It is absolutely ridiculous when mobile operators can class it as a business policy to charge customers on free phone numbers. Any number that is free to call on a public pay phone should be free on a mobile. The whole point of free numbers was so these numbers could be an option for people to call for free. If people keep getting charged on such numbers than it makes the whole scheme of free numbers quite laughable really even when they seem to get away with it out of regulation. Then when one does not pay their phone bill the mobile operators disconnect the line because of non-payment and yet do not bother to even resolve your complaints. Can mobile operators really get away with such a lack of service and illegal practices in business policy? In Britain, we have Ofcom, however, how far have they come towards tackling such business behavior? This type of behavior is not only illegal it is outright fraudulent. Also, one does not go to a store and pay money without ever expecting to buy a service or a commodity. These days businesses expect customers to pay up without enquiry on exactly what it is they are paying for and why. I think it is justified and every customers right to ask a service or product provider why they are expected to pay a certain amount if they feel it is unjustified. Even so far, as to say if one is in a contract, perhaps the contract does not cover it in their terms and conditions. There is no where in terms and conditions of any mobile operator where it says contract payments will be billed monthly to customers without any guarantee of service for more than 72 hours. When a mobile operator cannot provide a service for a week or more they should be held accountable for contract to which they are not complying with themselves. Customers are paying for a service, a service they feel will give them reliability and not bill them with hidden charges. No one likes to be taken for a ride. But, often times it seems mobile operators feel the need to try it and do get away with it even while there is regulation in place and class it as their business policy and within their terms and conditions of a binding contract. I would advise anyone to seek advice in making sure terms and conditions covers any particular service issues incurred that makes one question the bills or the amount one feels one has to pay for any given period with a provider. I would have thought ofcom had established the supporting fact that 0800 numbers were free and should not be chargeable by mobile operators. But, nothing seems to be ever set in stone for mobile operators and bending rules at will seems to be their foray of business practices.
