To expect a call to the police on the non emergency number 101 to be free?

[Pseudonym99]

Just received my mobile phone bill. It was 30p more than the fixed price for my bundle. I was charged 15p for 2 calls to 101 I made when I called in a horse on the loose, then again to report it was no longer a danger after another responsible member of the public stopped their car to deal with it? It was dark, on a county lane and icy, I considered it a danger to traffic so thought I'd better report it.

WIBU next time to ring 999 or just not bother? Shouldn't Vodafone and the police advertise the fact that you have to pay for these calls?

You'd be unreasonable to call 999 to save 15p. You wouldn't be unreasonable to call 999 in the scenario you describe though. There's a big difference

Every time anyone writes Vodaph0ne it links it for me. Creepy.

Weirdly, my adverts are for EE!

YANBU to think that a call to 101 should be included in your minutes. It shouldn't be a premium rate number. It doesn't make it free.

Now I'm wondering if whoever is making money from these 101 calls is responsible for all the "call 101 and log it" posts on MN...

www.police.uk/contact/101/

Apparently it's a flat rate of 15p per call to 101 to cover telephone providers costs

Now I'm wondering if whoever is making money from these 101 calls is responsible for all the "call 101 and log it" posts on MN...

If you want it to be included in your minutes then complain to your telephone company, they set your tariffs

Perhaps if I complain to V0d@fone it'll cost them a lot more than the 15p to deal with me than they charged me in the first place. Even if they don't refund me it'll cost them more.

I don't think yabu. As someone pointed out, they can't call outside their minutes, so wouldn't be able to make the call.
What about if people don't have credit?
It's not about the cost if the call.

I'm quite surprised at that too, I know lots of people that buy bundles and just use those so don't have 'credit' as such on their PAYG phones. Is it the same for the NHS number does anyone know?

It's a regulatory requirement that networks charge 15p for calls made to 101.

www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q781.htm

Does the number show up on your phone bill then? That could be potentially dodgy for victims of DV surely? I would think that's more of an issue than the cost.

But surely any number showing up on a phone bill could be dodgy for DV victims?

Specifically numbers that relate to the victim getting help or preparing to leave

For instance, Samaritans and Women's Aid numbers don't show up, AFAIK

Ywbvu to call 999- meant ywbvu to call 999 rather than spend the 30p to call 101.

Are you going to ask them to waive the charge?

This is the pettiest things I've ever heard. Feel like setting up a Go Fund Me account to get OP's 30p back.

Surely though if someone has phoned 101 regarding DV they'll be phoning to report something that's happened therefore the police will be involved. The person responsible will be aware the calls been made way before a mobile phone bill comes in

I use giffgaff so had to top up £10 credit when I needed to call 101. The reason for the charge is to stop people abusing the service.

111 is free bizarrely.
www.gov.uk/call-charges

I don't think the problem is that the call costs 15p. The problem is that mobile phone companies are charging for the call on top of all the money that has already been prepaid to them for x amount of minutes of calls under the contract.

Yab a bit U. It's 15p. And it's not the network that charges it, they make no profit from it at all. The charge is there as a pp has said to stop the service being abused

It IS the network providers who charge the 15p to cover the cost. Believe me if you're the type to abuse the system a 15p charge isn't going to determine you.

Yanbu, it shouldn't be a premium rate number. I had no idea it was.

Wow you have some time on your hands to check your phone bill and actually notice it was 30p over

It's not a premium rate number, it is 15p if you are on e phone to 10 minutes or 10 hours.

It is free to call 101 from a telephone box.

You would be unreasonable to call 999 to save 15p or if you don't have credit. 999 is for emergencies and it does not have an infinite number of call takers or 999 lines so while you are ringing 999 and being told it is not an emergency and to ring 101 someone with a genuine emergency may not be able to get through. It happens a lot and if you do ring 999 and it isn't an emergency you will be told to ring 101 and the call terminated.

If you need to contact the police non urgently then look up the direct number for your county police and that will come out your minutes.

Here is the list of alternative numbers.
www.police.uk/contact/#alternative-numbers

So, it is better to have traffic bombing round dark country lanes at night, with no streetlights, on an icy road, with a horse hiding behind the next bend? When a call to 999 might prevent people being killed. What is 999 for, then

No, its better to call 101 and not whine about a 30p charge.