118 118

[Plate spinner]

Idle musing really... 118 118 seem to advertise lots on commercial TV with the annoying runner chaps, I just can’t figure out the business model.

I presume they are a directory enquiries service.
But with most people having smart phones or at least an internet enabled PC, who on earth is paying a premium for this service?

Am I missing something?

[Warmfuzzies]

You are missing a lot.

118 loans being just one example.

[ApOrbital]

Scum.

[Plate spinner]

Warmfuzzies said:

You are missing a lot.

118 loans being just one example.

Ah I see, wondered where all the advert funding was coming from.

[bloomen]

Plate spinner said:

Ah I see, wondered where all the advert funding was coming from.

Charging grannies £50 to call their neighbour when they forget their number.

Dunno how it works at the moment but they used to cost vast amounts to supply the number. Then they'd offer to 'route' the call for you. If you agree and they dialled and put you through then they add a few quid a minute to your call.

They should be erased from the Earth. Yet more privatisation that makes nothing but needless misery.

[Blacksquid]

From the 118 118 website

'Calls to 118 118 cost £4.49 per call plus £4.49 per minute, (minimum 60 second charge applies) inc vat. This is the service charge. In addition you will be charged an access charge per minute by the company that bills you for calls.'

[.:ian:.]

The loans are to pay off your phone bill after being royally reamed by their other service!

[valiant]

Blacksquid said:

From the 118 118 website

'Calls to 118 118 cost £4.49 per call plus £4.49 per minute, (minimum 60 second charge applies) inc vat. This is the service charge. In addition you will be charged an access charge per minute by the company that bills you for calls.'

Farkin' hell. Almost £9 to find you a number that you'd get for free off google and then more if you let them connect you. Clearly aimed at the non computer literate i.e. old bods.

I know they're a private company who are offering a service and that it's your choice to use but that is just taking the piss big time stylee.

And their adverts are st.

[toastybase]

I once used them to call a shop to find out if they had a ring.

The amount of money they charged was nearly as much as the ring. £100

[FN2TypeR]

Blacksquid said:

From the 118 118 website

'Calls to 118 118 cost £4.49 per call plus £4.49 per minute, (minimum 60 second charge applies) inc vat. This is the service charge. In addition you will be charged an access charge per minute by the company that bills you for calls.'

[WizzBang]

Don't even think of borrowing from these sharks. APR @ 99.9%.

[AlexRS2782]

Still much lower than the 1200% plus types that normally advertise on daytime TV

At least 118 also seem to advertise their charges clearly - PH & Haymarket could learn from that when it comes to PhoneSafe & the classifieds section on here

[Moonhawk]

valiant said:

Farkin' hell. Almost £9 to find you a number that you'd get for free off google

This is exactly why I bought my first smartphone.

[C&C]

Also read the "Post Retirement" section of the wikipedia article on David Bedford

Bunch of wkers.

[WolfieBot]

AlexRS2782 said:

Still much lower than the 1200% plus types that normally advertise on daytime TV

At least 118 also seem to advertise their charges clearly - PH & Haymarket could learn from that when it comes to PhoneSafe & the classifieds section on here

To be fair though the 1200% ones don't market themselves over 24 month periods. Borrowing for a couple of weeks (payday loans) at the 1200% rate isn't far off borrowing £20 off a mate and buying him a drink in return.

An annual APR is virtually irrelevant for payday loans but they legally have to display it.