Save money on 0870 numbers
If you haven't discovered this site already, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
All the major companies that run 0870 numbers can be contacted via ordinary numbers at a cheaper rate. They don't advertise these cheaper numbers because they want to make money on their 0870 lines.
Some guy in Lancashire has painstakingly tracked down all these alternative numbers and put them up on a free website.
I've just made two calls and it worked fine.
Some of these lines can keep you waiting ages before you are connected, so it's worth going down the low cost route. If you have one of those phone contracts where you don't pay for local or national UK calls, as I have, then you won't pay a thing every time you ring one of these alternative numbers.
Now I know why these companies keep you waiting so long. There's a strong financial disincentive to speed up.
Having just reread this post I sound so enthusiastic it reads like some kind of horrible scam I'm recommending here, but I promise you it isn't.
I have no connection with the owner of this website, the link I provided is not an affiliate link and accessing it won't cost you any money - in fact it will save you money.
Ugh! Now it sounds like I'm protesting too much.
I give up.