UK mobile phone users to get free 0800 calls by mid-2015
Ofcom, the UK's communication regulator, has toyed with the idea of making freephone numbers free to call from mobiles for over two years, but now it's finally looking to put that plan into action. In an effort to clear up confusion over call charges, the regulator announced it intends to bring mobile freephone calls in line with landlines, letting everyone in the UK call 0800, 0808 and 116 numbers for no charge. It's been a long time coming: Ofcom actually began conducting research into call charges in November 2011, but the new guidance comes with a few extra cost-cutting measures when it goes into effect. By June 2015, Ofcom will introduce caps on premium rate calls and clarify the cost of calls to 0845 numbers, encouraging transparency and giving people a clear of idea of how much they'll be debited when they pick up the phone.
