up to date all that well. I'll e-mailed the site moderator with two landline numbers before but he never updated them.

Glohealth: 01 9602807

I can't recall what the other one was now.

Edie: The other was Aviva. Couldn't get them on the old number he had but if you call the claims line 01 8986400 you'll get an office that will re-direct you. At least that worked for me. I recall there were only a handful of people in that office. I can imagine their puzzlement if the phone starts hopping off the hook

mari2222

it is unacceptable that government/public bodies offer only 1890 numbers - it is fine to offer them but there should always be a landline too. for instance the local property tax number is 1890 and the queue to be answered is more than 30 minutes! Madness!

stan 117

this should be a sticky..

Ogham

mari2222 wrote: »

it is unacceptable that government/public bodies offer only 1890 numbers - it is fine to offer them but there should always be a landline too. for instance the local property tax number is 1890 and the queue to be answered is more than 30 minutes! Madness!

Don't even bother trying to call them when it's busy - it will cost you more in phone bills than any interest they try to add on if you are a few weeks late.
If you email them with a genuine query before the deadline you will be treated as having complied with their requirements on time, as long as you file the 2014 return promptly when the query is resolved.

There is an alternative number and email address here ... http://www.moneyguideireland.com/property-tax-email-address-and-phone-number.html

Mountjoy Mugger

Ogham wrote: »

Don't even bother trying to call them when it's busy - it will cost you more in phone bills than any interest they try to add on if you are a few weeks late.
If you email them with a genuine query before the deadline you will be treated as having complied with their requirements on time, as long as you file the 2014 return promptly when the query is resolved.

There is an alternative number and email address here ... http://www.moneyguideireland.com/property-tax-email-address-and-phone-number.html

Some will be too lazy to click and start complaining. For all you:

Property Tax Email Address : lpt@revenue.ie

Property Tax Phone Number : 1890 200 255
From Outside Ireland Call 00353 1 7023049

Ian010

The UK government has recently banned itself from using non-geographic 0845 "local rate" and 0870 "national rate" numbers. As happens with the similar 1890 and 0818 numbers in Ireland, these are not included in call bundles and are expensive to call from mobile phones. Other expensive, non-inclusive, 084 and 087 numbers exist in the UK but the government itself rarely used any of those. Most government phone lines are now using cheaper 030 or 034 numbers.

As a result of Article 21 of the EU Consumer Rights Directive, a new law comes into force in the UK on 13 June 2014. This effectively bans retailers, traders and passenger transport companies from using expensive and non-inclusive 084, 087 and 09 numbers for their customer service lines. Tens of thousands of companies are now in the process of moving to new 033, 034 and 037 numbers. Some switched months ago, but many have left it until the final week.

These new 03 numbers always cost the same as calling standard 01 and 02 geographic numbers and count towards inclusive call allowances on landlines and on mobiles. Ofcom first made them available in 2007.

Consumers in Ireland have not fared so well. See
www~boards~ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057224206

snubbleste

Any alternative to PRTB 0818 30 30 37

SpaceTime

One of the issues is that there's often no geographic landline alternative these days.

In the relatively recent past special rate numbers basically all had to route calls to a 'real' geographic 01 or 021 or whatever landline number or range of numbers.

Technology has moved on enormously and what will usually happen these days is a 185X number will be sending calls to a VoIP SIP trunk straight into a call centre. Lines and numbers no longer feature in modern systems really.

0818 is adversltised as being 'national rate'. It shouldn't be legal for any provider to treat that any differently to calls to landlines outside your own area code. They're bundled and free normally.

Its also inexplicable that they're charging huge excesses for calls to 1850 and 1890 when they're advertised as 'local rate'.

The whole way people pay for calls has changed. For most of us 'local rate' is a total irrelevance. The billing either distinguishes landline vs mobile or just has a number of inclusive minutes for everything in the case of most modern mobile plans.

We should probably just have something like

0800 - freephone and diallable from abroad as +353 800 and charged as a normal call to Ireland.

And 0808 - national landline rate, which will be treated as a long distance landline call at all times. This could also be called as +353 808

If they wanted a third layer maybe 0809 charged at mobile rates might make sense for companies like taxies and others who might receive calls on mobiles or may not wish to cost share but want a special number.

The existing codes should be phased out of use over 24 months.

The current model is from 1980s and 1990s Telecom Éireann billing rates that nobody in their right mind is still paying and that made distinctions between local, up to 64km and more than 64 km..

It's nuts to be still using them in an era where the majority of calls come from mobiles using minute bundles and landlines that don't generally make any distinction between local and national anymore.

In fact, we probably no longer even need landline area codes anymore.

Make the whole thing 9-digit.

Dublin 01 999 9999 becomes 319 999 999 (03 is free and spare)

Cork 021 999 9999 becomes 219 999 999

Athlone 090 999 9999 becomes 909 999 999

Meanwhile mobiles would just all start with 8

08X 999 9999 becomes 8x9 999 999

Then you'd have more ability to not run out of local numbers as you'd be less tied down. You'd get rid of the whole obsolete confusion with dropping the 0 after the 353

And you could retain the old 0xx dialling system along side it for a couple of years for a gentle phase in because they don't clash at all thus minimising disruption and also solving Dublin's number shortages.

Northern Ireland did something like this as have many of the Nordic countries and also Spain.

Keep things simple and make the numbering more suitable for modern era needs where landlines will largely be irrelevant anyway in a few decades.

It'd also be nice if we just adopted the normal European ring tone. Then people wouldn't be able to tell when I'm on holidays

Ogham

snubbleste wrote: »

Any alternative to PRTB 0818 30 30 37

TRy 01 8882960 (that might be a very old number )

snubbleste

Ogham wrote: »

TRy 01 8882960 (that might be a very old number )

That is a very old number in fact it is been re-allocated.

GreenWolfe

Would anyone have a geographic number for ASUS customer support Ireland?

http://www.asus.com/ie/Terms_of_Use_Notice_Privacy_Policy/Contact_ASUS/

I especially like the "Please note calls to this number will be charged at 8 pence per minute from a standard BT line." bit below the Irish(!) details.

try

GreenWolfe wrote: »

Would anyone have a geographic number for ASUS customer support Ireland?

http://www.asus.com/ie/Terms_of_Use_Notice_Privacy_Policy/Contact_ASUS/

I especially like the "Please note calls to this number will be charged at 8 pence per minute from a standard BT line." bit below the Irish(!) details.

Try 00441442 265548

Esel

try wrote: »

Try 00441442 265548

That is a UK number.

SpaceTime

Esel wrote: »

That is a UK number.

Not to mention that +353 1 890 xxxx is actually a local Dublin number.

1890 is not dialable from outside Ireland.

Esel

SpaceTime wrote: »

Not to mention that +353 1 890 xxxx is actually a local Dublin number.

1890 is not dialable from outside Ireland.

1890 calls cost though, while regular landline calls usually do not these days.

[I glean from you previous post that you are very knowledgeable in this field, so please do not take this post as a criticism.]