# Calling 900 / 902 numbers without a landline



## skip o (Aug 1, 2011)

I do not have a landline, and do not want one if I can avoid it. My only problem is that many of my utility companies and my insurance company have 902 or 900 numbers, and I can't call them using Skype. 

I was going to get a pay as you go sim from Vodafone but the employee said it will not be able to call either of these numbers. Was she accurate? Is there a way to call these numbers without a landline?


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

skip o said:


> I do not have a landline, and do not want one if I can avoid it. My only problem is that many of my utility companies and my insurance company have 902 or 900 numbers, and I can't call them using Skype.
> 
> I was going to get a pay as you go sim from Vodafone but the employee said it will not be able to call either of these numbers. Was she accurate? Is there a way to call these numbers without a landline?


Those numbers CAN be called using some VoIP systems so I'm surprised that Skype won't allow it.


The person you spoke to was wrong. We have PAYG and can still call those numbers.


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## skip o (Aug 1, 2011)

Thanks! I find that I get about 10 different, conflicting answers for just about every question I have about law or technology in Spain.

Who do you use for your pay as you go carrier?


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

skip o said:


> Thanks! I find that I get about 10 different, conflicting answers for just about every question I have about law or technology in Spain.
> 
> Who do you use for your pay as you go carrier?


They are all the same in that respect. Although I believe I have been changed for making 900 calls on a mobile, which are of course free from a land line..

You could try searching in Google for 'Alternativa por 902 xxxxxx' . Those numbers are charged as inter-provincial calls, so like the charge is like calling from Malaga to Madrid, even if just across the road. 

Also, if you ask the subscriber when you call the 902 numbers if they can give you a 'normal' number. 

The subscribers with 902 do not make any money from your call, unlike those with 906 and similar which are premium rate numbers, on which the subscriber gets about 90% of the charge you pay.

I have never tried to get an alternative for a 900 number as of course those are free ON LAND LINE CALLS.

PS I use a VOIP (althpough seldom SKYPE as they are usually more expensive) and one of the advantages is that I can call toll free numbers in other countries, albeit that there is a small charge. I find that very useful.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

larryzx said:


> The subscribers with 902 do not make any money from your call, unlike those with 906 and similar which are premium rate numbers, on which the subscriber gets about 90% of the charge you pay.
> 
> .


So why dont they have blooming normal landline numbers? I do like Linea Directa but their 902 really piddles me off... so now if i want to speak to them I go to their "request call back" on the website and when they call all excited because they want to sell me something I tell them i refuse to pay for a 902 and need to speak urgently to customer services and they put me through ... and they pay...


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

xicoalc 


PS I just did a Google search as I had suggested, ( alternativa 902321321) and it came up with this:-

_
El número 902321231 pertenece a Línea Directa.
Tiene el número alternativo 918074279 / 918074274.
El número 902321321 pertenece a Línea Directa.
Tiene el número alternativo 918072000. _

I called 918074279 to 'test it' and it was Linea Directa


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

larryzx said:


> xicoalc
> 
> 
> PS I just did a Google search as I had suggested, ( alternativa 902321321) and it came up with this:-
> ...


Thanks! Handy to know! They really should publish those numbers though. There "emergency assistance" number is free to call and they answer quick but they get grumpy if you say "put me through to the customer service team"!


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

xicoalc said:


> Thanks! Handy to know! They really should publish those numbers though. !


Some years ago I had a long running argument with an English language radio station in Marbella. They only ever gave out a 902 number, for people who wanted to call in (and contribute to their programs) but they insisted on saying it was a local call rate number. I sent them my telefónica bills to show it was an inter-provincial rate, and eventually they started giving a 952 number, as well as the 902.

I have brought this up with several other businesses, but they seem either not to understand or for some reason think it is more convenient for their customers !


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

larryzx said:


> Some years ago I had a long running argument with an English language radio station in Marbella. They only ever gave out a 902 number, for people who wanted to call in (and contribute to their programs) but they insisted on saying it was a local call rate number. I sent them my telefónica bills to show it was an inter-provincial rate, and eventually they started giving a 952 number, as well as the 902.
> 
> I have brought this up with several other businesses, but they seem either not to understand or for some reason think it is more convenient for their customers !


