0845 numbers are not free to call from an EE phone. They’re generally not free on any phone in the UK (except for rare exceptions, which aren’t found on EE).
The cost of calling 0845 numbers, much like 0843 and 0844 numbers, is split into two parts as follows. When calling any 084 number:
- There is a Service Charge set by the company you’re calling, which between 0p and 7p per minute, as per Ofcom’s rules since 1st July 2015. This fee covers the revenue-share rebate that the company you’re calling will receive thanks to you having spent your money phoning them.
- And there is an additional Access Charge set by your phone company. On EE, as of June 2017, the Access Charge of calling an 084 number ranges from 11p per minute (for EE Broadband and Phone customers) to 44p per minute (for EE PAYG and Small Business customers) to 50p per minute (for EE Mobile customers – including Pay Monthly and SIM-Only customers).
Conclusion
There you have it – the cost of calling 0845 phone numbers in the UK from an EE phone – it’s certainly not free, it has a fee consisting of two charges (as defined above).