hi just want to check if anyone experienced this.
my Philippine-based bank's customer support has an international toll free number for Australia.
The instructions to dial:
0011 + 800 + 8631-8000
The call connected.
However, I was surprise to be charged $155 for 50min call when I thought 1800 numbers are free to call on my mobile? Am I in the wrong here? Is there something I do not understand about 800 numbers?
Thanks for the explanation. Is there any purpose for this international toll free than just giving out an actual international number if it will cost the same for customers?
Some countries have toll-free numbers. Australia does not.
https://www.bdo.com.ph/support-topics/vii-internet-banking-h…
@urbancowboy511: Hmm, I looked up 00800 and it seems to be an international toll-free number. So there's no charge from the bank to call them (i.e. not a premium number some countries have).
The question is whether Australian providers include those numbers in plans here. That might be the difference here.
@Hybroid: I was under the impression this routed to a local 800 number so its free to call for customers in AU.
If its not, then whats the purpose of the toll free number than just call their PH number.
Please use a landline when calling our Toll Free numbers to avoid incurring telephone charges.
Lol
1800 numbers are funny in that the person with the number chooses if it is toll-free from landlines/mobile phones, they often choose both…
However, I didn't think it is toll-free from international locations…
As this was a once-off by yourself, consider calling your phone provider and asking them if they can do anything. As a once-off gesture they may very well remove it and warn you that they won't do it again for future calls.
Sorry you got such a bill shock.
Thanks. Will try to sort out with my provider hopefully will consider.
Sorry, if the number you are dialing does not start with 1800, it is not a 1800 number
Also, what's written on an overseas banks website and what's written in your mobile plan/contract are possibly very different. FFS.
Who was your mobile provider? Is $3/min their standard international call rate?
+800 country code is "Universal International Freephone Service". Unfortunately it is not universal.
Telstra and Optus are on the service provider list. If you are with Vodafone or a reseller, you may be SOL.
Otherwise, I would appeal to the provider. If they were not billed, they should not be billing you, I would think.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toll-free_telephone_number#Uni…
https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/inr/unum/Pages/uifn-service-pro…
who pays "tolls" for calling any number these days… either all domestic numbers are free from a phone, or internationally, that is what VOIP services effectively operating like a VPN are for.
The charges imposed by telcos seem very arbitrary - some countries are quite cheap to ring- others are outrageously expensive. I recently rang Portugal. I was on the phone for nearly an hour- total cost $3 + change.
I would be complaining to your local federal MP. A bank that does business in Australia should have some local contact arrangements.
Ever thought of getting a local bank account?
There's an even better way to show your displeasure about the service of a private organisation - stop being their customer.
Organisations don't typically change until their decisions directly impact their bottom line.
1800 is local to Australia only. The number you had dialled is an international telephone number.
0011 is the prefix to dial an international number from any Australian telephone. Mobile phones use "+" (by holding down "0" button) as an alternative.