Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/1999/07/21/bt_to_exact_huge_price/

BT to exact huge price for international enquiries

Hasn't the giant heard of the Internet?

By Mike Magee

Posted in On-Prem, 21st July 1999 15:37 GMT

A story in today's edition of Private Eye, a UK satirical fortunately, said that the price of people accessing International Directory Enquiries was set to shoot up. According to the magazine, the current flat rate price of 80 pence charged by British Telecom (BT), is set to rocket to £1.10 per minute for end users here in Blighty. Worse, said the Eye, employees on the service are having their unsocial hours rate cut. For anyone wanting to phone people abroad, this could be a very expensive situation. But hope is at hand. In the USA, for example, you can find out telephone numbers for the cost of a simple Internet dial-up. BT also charges money for people phoning 192 for local directory enquiries, but public pressure has just forced the telco giant to put its list of numbers online. ®