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| Complaints call costs to be capped | Complaints call costs to be capped |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The government is promising to limit the cost of calling telephone numbers for customer inquiries and complaints from next summer. | |
| Under new legislation, companies will be prevented from charging more than the rate for a call to a mobile or local landline number. | |
| The rules, set out in a European Union directive, are due to come into force on 13 June 2014. | The rules, set out in a European Union directive, are due to come into force on 13 June 2014. |
| Inquiry and complaint calls cost up to 41p a minute for mobile phone users. | Inquiry and complaint calls cost up to 41p a minute for mobile phone users. |
| David Hickson, of the Fair Telecoms Campaign, welcomed the government's decision, telling the BBC: "We've seen the words in the draft legislation. There's no get-outs. There's no cop-outs." | David Hickson, of the Fair Telecoms Campaign, welcomed the government's decision, telling the BBC: "We've seen the words in the draft legislation. There's no get-outs. There's no cop-outs." |
| 'Great opportunity' | 'Great opportunity' |
| He added: "This is going to put across a clear message that using expensive telephone numbers is not an acceptable thing to do." | He added: "This is going to put across a clear message that using expensive telephone numbers is not an acceptable thing to do." |
| Companies will still be able to charge the higher rates when customers are purchasing goods or services, but not when they call afterwards to raise questions or complaints about them. | Companies will still be able to charge the higher rates when customers are purchasing goods or services, but not when they call afterwards to raise questions or complaints about them. |
| Consumer affairs minister Jo Swinson said the government had created a "great and important opportunity to benefit consumers, businesses and provide the right framework for a stronger economy". | Consumer affairs minister Jo Swinson said the government had created a "great and important opportunity to benefit consumers, businesses and provide the right framework for a stronger economy". |
| But the changes will not affect government departments' helplines. | But the changes will not affect government departments' helplines. |
| According to the communications regulator Ofcom, 0843 and 0844 calls cost between 1p and 13p a minute from landlines and, typically, between 15p and 41p a minute from mobile phones. | According to the communications regulator Ofcom, 0843 and 0844 calls cost between 1p and 13p a minute from landlines and, typically, between 15p and 41p a minute from mobile phones. |
| Calls to 0845 numbers cost between 1p and 10.5p a minute from landlines and from 12p to 41p from mobiles. | Calls to 0845 numbers cost between 1p and 10.5p a minute from landlines and from 12p to 41p from mobiles. |
| And, for 0870 codes, the rates are 2p to 10p and 21p to 41p. | And, for 0870 codes, the rates are 2p to 10p and 21p to 41p. |
| Ofcom estimates that about 30,000 companies use the numbers. | Ofcom estimates that about 30,000 companies use the numbers. |
| The change is outlined in the Department for Business and Skills's response to the European Consumer Rights Directive. | The change is outlined in the Department for Business and Skills's response to the European Consumer Rights Directive. |