Can't text 61016

[johncrossley]

Can we get some perspective here? I don't think there should be a charge at all, but as it stands it is around 15p, not going to break the bank.

But if you are on a deal where all your calls, texts and data are all included, and you don't have a prepaid balance, then you can't send the text as you have no way of paying for it.

 

[Edsmith]

Can we get some perspective here? I don't think there should be a charge at all, but as it stands it is around 15p, not going to break the bank.

You've missed the point, it may be only 15p but it's the difference being able to contact BTP or not being able to contact them in an emergency.

 

[davews]

The tone of the announcements surely suggest that 61016 will be dealt with quickly. It is in the 'see it, say it, sorted' bit.....
The system of short numbers on mobiles though is confusing. I used one the other day, 61988, to stop BT sending me marketing texts on my mobile. I got the prompt, suggesting there would be a charge outside my unlimited calls/texts allowances, but it gave no indication what the charge would be. Fortunately I was not changed, a charge from BT for a text to stop their own marketing texts would be a bit over the top.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Can we get some perspective here? I don't think there should be a charge at all, but as it stands it is around 15p, not going to break the bank.

And perhaps it goes a little way to avoiding too many hoaxes.

Obviously people's numbers will be logged, they often call you back, but people sending hoax messages and not answering the call back will still be a drain on resources.

 

[357]

The tone of the announcements surely suggest that 61016 will be dealt with quickly. It is in the 'see it, say it, sorted' bit.....

BTP posted a tiktok recently showing someone reporting a crime via their app (that shows 61016 as an option) and officers being instantly dispatched: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMNGxsTPL/

Not sure I've ever seen BTP move that fast in reality for anything other than a one under in my experience.

 

[Andy Pacer]

BTP posted a tiktok recently showing someone reporting a crime via their app (that shows 61016 as an option) and officers being instantly dispatched: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMNGxsTPL/

Not sure I've ever seen BTP move that fast in reality for anything other than a one under in my experience.

I've text them a couple of times and they have called me back fairly quickly, usually within 5-10 minutes.

 

[357]

I've text them a couple of times and they have called me back fairly quickly, usually within 5-10 minutes.

I was meaning actual officers dispatched to arrest the person like in the video, but it's amusing that you can text them to be discreet and their first thought is to call you !

 

[Edsmith]

I was meaning actual officers dispatched to arrest the person like in the video, but it's amusing that you can text them to be discreet and their first thought is to call you !

When I used the service BTP text me back and I got a follow up call a bit later.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Aug 2022 ==

And perhaps it goes a little way to avoiding too many hoaxes.

Obviously people's numbers will be logged, they often call you back, but people sending hoax messages and not answering the call back will still be a drain on resources.

Using that logic maybe 999 should be a premium rate number?

 

[Andy Pacer]

When I used the service BTP text me back and I got a follow up call a bit later

Same for me, follow up call shortly afterwards for further information.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Believe it or not but railway company work phones don't allow you to text 61016.........

Mine certainly does, and my personal doesn't get charged either. Never had a problem

 

[Andy Pacer]

Using that logic maybe 999 should be a premium rate number?

Interesting suggestion although I'm not confident of your success in that one. Besides 999 is an emergency number, 61016 as mentioned earlier in the thread is not.

 

[Edsmith]

Interesting suggestion although I'm not confident of your success in that one. Besides 999 is an emergency number, 61016 as mentioned earlier in the thread is not.

I wasn't being entirely serious but as I asked before if 61016 isn't an emergency number then what is it's purpose?

 

[Andy Pacer]

I wasn't being entirely serious but as I asked before if 61016 isn't an emergency number then what is it's purpose?

An interesting question.

From the BTP website:

"The 61016 text number is monitored 24/7 and whilst we aim to respond as soon as possible, it's best to use 999 if an immediate police response in required"

 

[DelayRepay]

I was meaning actual officers dispatched to arrest the person like in the video, but it's amusing that you can text them to be discreet and their first thought is to call you !

They called me back when I texted them. The first question they asked was whether I was able to speak. This enabled them to ask questions that I could answer without letting anyone listening know that I was talking to the police.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Aug 2022 ==

I would add that they did take action - I noticed that the train I'd been travelling on was delayed at a later stop due to a 'police dealing with an incident'.

 

[Skymonster]

I can’t believe what I have read here - that texts to BTP could attract a change. I find that utterly outrageous. Never mind that it might only be 15p, or 30p, or whatever, it’s a charge and some travellers may be carrying phones that don’t have the facility to send chargeable messages. Are we really saying some people’s concerns are more important that others, and that the criteria will be based on an ability to pay to send a message.

