I have had to call my UK bank quite a lot recently over the last 3 or 4 weeks as they have cocked things up royally.

I've had my number since 2004, when I was told to make cheap international calls to prefix the number with 009 or 004.  

I was shocked the other day to get an SMS with my calls for the last call period - almost 5,000 baht!  The rate was 17 baht per minute and not the 5 baht per minute that it used to be to a landline and 7 baht to a mobile.

I called about the bill last week and was told that I should use 004 or 00400 (which still gives the same rate as 004).  Calls from mobiles and landlines are now both 7 baht per minute.

I changed all my numbers and that's fine.

 

HOWEVER, a warning - I called Dtac service an hour ago asking why the bill was so high and learnt something I had never been told before and it's this, so be careful.  

IF you make an international call prefixed with either 009 or 004 from your contacts list, you get the cheap rate, BUT if you redial that same number from your calls made list, you pay the full rate of 17 baht!  

As I say, Dtac had never told me about this, so as using the calls list is more convenient, that's what I did and was hit with the full international rate. 

I have made a complaint because it smacks of sharp practice  to me, and told them that I don't mind paying the 7 baht a minute rate because that's the 004 rate IF you dial from your contacts list.

The girl was very nice and has referred my complaint to the billing department, and hopefully I'll get the cheaper rate - like I said, hopefully.

 

So this is a warning to others who make international calls - ALWAYS make the calls from your contacts list and make sure you add the correct prefix from your phone provider.

I shall report back with the outcome, hopefully positive.

 

Does anyone else know of this somewhat shady practice?

Edited February 20, 20233 yr by Irrumator

19 minutes ago, Irrumator said:

IF you make an international call prefixed with either 009 or 004 from your contacts list, you get the cheap rate, BUT if you redial that same number from your calls made list, you pay the full rate of 17 baht!  

As I say, Dtac had never told me about this, so as using the calls list is more convenient, that's what I did and was hit with the full international rate. 

How interesting?  ????  Thanks!

3 hours ago, Irrumator said:

IF you make an international call prefixed with either 009 or 004 from your contacts list, you get the cheap rate, BUT if you redial that same number from your calls made list, you pay the full rate of 17 baht!  

As I say, Dtac had never told me about this, so as using the calls list is more convenient, that's what I did and was hit with the full international rate. 

The correct explanation is not exactly what the employee stated.

 

The call history on your phone does NOT store the prefix that you wish to use to call the person back.  The stored number will be only the country code (eg. +66 for Thailand) and all the digits that comprise the caller's phone number as assigned by his service provider.

 

As you stated it is best to use the number you have stored in your contact list to call your out of country friends.  Hopefully you will store the long distance prefix as part of your contacts phone number.

 

It is not a dodgy strategy by your phone company to cheat you.  Your phone does not receive the prefix codes that your friend entered when they called you.  Those prefix codes are only used for billing purposes.  They are stripped out of the phone number that is sent to the phone company connection hardware.  Your call history will only contain the connection instructions (ie. phone number) that is used to complete the incoming call from your contacts.

Use Skype or Viber to call them never use the Public Telephone Network.. Skype costs about 2p a minute to call the UK. Alternatively get an adaptor from RJ11 to RJ45 and plug into your Wi-Fi router.

Edited February 20, 20233 yr by Photoguy21

1 hour ago, gamb00ler said:

The correct explanation is not exactly what the employee stated.

 

The call history on your phone does NOT store the prefix that you wish to use to call the person back.  The stored number will be only the country code (eg. +66 for Thailand) and all the digits that comprise the caller's phone number as assigned by his service provider.

 

As you stated it is best to use the number you have stored in your contact list to call your out of country friends.  Hopefully you will store the long distance prefix as part of your contacts phone number.

 

It is not a dodgy strategy by your phone company to cheat you.  Your phone does not receive the prefix codes that your friend entered when they called you.  Those prefix codes are only used for billing purposes.  They are stripped out of the phone number that is sent to the phone company connection hardware.  Your call history will only contain the connection instructions (ie. phone number) that is used to complete the incoming call from your contacts.

Thank you for a very lucid and detailed explanation.  I understand perfectly now.  Are/were you in telecoms?  ????

However, I suspect that the very nice Dtac girl may not have had the English skills to explain in the detailed way that you did.  However, I got the message and now use only the contact list for dialling.

I wasn't exactly saying that they cheated me, but at no stage was it ever explained to me that you shouldn't call from the called numbers list so I was a bit twitchy, this being Thailand and all that ...

