On the other side of the prefix coin, 03 numbers have seen a boost in popularity, because they cost the same to call as a regular landline and are included in “free minutes” packages on mobile contracts.
Additionally, 03 numbers cost businesses around 90% less to run than those with an 0800 prefix. 03 numbers are being used by major organisations, including Oxfam, the Metropolitan Police, RSPCE, Nikon and Children in Need.
The benefits people receive from an 03 prefix are actually greater than 0800 numbers. Not only do they cost less to run and are free or cheaper to call, they are non-geographical so do not need changing in case of relocation and can allow a company to retain its local identity while marketing nationally.
Also, because 03 numbers are still relatively new, there are thousands to choose from to find a memorable combination. Numbers with these prefixes can also be instantly routed to an alternative landline or mobile, so calls need never be missed.
Additionally, adopting an 03 number does not mean an instant change for all calls. The new number runs alongside an existing landline number, allowing for a phased changeover.
The cards are stacked in favour of the 03 prefix, and it makes good business sense to make the change, particularly when there is no need for it to be a straight cut-off of the old number. It saves businesses and their customers money and the early adopters get to choose some simple to remember numbers, helping to drive those calls into the business.
03 IS THE MAGIC NUMBER AS 0800 COSTS PRICE OUT MOBILE USERS
For many years, an 0800 number has been seen as the best way for businesses to allow their customers to get in touch, free of charge.
With the plethora of 0845, 0844 and other prefixes which have hit the market, 0800 numbers have held strong, allowing businesses to encourage incoming calls.
However, according to industry regulator Ofcom, 2011 will be the first year to see more calls made from mobile phones than from landlines. It is this change in telecommunications habits which will see the decline in the 0800 number.
As well as the new dominance in mobile calls, there is a new prefix in play, which will add to 0800’s demise. 03 numbers are in a prime position to become the major player for businesses which would like to increase incoming traffic.
0800 calls are not free from mobiles and cost up to 20p per minute. Also, some simply do not work from mobiles. The motorists among you may have noticed this if they have tried to call such numbers as radio traffic and travel people – safely, of course – from a mobile, to report a problem on the roads. An automated voice will tell you “this number is not available from a mobile phone, please try again by dialling…”. It’s off-putting and not exactly safe.
Along with our extensive telecoms solutions, Odyssey Systems also provide a competitive all in one web domain hosting, and email support package.
Purchasing a domain with Odyssey Systems will give you the following benefits;
- Complete support, our fully trained support staff will always be there to answer any questions.
- One point of contact – We will provide you with full email and web domain support, keeping things simple for you.
- All email accounts are hosted as a POP3 account, making it easy to accommodate your business, which can enable you to access your mails on the go.
- Using our MailShield – not only do we block harmful spam / viruses from ever reaching your machines, we can re-point the destination of your emails: So if you need to swap out servers, we can do it straight away, no questions asked.
If you have any queries about our web hosting options, feel free to get in touch. Refer to the “Contact Details” page for more information; alternatively, you can email domains@odyssey-systems.co.uk.
ODYSSEY ENGINEER CELEBRATES MEDAL
We would like to say a massive congratulations to our Field Engineer Gordon Brooks, who was awarded a medal from the Pingat Jasa conflict in Malaysia.
ODYSSEY STAFF TO TAKE TO THE
FOOTBALL WORLD BY STORM…?
…Maybe not, but it hasn’t stopped the guys from making their own 5 a side team to keep fitness levels up amongst the staff.
“With advances in technology such as e-billing we have found ourselves without the need to print in such high volumes, although I will hold onto a couple of the printers to satisfy our small printing requirements”.
When compared to typical colour laser printers the Xerox Tektronix 850 printers have fewer parts to wear out and use fewer consumables that need to be replaced. The Tektronix Phaser 850 even offers free black ink for the life of the printer. http://www.office.xerox.com/programs/fbi/freeblackink.html
If you would like more information on the sale of these printers please contact Mike Odysseas on 01642 661802 or alternatively check out the contacts page.
> Click here for contacts page…
HIGH QUALITY PRINTERS FOR SALE,
REVOLUTIONISE THE WAY YOU PRINT
Odyssey Systems, the Tees Valley business-to-business communications provider has Xerox Tektronix Phaser 850 printers for sale.
The Xerox 850 printer can keep up with the busiest of workloads and is a leap forward in colour quality, performance and no-nonsense productivity.
This mix of high performance black and white and colour printers will give any business the competitive edge, without slow speeds, high operating costs, and complex maintenance whilst improving their green credentials.
Mike Odysseas managing director of odyssey systems, said: “The printers have been a very competent printing source for our company for many years. They use a process called wax sublimation printing, wax blocks are used instead of toner cartridges; this dramatically reduces the printing waste and offers a low carbon printing solution. Replacing the ink or toner is usually the most expensive part of the printing process but these printers do not incur any of those costs, we have printed literally millions of sheets from these printers without the cost of ink and toner resulting in absolutely no wastage”.
Below are some of the staff scrapping their cigarettes, in favour of the Fake Electronic Cigarettes, kindly supplied by Managing Director Mike Odysseas.
“There are so many other, easy, things that could be done to improve the situation” says Mike. “The Commission should simply fine those firms who make misleading statements about the provisions that they can offer. Further transparency measures would ensure that consumers expect and receive a high level of service.
“However, the responsibility also falls on consumers to hold their providers to account. In the UK, 16% of people are willing to change providers when better services are offered elsewhere; this is a full 4% over the EU average, so they are already on their way to ensuring that they receive high quality products for their money. More consumers need to join them in order to ensure that companies improve the services that they offer.
“Finally, high bandwidth users need to join the campaign to reduce traffic shaping. If high-profile bandwidth providers such as the BBC and Apple name and shame those providers who are failing to fulfil their obligations and thus restricting the enjoyment of their products, we are far more likely to see real changes and results.”
“The trouble with bundle services is that one provider cannot be the best for everything,” says Mike Odysseas. “Once people sign up to a contract they rarely change, even if the service is poor.” This is true for the 12% of UK households who claim that they could like to change their contract but are hindered for one reason or another.
Finally, there are more worrying issues within the industry. Complaints have been made which claim that internet providers “throttle” internet traffic, slowing speeds on particular types of traffic, such as voice-over internet services. The Commission has requested further fact-finding into these claims, which will return information by the end of 2011.
Odyssey Systems uses the most up-to-date and high specification equipment and hardware, including re-wiring customers’ buildings, to offer the best possible broadband speeds.
Mike said: “The vast majority of internet service providers use traffic shaping (controlling internet traffic) to reduce their costs. Movements like this remove net neutrality and the quality of service provision. It is an issue which must be combated to improve internet throughout Europe, especially in the UK”.
The measures taken by the Commission to tackle these issues include new EU rules requiring companies to be transparent about their connection speeds and quality, and further research into both transgressions between advertised and supplied internet speeds and the issue of traffic shaping.