The BTP website says:

See it. Say it. Sorted.
We’re asking rail passengers and people who use railway stations to help keep themselves and others safe by reporting unusual items or activity on the railway

We’ve all got a role to play in keeping the rail network safe, and we rely on you to be our eyes and ears.

If you see something that doesn’t feel right, we want to hear from you. Let us decide if what you have seen or what you know is important.

But BTP doesn’t want it enough to make it free to the texter. OK it also gives an 0800 number, but that’s not mentioned in announcements I’ve heard On trains. I do not remember the text number, but I have reported a few things to staff and I have the text number stored on my phone - or had, until today, but now I’ve deleted it. It’s a matter of principle, not an concern over whether I can or cannot afford the charge. It’s a sad inditement of modern Britain that a service like BTP wants our help, but we might be charged for providing that help.

If BTP want me to them, they either allow me to do it for free or they can stick it. If I see something that is potentially / immediately threatening me or others around me I’ll dial 999. If it’s something less threatening like vandalism I’ll just ignore it and not report it from now on.

 

[Deafdoggie]

You've missed the point, it may be only 15p but it's the difference being able to contact BTP or not being able to contact them in an emergency.

You've missed the point. In an emergency use 999. NEVER use anything else in an emergency. The text is for non-emergency only.

I can’t believe what I have read here - that texts to BTP could attract a change. I find that utterly outrageous. Never mind that it might only be 15p, or 30p, or whatever, it’s a charge and some travellers may be carrying phones that don’t have the facility to send chargeable messages. Are we really saying some people’s concerns are more important that others, and that the criteria will be based on an ability to pay to send a message.

The BTP website says:


But BTP doesn’t want it enough to make it free to the texter. OK it also gives an 0800 number, but that’s not mentioned in announcements I’ve heard On trains. I do not remember the text number, but I have reported a few things to staff and I have the text number stored on my phone - or had, until today, but now I’ve deleted it. It’s a matter of principle, not an concern over whether I can or cannot afford the charge. It’s a sad inditement of modern Britain that a service like BTP wants our help, but we might be charged for providing that help.

If BTP want me to them, they either allow me to do it for free or they can stick it. If I see something that is potentially / immediately threatening me or others around me I’ll dial 999. If it’s something less threatening like vandalism I’ll just ignore it and not report it from now on.

It's the e-ticket thread all over again! On there forum members couldn't buy e-tickets because their phones die unexpectedly without notice on every journey, here they're all eagerly waiting to report crimes on their phones, yet they don't have credit.

Let's just clear this up-again. 61016 must NOT be used in emergencies. There is no situation 61016 will work but 999 will not. BTP don't make money on this service. It's not charged at a premium rate, some providers do include it in some of their packages. If a non-emergency text is vital to you as a free service I suggest changing to a deal that includes it. But please, in an emergency call 999. NEVER, EVER text in an emergency.

 

[Andy Pacer]

If I see something that is potentially / immediately threatening me or others around me I’ll dial 999.

I guess this is the underlying point and exactly the intended approach.

 

[mpthomson]

You've missed the point, it may be only 15p but it's the difference being able to contact BTP or not being able to contact them in an emergency.

To repeat, it's not for use in emergency situations and BTP make that very clear.

 

[Skymonster]

To repeat, it's not for use in emergency situations and BTP make that very clear.

Actually I suggest it is not at all made clear unless you go to the website. Announcements on stations and trains don’t mention anything other than people who see anything should contact a member of staff or text the BTP. While I am sure everyone knows 999 can be used for emergencies, the implication is that on the railway the first course of action is BTP.

 

[Deafdoggie]

Actually I suggest it is not at all made clear unless you go to the website. Announcements on stations and trains don’t mention anything other than people who see anything should contact a member of staff or text the BTP. While I am sure everyone knows 999 can be used for emergencies, the implication is that on the railway the first course of action is BTP.

That's a railway problem, not a BTP or telephone provider problem. If they're going to make endless announcements they should at least get them right.

 

[Edsmith]

To repeat, it's not for use in emergency situations and BTP make that very clear.

We're just going round in circles here, again.........if it's not for emergency situations then what is the point of it? Non urgent stuff can be sent by other means.

 

[Deafdoggie]

We're just going round in circles here, again.........if it's not for emergency situations then what is the point of it? Non urgent stuff can be sent by other means.

That's exactly the point. It's just another way to report non-emergency problems. Why are people struggling with this concept?
Keep things simple, there's just one way to contact in an emergency it's to phone.
If it's not an emergency then you can choose your method. The more choice people have the less likely they are to call 999 for non-emergencies.

 

[ainsworth74]

if it's not for emergency situations then what is the point of it?

