Directory phone calls so costly

Published: 7 October, 2010

• MY telephone bill is paid by direct debit albeit I get a paper bill and thank heavens I do.  

As my calls over 50p were mostly directory calls (we do not get other than a local book) I normally ring 118500.   

Imagine my shock to find that all the directory calls – five of them – were all over £1.

In fact one was over £6 another over £5. When I rang BT they took some money from the bill immediately.  When I asked for an explanation of the costs they said they never knew where the directory calls were being diverted to, so I guess we pay the bill should it be diverted to India. 

I wondered how many other people knew this. Surely it’s no use offering free land line calls (at a cost anyway) when most calls are not included in their package, for example, to gas companies, mobiles etcetera. Other unwary users of BT be warned.  
Pam Baily
NW3