Say No To 0870 wants firms to ditch the expensive prefix - which actually awards them a cut of the call costs.

Telephone watchdog Ofcom is coming to the end of its consultation on the issue - but firms are warned that there are more than 60 questions if they want to take part in it.

Writing in the Times Online, Randall Northam says he thought the 0870 number was "great, until I realised I was ripping off contacts and customers alike".

His business is now getting rid of the prefix and exploring other ways of forwarding his calls to different numbers.