No more 192?

[Wispy68]

I caught the last part of a news item on TV today, about Directory Enquiries 192 number being phased out, and several different six (?) digit numbers being introduced by Autumn 2003. Does anyone know what it's all about?

[geofbob]

Not much, except that for the time being the 192 number will be retained, and that these other half dozen or so 6 digit number enquiry services - two of them are 118000 & 118118 - are starting up. Presumably, these new providers will advertise themselves heavily in the coming weeks and months; otherwise, nobody will use them, and they will go out of business.

[rekstout]

The reasons provided were that the telco service provider has a monopoly over their own clients when it comes to the provision of directory enquiries services - for example dial 192 on BT and you get BT Enquiries, dial 192 on an NTL line and you get NTL Enquiries etc. They claim the new system will offer greater consumer choice and drive down the price of these calls (currently 20p a go on BT?).

The new numbers will all be prefixed with the same 3 digit number, in line with European standards where the same prefix is used - presumably making it easier for our european cousins to recognise and remember a directory enquiries number

[the_dipsey_1]

I may be wrong but i heard they charge for putting you through to the number so much for 118 118 straight through!! and get charged for the privelige