Anyway, there has been a successful outcome in that Dtac first offered me a 20% discount, but  I said I had always believed the calls were 7 baht a minute and I was prepared to pay that.

They called me back an hour later and agreed so I am 3,000 baht better off - good old Dtac!  ????

 

Edited February 20, 20233 yr by Irrumator

50 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Use Skype or Viber to call them never use the Public Telephone Network.. Skype costs about 2p a minute to call the UK. Alternatively get an adaptor from RJ11 to RJ45 and plug into your Wi-Fi router.

I do have Skype but haven't used it for years because it was rubbish - feedback, wailing and screeching, all sorts.

I have now downloaded Skype but need to top up my credit on the Paypal account and the bank have messed up my online banking dreadfully and I'm waiting for 2 letters to arrive with new log on details, so I can't use online banking for now - hence the lengthy phone calls trying to put things right.

 

Oh, and I use a mobile for calls, not a landline, so why would I need an RJ11 to RJ45 adaptor?  
Also I think my phone is set up for wifi calling so would it be going through the router anyway?  

Edited February 20, 20233 yr by Irrumator

30 minutes ago, Irrumator said:

I do have Skype but haven't used it for years because it was rubbish - feedback, wailing and screeching, all sorts.

I have now downloaded Skype but need to top up my credit on the Paypal account and the bank have messed up my online banking dreadfully and I'm waiting for 2 letters to arrive with new log on details, so I can't use online banking for now - hence the lengthy phone calls trying to put things right.

 

Oh, and I use a mobile for calls, not a landline, so why would I need an RJ11 to RJ45 adaptor?  
Also I think my phone is set up for wifi calling so would it be going through the router anyway?  

Just saying if you wanted to use your landline, assuming you have one get a cable to plug into your router then you can call over Wi-Fi

Ah right, OK.  Noted.  
No, haven't used a landline for about 18 years.

But thanks for the suggestion, appreciated.  

 

2 hours ago, Irrumator said:

I do have Skype but haven't used it for years because it was rubbish - feedback, wailing and screeching, all sorts.

I have now downloaded Skype but need to top up my credit on the Paypal account and the bank have messed up my online banking dreadfully and I'm waiting for 2 letters to arrive with new log on details, so I can't use online banking for now - hence the lengthy phone calls trying to put things right.

 

Oh, and I use a mobile for calls, not a landline, so why would I need an RJ11 to RJ45 adaptor?  
Also I think my phone is set up for wifi calling so would it be going through the router anyway?  

Skype is very much better than it used to be, and it was never very bad for me.

 

you may well be locked out of PayPal if you have a Thai PayPal account,  however you don’t need it for Skype. I have my Thai bank card (SCB Master Card) registered and set for automatic top up of $10 when the balance is under $2.00, I get a notification about once every few months that the auto top up has kicked in.

 

just download Skype on your phone, computer & tablet then just use it FWIW the call cost is about ฿1 per minute 

Aug 13 11:31	+44208xxxxxx7, United Kingdom	Call	$0.023	15:56	$0.420
Aug 13 12:29	+44208xxxxxx7, United Kingdom	Call	$0.023	06:56	$0.210

 

 

Edited February 20, 20233 yr by sometimewoodworker

2 hours ago, Irrumator said:

Are/were you in telecoms?  ????

Sort of.... I was a software engineer and had a lot of exposure to telecoms through that career.  

2 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Skype is very much better than it used to be, and it was never very bad for me.

 

you may well be locked out of PayPal if you have a Thai PayPal account,  however you don’t need it for Skype. I have my Thai bank card (SCB Master Card) registered and set for automatic top up of $10 when the balance is under $2.00, I get a notification about once every few months that the auto top up has kicked in.

 

just download Skype on your phone, computer & tablet then just use it FWIW the call cost is about ฿1 per minute 

Aug 13 11:31	+44208xxxxxx7, United Kingdom	Call	$0.023	15:56	$0.420
Aug 13 12:29	+44208xxxxxx7, United Kingdom	Call	$0.023	06:56	$0.210

 

 

This was late 2004/early 2005 when I was on Koh Samui for 3-4 months and the internet was  absolutely dire.  
Skype now installed on phone, tablet and PC and just waiting for my pathetic bank to resurrect my online banking and then I'll add some money to my UK Paypal which currently has £0.06 in it!  Or add Paypal as a payee and then transfer when needed.   

Edited February 20, 20233 yr by Irrumator