Rachel wrote:it seems to depend on who your telephone supplier is and whether they identify the number as an "internet" number or not. The only way to tell for sure is to log in to online billing if you get it and check the cost afterwords!
They reserve the right to charge for numbers they identify as being 0845 internet numbers rather than numbers for call centres etc even if you have a call package covering voice based 0845 numbers. However in reality only 0845 numbers actively marketed for 0845 internet access or receiving very large total volumes of calls each day may actually be identified in this way. I believe that BT Wholesale/Openreach probably have a master list of such numbers that they share with other telcos.
Up to now this 0845 backup number may not have been used much but if it suddenly starts receiving a lot more calls from Tivo owners there is a danger that in due course it may be identified as an 0845 number providing dialup internet/data access rather than a normal phone call number.
Clearly if TalkTalk and other ISPs are not charging people who have call packages covering 0845 numbers for the time being then it provides a good short term solution whilst EXA Networks works towards finally making their geographic dialup numbers for Tivo owners operational.
Also if it isn't considered an ISP number now then perhaps it never will be as ISP 0845 numbers would generally tend to show up from having numerous very long calls of over an hour or more. However in this case most callers will only make one up to 25 minute long call followed by daily by very short calls that look more like a normal telephone conversation. However even if TalkTalk is not charging extra to call it I would advise people to make sure that the same is also true of BT, Postoffice Homephone, Primus etc, etc. Also most telcos have a hidden "fair use" policy limiting the total amount of calls you can make in your inclusive calls package to 01/02/03 and 0845 and 0870 numbers to only a few hours per week but the total length of calls to Tivo is unlikely to fall fouls of this compared to traditional full blown dial up internet use.