I've had to make a number of toll calls to Auckland recently, even though the organisation I've been trying to call has an 0508 number.  Calling from my WorldxChange number I'm greeted by a message informing me the toll free number I've called "does not accept calls from mobile phones."

Errrm - I'm not calling from a mobile phone...

According to WorldxChange, this is because TelstraClear do not recognise my number as a valid landline.  This means that I'm being forced to pay for calls which the organisation I'm trying to contact wants me to make for free - hence their employment of a "toll free" number.

A WorldxChange CSR informed me "There's not much that can be done short of bringing this to their [TelstraClears] attention and unfortunately this is a slow process."  So, I've requested that this slow process be kicked off and requested that TelstraClear refund me the costs they've forced me to incur.

It'll be interesting to see if anything ever happens in relation to this.  Somehow I doubt it...

This problem does not affect any 0800 numbers I've tried, so I have to wonder if this is just TelstraClear being petty towards WXC?