I am sure there has to be some kind of profit share in this.. i mean in the UK you have the obvious premium numbers but then the things like 0845 numbers and a whole host of others and some share a very small amount.. a fraction of a penny a minute.. with the business but if you are a big company with thousands of calls a day.. every little helps.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

xicoalc said:


> I am sure there has to be some kind of profit share in this.. i mean in the UK you have the obvious premium numbers but then the things like 0845 numbers and a whole host of others and some share a very small amount.. a fraction of a penny a minute.. with the business but if you are a big company with thousands of calls a day.. every little helps.


About 12 years ago when telefónica introduced the 906, 903 etc `premium rate numbers’ I made some enquires. At that time the call per minute to one of those was around 1.05 euros p.m. Telefónica told me that the subscriber then got around 95 cents of that. At the same time they assured me that the 902 number did not financially benefit the subscriber in any way.

I was concerned at the time as there were a lot of scams where job offers were being made in the English language press, and when someone called they would be kept on the phone for as long as possible so that the subscriber could get the 95 cents p.m. Similar scams were where one got a telephone message saying there was a parcel to be collected, and again callers were kept talking.

Eventually I managed to get several ‘freebie papers’ to print warnings in amongst their adverts. I believe Telefónica now have recorded warnings on those numbers.

I really do not think the subscriber gets any part of the charge for 902 calls. 

From research (not a web page so not able to show a quote, but a call to Telefonica) I understand 902 number are convenient for subscribers in that they can have them re-routed, e.g. depending on the time of day, weekends, public holidays etc. 

So say to a call centre in Madrid between 9 am and 5 pm then maybe an employee’s home outside those times. The company thus have savings on running costs.


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## kimuyen (Aug 8, 2013)

Money Saver Spain posted some good information below. I tried the websites mentioned in their post to find a local number but have not been successful. I am cursing this practice every time I have to call Sanitas to make an appointment (yes, they use a 902 number).

"_The tariffs associated to numbers that begin with 9 are as follows:
•900 – Free for callers from a landline (800 numbers are being introduced and these are also free). Check if your mobile provider allows these as free calls or not.
•901 – Cost shared between caller and recipient.
•902 – Used by companies in order to reduce the cost for the caller. The rate is set between the price of a local and national call and is the same rate for all callers regardless of location.
•905 – Premium rate services eg for voting on TV shows.

If you have a flat rate for your phone (home or mobile), first of all avoid 905 numbers and make sure that everyone in your household knows that they shouldn’t be used.

Then take into account that 901 and 902 numbers aren’t included in flat rate contracts. Rates in 2014 for a 5 minute call to these numbers are as follows:
•901: 0,28€ from a landline and 1,88€ from a mobile
•902: 0,56€ from a landline and 2,82€ from a mobile"_


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

kimuyen said:


> Money Saver Spain posted some good information below. I tried the websites mentioned in their post to find a local number but have not been successful. I am cursing this practice every time I have to call Sanitas to make an appointment (yes, they use a 902 number).
> 
> "_The tariffs associated to numbers that begin with 9 are as follows:
> •900 – Free for callers from a landline (800 numbers are being introduced and these are also free). Check if your mobile provider allows these as free calls or not.
> ...


Not quite correct. The 902 charge level depends on the next digit. There are 2 levels. 
This is an example for a Jazztel bill for a 902 level I number, to British Airways, from a land line, it agrees with your post:


26-Nov-2014 11:12 902111333 902 Nivel 1 Normal 0h 04m 39s 0,5438

And the advice is avoid (like the plague) 903 to 906. I am pretty sure they are charged at over 1 euro per minute.

What annoys me is that 'normal numbers' within Spain are free for so many people , so any other number means we are paying unnecessarily.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

larryzx said:


> What annoys me is that 'normal numbers' within Spain are free for so many people , so any other number means we are paying unnecessarily.


Including those to people who refuse to have a landline and only have a mobile to save THEM money - but it costs us to call them - so we don't


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