It seems someone has finally nurtured some common sense and soon the number will be up for premium rate telephone lines.

Ofcom regulations, which were decided two years ago, are due to be enforced from this autumn, effectively barring companies generating revenue from 0870 numbers.

The regulations were finalised in 2006 but they’ve been on hold (sorry) ever since. Rumoured to be enforced from February 2008, they were delayed until “autumn”, although that is so ambiguous it’s the equivalent of Ofcom saying: “we’re sorry we can’t answer your call but…”

If you’ve ever paid for your own landline, you’ll already know how much of a wallet raiding scam premium rate lines are. If you don’t own your own line, cast your mind back the kid’s TV competitions when the presenter would say “don’t forget to ask permission from bill payer first”. If you ever wondered who Bill Payer was or why you had to ask him if you could use your parent’s phone, read on…

Calling an 0870 number will cost 6-10p/ minute, compared with 4p/minute for local rate calls. The price hike isn’t too steep, but the money paid for the call goes back to the company.

The 0870 code can earn the receiver of the calls up to 10p/minute with some providers. Multiply this by 1000 calls a day, at more than 5 five minutes each…

When the 0870 number was first introduced in the 1990s, their charges were relative to those of cheaper rate numbers. Then local rate calls got cheaper but the cost of calling 0870 numbers did not. Now companies depend on the funds raised through their phone numbers or the free call routing systems they may have been given by their provider.

They’re not all sex lines and “chat” services… the NHS, police and almost every single customer service line has a premium rate prefix. 0870 is only part of the problem; the enthusiastic money man from GMTV thinks everyone will just switch 0870 for 0871 when the regulations are enforced, so they can continue to rip off the people who keep their businesses afloat.

Who does use 0870 numbers has caused controversy in the past. After the 7/7 bombings the Metropolitan Police launched an 0870 information line for relatives, which went down like a joke about bombs. Some constabularies have 0845 switchboards and in 2005, the BBC was accused of failing to tell callers about charges to a competition line.

Saynoto0870.com is dedicated to helping people boycott revenue generating phone lines. It’s not a flashy site but it’s done more for Mr and Mrs Bill Payer than the telephone watchdog. It lists every 0870 number and an alternative, local rate number you can call instead.

Call charges are always a hot topic; whether its mobile operators’ roaming tariffs or the 118 118 service which has the winning combination of being expensive and crap.

Premium phone lines may be a mine field but basically, if you see 0871, 0870, 0844, 0845, 0800 or 0808 (or 0800 from a mobile), have a look at www.saynoto0870.com before you dial.

Recently the DWP announced it would be dropping its premium rate numbers in favour of local rate alternatives, but not everyone is so worried about their image. The NHS continues to use 0870 to reach some of its lines, as do council departments throughout the country.

In the Say No discussion forum, there are over 4000 posts from people opposing the use of premium rate numbers by public services.

Well, what comes around goes around and the profiteering companies on the other end of the line will soon be barred from stealth mugging their callers.

Searching for “0870” on Google returns a multitude of websites offering advice to companies about what to do post 0870; it’s a bit like the millennium bug or national emergency plans for bird flu or floods… But the best thing? Their advice lines are premium rate!

So as the world’s energy realigns itself and we all sit back, exhaling a sigh of relief, let’s thank Ofcom for finally, taking us off hold.