The first new directory enquiries services were launched at 00.01 on the morning of Tuesday 10th December 2002. The following companies began operating on BT's network from that date:
British Gas Communications, BT, Core Telecommunications Ltd (trading as Opal Telecom), The Number UK Ltd, One.Tel, Orange, and Telegate.
After the last weekend in August 2003 the existing Directory Enquiry numbers such as 192 were to be withdrawn and only the new 118 xxx numbers would be available. However, the 195 service for visually impaired customers continued and is still available today.
In May 2002, the ten new 118 numbers allocated to BT by OFTEL were:
- 118060
- 118141
- 118404 UK DQ Welsh
- 118500 UK DQ was (192)
- 118505 International DQ (was 153)
- 118515
- 118525
- 118606
- 118707
- 118868
118500
The new BT DQ number was 118500 as can be seen in this publicity shot with Patricia Vaz. It is also available on-line at www.118500.com
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From 1 March 2004 Julie Berry's voice-over in the BT advert also included her saying, "the number you require is..." which was, of course, her part of the AVR already being used for DQ. |
Play the 118500 jingle/ad. By July/August 2004, the radio adverts had the additional voice-over of 'BT, More Power to You.' |
The advertising slogans were very catchy in the run up to August 2003 when 192 was officially ceased.
Maureen
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Another contender identified by the name of Maureen and was accessible by calling 118212. Maureen originated from Independent Radio News (IRN). The name Maureen was chosen for its associations with friendliness, helpfulness and efficiency. Regardless of gender, all calls were answered as Maureen. |
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Of the competition, The Number had the most noticeable radio and TV ads. "Call The Number on 118118." The Number used two mustachioed runners in its advertising campaigns. In 2013 the company diversified into money-lending. |
Regulation
From 1986 ICSTIS the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services, was the industry-funded regulatory body for all premium rate charged telecommunications services. Early on, ICSTIS begun disciplining and fining the most wayward of the new DQ services for their questionable and sharp practices. ICSTIS was re-branded as PhonepayPlus in 2007.
On 1st July 2015 Ofcom regulated to make charges to 118 numbers better defined, showing the access charge and service charge.
From November 2016 PhonepayPlus became the PSA: Phone-paid Services Authority. "We are the UK regulator for content, goods and services charged to a phone bill. We act in the interests of consumers."
See also https://www.gov.uk/call-charges.
Telephone Preference Service (TPS)
www.tpsonline.org.uk/
"The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is a free service. It is the official central register on which you can record your preference not to receive unsolicited sales or marketing calls to your landline or mobile. It is a legal requirement that all organisations do not make calls to numbers registered on the TPS unless they have your consent to do so."
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