0848 number: free hotline or expensive information?
Swiss 0848 numbers are special numbers and are regulated by the Federal Office of Communications. Comparis explains when such numbers are used and how much calls to 0848 numbers cost.
30.09.2022
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1. What are 0848 numbers?
0848 numbers are call centre or hotline numbers and are subject to a fee. Banks, the post office, SBB or even hospitals and emergency practices are among the service providers that use 0848 numbers.
0848 numbers are not historically attributable to any telecommunications provider and do not allow any conclusions to be drawn about the location of the number holder. After entering an 0848 number, your call will be redirected to a landline or mobile number in Switzerland or abroad.
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2. Area code 0848: what are the costs?
According to Bakom (Federal Office of Communication), the connection fee for you as a caller may not exceed 8.1 rappen per minute (7.5 rappen plus VAT). This regulatory leeway is exploited by companies: the full amount is usually charged.
If your call is forwarded to a call centre abroad, you will not be charged extra. The difference to the effective connection fees is borne by the number holders.
3. 0848: Is it more expensive if I call with my mobile phone?
No. Even if you call with your mobile phone, you can’t be charged any extra. It doesn’t matter if you are with Swisscom, Salt, Sunrise or another provider. The cost is determined by the company called.
Comparis tip
Caution is advised if you are abroad and call a customer service number with the 0848 area code. In these cases, the network providers charge a multiple of the amount specified by Bakom per minute.
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4. Expert tip: hotline calls during the holidays
Calling an 0848 number or Swiss hotline from abroad can be expensive. Emails are free, but replies can take a while. If you need information quickly, it’s best to call the dedicated number for calls from abroad. There are no nasty surprises or unpredictable costs here: the international tariff of your network provider is always charged.
Jean-Claude Frick, Comparis digital expert
5. Can I call 0848 numbers free of charge with my flat rate?
No, the 0848 numbers – like other special numbers – are excluded from subscriptions and flat-rate contracts. This is often in the small print. The special numbers include the area codes:
0800
084X
090X
0878
18XY
The area code 0800 has a special position among the special numbers. Unlike telephone numbers with 084X, 0800 numbers are completely free for callers in Switzerland. Here, the company that owns the number guarantees full cost coverage.
6. What special numbers are there in Switzerland?
Numbers with the 084X area code - just like 090X numbers - are said to be premium rate numbers. Bakom however puts numbers with the 084X area code into their own category and calls them shared-cost numbers.
| 800 | 840 | 842 | 844 | 848 | 900 | 901 | 906 | 1xx | 18xy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freephone number | X | |||||||||
| Fee Sharing | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Value-added service | X | X | X | |||||||
| Short number | X | |||||||||
| Information | X |
Source: own illustration based on Bakom, 2021
The correct distinction of the different special numbers is important because Bakom estimates different maximum fees for shared cost numbers and premium numbers.
For example, calling with a 090Xer number as a premium rate number can be significantly more expensive than calling with an 0848 number that belongs to the shared-cost numbers.
7. How much do numbers with the area codes 084x, 090x cost?
| Costs for callers according to Bakom | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freephone number 0800 | Free | |||
| Shared cost number 084x | free – Rp 7.5/minute (excl. VAT) | |||
| Premium number 090x | Basic and fixed fees: max. CHF 100.00* Phone calls: max. CHF 10.00/minute* Fee per connection: max. CHF 40.00* *(excl. VAT) |
Short number police: 117 Fire service: 118 Ambulance: 144 |
Telephone: Rp 0.00/minute | |
| Information service | No price provisions according to Bakom |
Source: own illustration based on Bakom, 2021
8. Where can I see the cost of a call to an 0848 number?
Often, the amount due is in parentheses directly after the customer service number on a company’s contact page. Not all companies are transparent regarding how much a call to their 0848 number is, unfortunately.
This can be annoying because the chargeable 0848 numbers are often confused with the free 0800 numbers. Calls to 0848 numbers aren’t free. At the latest, your telephone provider’s invoice will then disclose how much the hotline call cost. In any case, more than 8.1 Rp. per minute is not allowed.
This article was first published on 13.01.2015