1800 Reverse

1800 REVERSE is a reverse charge (collect) call service that is operated by Reverse Corp Ltd in Australia and The Republic of Ireland and via other access numbers in several other countries. The service is used by dialing 1-800 REVERSE (or 1-800 7383773).

1800 Reverse has been advertised on television in both countries with an advert featuring Holly Valance and advertisements are on many phone boxes around Australia. The calls that can be made with 1800 reverse are from anywhere in Australia from phone boxes, mobile phones and home phone to any home phone in Australia. A new service has been launched by 1800 Reverse allowing reverse charged calls to Australia from other countries, named 8000 Reverse.

In the Republic of Ireland, calls to 1-800 REVERSE can be made from any fixed line phone, pay phone or mobile phone (even if the prepaid credit has run out) to almost any fixed line in the Republic of Ireland. The company charges 2.99 euros to connect the call, including the first 60 seconds of the call and 0.593 euros for every subsequent minute.

Other Countries

United Kingdom

A related service also operates in the United Kingdom, using the number 0800 REVERSE (advertised as "0800ЯEVERSE"). In the United Kingdom, the number can be called for free on some mobile networks, although the person being contacted via this service may be charged a considerable amount for accepting such a call.

France and Spain

Similar services in Spain (900-REVERTIDO) and France (0800-APPELPCV) are also planned

Complaints

In the UK, people receiving a call through 0800 Reverse are charged at least £3.50 for accepting the call, plus a minimum three-minute call charge (a minimum of £8.00 per call), but the commercial did not show these charges. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the cost was likely to influence a viewer's decision to use the service and a recipient's decision whether to accept a call and that tests of 0800 Reverse revealed that the automated operator did not mention these charges.

The service was also the subject of a Watchdog investigation due to its high charges, and failure to inform users of its cost.

Prank and other unwanted calls are made late at night from the service, according to Whirlpool. The caller name is usually indistinguishable.

There is no easy way to opt out receiving calls, and it does not provide a calling number ID.

Holly Valance advertisement

Valance filming the advert.

On 25 January 2006, the UK's Advertising Standards Authority banned the TV advertisement starring pop star Holly Valance in the United Kingdom for misleading consumers about the costs of calls.

Alternatives

Australia
Another phone service, 1800MumDad(1800686323), allows reverse charge calls to mobile phones and landlines from any phone in Australia.

UK
An alternative is to dial 100 (i.e. the operator) from any payphone, and ask to make a reverse charge call
08000MUMDAD also provides reverse charge calls to mobiles and landlines from any phone in the UK.

Ireland
In the Republic of Ireland, the main telephone company, eircom have announced their intention to withdraw their own national and international reverse charge services with effect from 24 February 2009. Until 24 February 2009, national reverse charge service could be obtained by dialling the operator on 10 or, from payphones via 1 800 28 28 28 and international reverse charge services could be reached via the international operator on 114 or 1800 457 457 from payphones.

External links

• 1800 Reverse - Official WWW site, Australia
• 1800 Reverse - Official WWW site, Ireland
• 0800 Reverse - Official WWW site, UK
• 0800 Appelpcv - Official WWW site, France
• 900 Revertido - Official WWW site, Spain
• How do I make a reverse charge call? - Alternative in the United Kingdom (via the operator)
• 1800MumDad - Official site, 1800MumDad
• 08000MumDad - Official site, 08000MumDad