Things I Don't Like: Shared Cost Telephone Numbers

M* and I love much about England, but feeling like we are constantly nickle and dimed (M*'s favorite description) is not included in this category. Whether you are calling a hotel, making a care reservation, inquiring about Internet service, if you have to call a business in the UK, there is little chance that it's a toll-free call. Instead, you entirely pay for the call at up to 50 cents per minute or it's a shared cost call that can run you up to 25 cents per minute. This does not mean that you are put directly through to a customer service agent; calls are still "answered in the order that they are received."

Example: recently, my Apple laptop battery ran out, and it cost me $3.50 for one 18 minute phone call with Apple UK to arrange for a new battery to be sent plus another $1 calling UPS UK to arrange a pick-up of the old battery. These are rates using Skype, which are at least as good as calling over the phone line. How much did my call to Apple in the States via Skype cost? $0. It huuuurts.