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Gold Numbers have been producing a mini-series of FAQs about some of their numbers. In the last of the current series, Gold looks at the increasingly popular local number and tries to answer some frequently asked questions
“We have been quite surprised at just how popular local numbers have become recently” says Richie Williams, Director of Business Development at Gold Numbers. It always used to be the case that companies wanted to appear as national companies to give them a greater presence in their field, but it almost seems now as if smaller is better. Companies want to appear local. Maybe it’s because people want to support local companies to help local economies because of the recession. Maybe they’re worried about extra charges for companies coming a long way that aren’t local due to high fuel prices. Maybe they want them to be closer in case things go wrong. Maybe it’s environmental reasons. Maybe it’s a combination of all of them. But local numbers – or UK local ghost numbers, or virtual numbers as they’re also known, are definitely on the up. Here are our answers to some of the questions that we’re frequently asked”.
Why would I want a Local Number?
People like to use local companies for a wide variety of reasons. But if you’re a business that operates nationally, unless you’re a large company then you are not going to have premises with phone numbers in every area. A local number however gives the impression to the caller that you are, and so is a cheaper alternative to having bases all over the country.
What local numbers do you have?
We have STD codes for 500 UK towns and cities. To give you a small flavour, these include London, Belfast, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Cardiff, Isle of Wight, Dover, Glasgow, Barnstaple, Congleton, Keswick, Exeter, Aberdeen, Durham, Bath, Salisbury, Lincoln, Newcastle Gateshead, Newcastle Tyneside, Aberystwth, Nottingham, Wigan, Taunton, Derby, Redditch, Glastonbury, Lancaster, Barrow in Furness, Horsham, Worcester, Leicester, Scunthorpe, Ripon, Southampton, York, Sheffield, Betws-y-Coed, Romsey, Blackpool, Spilsby, Inverness, Caernarfon, Stratford-upon-Avon, Plymouth, Kendal, Devizes, Dulverton, Huntingdon, Rugby, Leeds, Torquay, Norwich, Pontypool and Shepton Mallet. This is a just a small sample – we have around 500 different numbers so please check on our website.
How much does it cost for a Gold Local number?
There is a one off set up fee of £15 + VAT, and then a monthly rental fee of £5 + VAT per month. This is the same for numbers that are pointed to landlines and mobiles.
Once I get one, am I stuck with it forever?
No – as with all our other numbers, there is no long term contract, you only have to give 30 days written notice if you wanted to cancel. Just drop us a quick email!
How much do I have to pay per call?
For a local number that is routed to a landline you pay 3p + VAT per minute to receive the call. For a local number that is routed to a mobile the charge is 16p + VAT per minute to receive the call, but this increases to 27p + VAT per minute if you are with the 3 Mobile Network.
I don't have a landline number and I don’t want to pay mobile charges, is there any other option such as Skype or VOIP?
Yes, you can always have the calls pointed to a Skype or VOIP number which will cost the same as if you had a landline number.
What’s this Fax to Email Service I’ve been hearing about?
Fax to Email allows you to receive your faxes in your email inbox instead of through a fax machine. This means that you don’t have to leave your fax machine on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in order to receive faxes. This saves electricity, paper, ink and toner.
Do you offer any additional features?
Yes, lots! You can view the options on our website, which range from voicemail to IVR, call recording and call whispers.
Do you round up to the nearest minute for call charging?
No, we use per second billing so that you only pay for what you use.
Do you provide full itemised billing?
Yes
Do you offer discounts on multiple local numbers?
Yes
How long will it take to get my number connected?
Local numbers take a little bit longer than 0800, 0845 and 0845 numbers to connect, and so you are usually looking at around 24 hours.
Can I have my destination number changed and how much does it cost?
Yes you can, and we are happy to do this for you during the working week, Monday – Friday between 9am and 4pm. The easiest way to do this is to click on the "Repoint my number" form on the website, in the dark blue box on the right hand side of each page. There is a small administration fee of £5.00 + VAT which is added to the next monthly invoice.
If I wish to add a feature at a later date is this possible?
Yes of course, all you need to do is call us or send us an email letting us know what you would like.
How can I pay?
You can pay by credit or debit card, or via direct debit.
If I sell my business can the new owner take over the number?
Yes. If this is the agreement between yourselves and the new owner with your permission in writing to us we will transfer the number.