Telephones were far more interesting back in the 20th century. They weren’t mobile and they didn’t have many features aside from the straightforward “you can talk to someone”.  But in terms of looks they were the business!  These triumphs of telephonic engineering are now considered to be unimpeachable design classics.

Perfect for lovers of retro-chic hardware ,  those searching for unusual gifts or those who simply want to recreate the look of the Technicolor heyday of the 50’s, Retro Telephones are guaranteed to re-ignite your love of design where form really does meet  function and they still put today’s fragile, inelegant, handsets to shame.  Most of these iconic retro telephones were inspired by individual designers.  In the UK,   even as late as the 1960s, the GPO “Modern Telephone” was still available alongside the Martyn Rowlands designed Trimphone.  But the single most prolific telephone designer has to be the American Henry Dreyfuss, who virtually invented the science of anthropometrics and ergonomics when it came to industrial design.

Apprenticed to Norman Bel Geddes, Dreyfuss worked on various projects including stage and movie sets and the original Polaroid camera before turning his attention to telephones produced by Bell laboratories.  In designing the iconic type 302 phone he used ear- to-mouth measurements from over 2,000 people to create the ergonomic handset that incorporated receiver and microphone within the same moulded plastic unit - an innovation for the time.

This was superceded by yet another Dreyfuss design, the 500 Desk phone.   Available originally only in “Bell Black”, it was later produced in a variety of shades.   The Princess, introduced in 1959 was another Dreyfuss creation.  Compact and attractive with rounded edges, and the handset nestling across the top, it quickly became a favourite.   Around this period too, no film noir was complete without Sam Spade calling the office from a diner or a bar using a classic 3-slot style payphone that remained virtually unchanged until 1965.

In the late 50s/early 60s the “Swedish Cobra” took up the mantle of great design.  Smaller and lighter than anything available at the time, its unusual one piece design was a fine example of form and function in harmony. The push button version was introduced in 1967 and in 1973 the Phone was selected to be part of the New York Museum of Modern Art’s Collection in recognition of its significance as a piece of good design in the 20th Century.

Retro phones available today do incorporate all the latest technology and push-button features you’d expect of any 21st century telephone but it isn’t simply nostalgia that draws many people to these design icons.  It’s the fact that they embody the very best of industrial design in a practical and effective package that looks great and is a delight to hold and use.  Above all though, they just look cool!

Following their reclassification from Ofcom, 0871, 0872 and 0873 numbers have fallen under the remit of PhonepayPlus (The Premium rate regulator formally known as ICSTIS).  As a result, clients using 0871, 0872 and 0873 numbers will need to follow the Phonepay plus Code of Practice.

Customers using 0871, 0872,0873 numbers will need to ensure compliance by 1^st August 2009.

For the full and detailed regulatory and compliance document also covering the background to the reclassification of 0871,0872 and 0873 numbers we strongly recommend you download and read the document at the following link, but we have highlighted some of the most salient points below.

(All you need to know brochure link)

http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/upload/0871_brochure_10.pdf

As a part of the regulatory process you will need to:

1 Register as a service provider

In order to set up new numbers and to continue to use existing numbers you will need to set yourself up as a service provider with the regulator “PhonePayplus”, see link below.

http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/output/Register-as-a-Service-Provider.aspx

Once you have completed the on line service provider registration, you will be sent a unique service provider number (sp123245..etc)  Callagenix will need to have a copy of your Service Provider number before 1^st August 2009. 

2 Have you checked if you need prior permission for your service?

Certain services require prior permission from Phonepay Plus.  Phonepay Plus believes that most services currently using 0871 numbers are for customer services and will not need licences but it’s important to check the full list of services affected in Annex C of the pdf above.

3 Have you provided your ID documents to Callagenix?

Most Callagenix clients will have already completed this.  If you have not, or you have moved or changed company status, we will require one form of ID with your address on. (Acceptable forms of ID are, Utility bills, bank statement, Drivers licence – can be faxed to 0870 6260626 quoting your account reference number found at the top right hand corner of your login screen)

4 Are you displaying your pricing? *

The code details that you must make sure that pricing information is displayed alongside the number, or a message at the beginning of each call explaining the cost before 1^st August 2009. 

Acceptable text can be:

0871 xxx xxxx Calls cost 10pence per minute from a BT landline.  Mobiles and other networks may change more.

0872 xxx xxxx Calls cost 8pence per minute from a BT landline.  Mobiles and other networks may change more.

If you only promote your number to other businesses (b2b), then you don’t  need to state the price of the call.

5 Your revenue out payment will decrease by 0.48% and go to the regulator

The regulator finances itself by an industry levy and collecting fines.  The levy is set for 2009/10 at 0.48 per cent of the out payment.  Callagenix will deduct this levy from accrued outpayments and pass it on to PhonePay Plus.

6 Undue delay **

An unfair period of waiting between a call connecting and the caller accessing a service, constitutes a breach of the code.  The regulator encourages all service providers to ensure that all waiting times are kept to a minimum and, where this is not possible due to unexpected call volumes, suggests that service providers inform callers of their expected waiting time.

*  A pricing message can be set up using the welcome prompts on a Callagenix advanced service.

**  A queue message informing callers of unexpected call volumes can be set up in the extension group settings of the Callagenix advanced services.  (This can be based upon waiting times or callers held in the queue)

Links and more information.

Regulators Phonepay Plus web site

www.phonepayplus.org.uk

http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/output/087-Number-Range.aspx

http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/upload/087APP.pdf

http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/output/for-business.aspx

Has your business ever had a crisis? Has the server gone down and had calls of angry customers flooding down the phone line? Did you have a 0800 number when this happened?

If your company has an unexpected problem where your customers have to call your company and complain, the worst thing you can do to them is make them pay for hanging on the line.

If your business uses a 0871 number your customers will be charged up to 10p per minute, which will just make your customers even angrier at the service that you are providing.

If your business were to have an 0800 number for your support line then your customers would be more likely to call you because it looks like you actually want their business, plus, if your business has a unexpected problem, they will be less aggravated because they are not paying for waiting in a call line.

For example, if you wish to call Royal Mail about postcode enquiries during the weekday, you have to call a 0906 number; they will charge you 50p per minute to a maximum of £5, if you were waiting in a queue you would have to pay an extraordinarily high amount just for that call.

Also another example of high charging calls is, if you want to call Vodafone, they want you to call an 0870 number which will charge you up to 10p per min from a land line and up to 40p per min from a payphone/mobile phone. This number from Vodafone is for existing customers, it comes as no surprise that they don’t charge anything for new customers to call them.

Most of these business that have a phone number where the customer has to pay more than an average phone call charge, the customer will generally be put on hold which will make the call last longer, charging the consumer more money and building up they’re aggravation.

These high charged numbers that companies use, mainly for their support/help lines, are not popular, especially when a customer is already aggravated if there is a problem with their service, in 2003 alone, calls to 08 numbers cost UK consumers £850m.

So, an 0800 number for your business can increase your customers because it’s free, and when in crisis, it can save your business too by not getting customers more aggravated than they already are so the customers are more likely to forgive you as a company as you are willing to listen to them at no costs to them.