COMPLAINTS OVER PRICING OF OPERATOR SERVICES

Edition: 321
Date: 05-05-03

Changes in telephone regulations mean that about a month ago the Directory Enquiries service offered by Telefónica began to be offered by other companies as well, as Telefónica lost its exclusivity. However, consumers organisations have received several complaints from clients who are confused by the new numbers and who find the charges expensive. A directive from the Comisión del Mercado de Telecomunicaciones has changed the number for directory enquiries from 1003 to numbers beginning with 118, followed by two different digits for each operator. Anybody dialling the old 1003 number should now receive a message giving them one of the new numbers to phone, and the numbers of the different operators are given out in turn to ensure fairness. The former Telefónica service is now 11818, and it costs 35 céntimos but does not connect the caller to the number requested. (Calling this number from a Telefónica phone booth is supposed to be free of charge).TPI-Página Amarillas has the number 11888; this service can provide business numbers and allows the caller to make restaurant reservations, but the call costs one euro. 11811 is the number for Telegate, who charges 60 céntimos for the first minute and 40 céntimos per minute from then on, and 11850 is the Conduit information service, which is cheaper at 30 céntimos per minute but then charges by the second.