The next time you dial an overseas call on your mobile phone, pause to make sure you have your preferred IDD access code keyed in to take advantage of the low charge service.
The attention of the Consumer Council has been drawn to many a dispute between consumers and their telecom service providers concerning IDD charges.
Often the disputes arise due to unintentional triggering of the more expensive IDD 001 prime access code in making IDD calls from mobile phones.
In these cases, consumers originally intend to make IDD calls via their IDD service access code, i.e. a 3-digit or 4-digit access code, which they have registered with their network operators or other service providers. The calls will then be duly charged at the lower rate of the chosen IDD access code.
However, IDD calls could be connected to an IDD 001 network in case of the following dialing patterns:
- First, when a caller has stored an overseas telephone number in the phonebook of his/her handset without any IDD access code in front and makes an IDD call directly from the phonebook memory, the call could be triggered to an IDD 001 network and charged at a more expensive '001 rate' by certain mobile service providers.
- Second, when a mobile phone user receives an incoming call and makes an outgoing IDD call to that number by retrieving the number (or the caller's name) from the "Call History Record/Display of Incoming Calls" of his/her handset, and if the number captured in the display is prefixed with "+" followed by country code + area code + telephone number, the call will then be routed via an IDD 001 network and charged at a '001 rate'.
To avoid being charged at a more expensive IDD rate unknowingly, consumers are advised to key in the full set of numbers, i.e. a "3-digit or 4-digit IDD access code + country code + area code (if any) + overseas telephone number" when making IDD calls.
If you really have to make an IDD call by retrieving the overseas number from the mobile phone, you are reminded to check whether the number is prefixed with "+" or "001" and to replace it with your preferred IDD access code before initiating the call.
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