Iain wrote:
> [...] don't depend on 0845
> services continuing in the longer term: you may lose that number in a
> year or two.

Que?

"Some 08 numbers are used to provide services for which the historic
link of call charges to geographic rates - 0845 for ‘local rate’ and
0870 for ‘national rate’ – has broken down. The NTS Review decided to
repair and extend the link between 0870 calls and national calls to
geographic numbers, for calls from all originating communications
providers (‘OCPs’). That Review also said that we will consider in
future doing the same for 0845 numbers. This remains Ofcom’s position."

Does not imply that anyone will "lose" an 0845 number - just that CPs
might not be able to offer functionality at no cost to the recipient -
you might have to start paying for functionality in the future.