No, telephone numbers starting with 0371 prefixes are not free to call on UK networks. However you can avoid paying the standard charges if you have inclusive minutes remaining on your landline or mobile tariff.
What are 0371 numbers and how much do they usually cost to phone?
UK telephone numbers starting with 0371 prefixes were brought into useage in 2007 as an alternative to the more expensive 0871 numbers. They are charged at exactly the same rate as calls to local 01 and 02 numbers, which means you will usually have to pay a per-minute rate plus an access charge. However you can avoid these charges by having inclusive minutes on your tariff as these can be used to call 03 non-geographic numbers, although you will still lose these minutes from your balance when doing so.
Current call charges for 0371 numbers on UK mobile networks (contract customers)
- Cost of calling 0371 numbers on EE: customers with a monthly mobile contract currently cost up to 50p per minute with an access charge of 50p.
- O2 call charges for 0371 numbers: if you have a monthly mobile contract with O2 you will pay 35p per minute with a 35p access charge if you have run out of inclusive minutes.
- Cost of phoning 0371 numbers on Vodafone: when calling 0371 numbers on a Vodafone mobile (contract) phone you will pay 55p to connect the call and 55p per minute thereafter.