To make it easy to report problems? I won't bother ringing them on their non-emergency line to report an issue but I'll happily text them as that's easier and more convenient for me. I'm not quite sure what the issue is with them having multiple ways of reporting issues? If you don't want to use it no-one is forcing you to and you can email them or ring them on their non-emergency number. Everyone's happy then as they have ways of reaching them that work best in their situation?

 

[DelayRepay]

Actually I suggest it is not at all made clear unless you go to the website. Announcements on stations and trains don’t mention anything other than people who see anything should contact a member of staff or text the BTP. While I am sure everyone knows 999 can be used for emergencies, the implication is that on the railway the first course of action is BTP.

Well they give an alternative - speak to a member of staff. The fact this is first suggests it's their preference. As 61016 is not for emergencies, it should not matter too much if you have to wait until you arrive in a station before speaking to someone. I don't know how many people have phones that can't text BTP, but there's a good chance that on most services someone else will also report the incident. I doubt there are many crimes going unreported as a result of people's inability to send a text message.

In an ideal world, texting BTP would be free. I think the fact that it's treated as a charged-for number is just an impact of the way these short text numbers work, not a conspiracy theory or an attempt to generate profit or dissuade people from helping the police.

I have a friend who handles ambulance service 999 calls. He says the biggest problem is people who are panicking, and are therefore unable to answer the questions clearly so they don't know what help to send, or where to send it to. I can only imagine how difficult this would be to deal with if you only have a text message, especially if the person who sent the text then doesn't/can't answer their phone.

As an aside he also dislikes calls that are connected from a mobile via a different network (when the phone's own network doesn't have a signal). The problem with these calls is that if they drop off, they cannot contact the caller - they can't call them back as they know the number but it has no signal.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Aug 2022 ==

To make it easy to report problems? I won't bother ringing them on their non-emergency line to report an issue but I'll happily text them as that's easier and more convenient for me. I'm not quite sure what the issue is with them having multiple ways of reporting issues? If you don't want to use it no-one is forcing you to and you can email them or ring them on their non-emergency number. Everyone's happy then as they have ways of reaching them that work best in their situation?

It's a bit like the TOCs - most of them are very good at handling queries via Twitter. Of course not everyone uses Twitter, and those that don't can ring National Rail Enquiries. But for a large number of customers, and for the TOC, Twitter is a useful and efficient channel and it would be mad not to make use of it.

 

[Carntyne]

We're just going round in circles here, again.........if it's not for emergency situations then what is the point of it? Non urgent stuff can be sent by other means.

Just because you think it is an emergency service, doesn't change the fact that it isn't one. Dial 999 if it's an emergency or seek assistance on the train/at the station.

 

[43066]

I can’t believe what I have read here - that texts to BTP could attract a change. I find that utterly outrageous. Never mind that it might only be 15p, or 30p, or whatever, it’s a charge and some travellers may be carrying phones that don’t have the facility to send chargeable messages. Are we really saying some people’s concerns are more important that others, and that the criteria will be based on an ability to pay to send a message.

It’s not BTP but the service provider who levy the charge. It’s a matter of a few pence, or free for many people depending on their network. It’s really not a big deal for most people.

But BTP doesn’t want it enough to make it free to the texter. OK it also gives an 0800 number, but that’s not mentioned in announcements I’ve heard On trains. I do not remember the text number, but I have reported a few things to staff and I have the text number stored on my phone - or had, until today, but now I’ve deleted it. It’s a matter of principle, not an concern over whether I can or cannot afford the charge. It’s a sad inditement of modern Britain that a service like BTP wants our help, but we might be charged for providing that help.

Take it up with your mobile provider?

What a peculiar thing to get so worked up about (especially at the moment). Nobody is forcing you to send a text if you really can’t spare a few pence.

If this is a “matter of principle” to you then I’d suggest some perspective is badly needed.

If BTP want me to them, they either allow me to do it for free or they can stick it. If I see something that is potentially / immediately threatening me or others around me I’ll dial 999. If it’s something less threatening like vandalism I’ll just ignore it and not report it from now on.

More fool you if that’s your attitude. The service is there to benefit you as a passenger. By not reporting things you aren’t “sticking one to the man”, you’re just worsening your own experience!

 

[Edsmith]

It’s not BTP but the service provider who levy the charge. It’s a matter of a few pence, or free for many people depending on their network. It’s really not a big deal for most people.

Again, the fact that it's a few pence is irrelevant, it's a matter of being able to contact BTP or not being able to do so.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Aug 2022 ==

Just because you think it is an emergency service, doesn't change the fact that it isn't one. Dial 999 if it's an emergency or seek assistance on the train/at the station.

So what about a lone female who is receiving unwanted attention? The text system should be ideal for that situation but not much good if the text won't send.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Is it actually the case that some people are finding they're unable to send it?
I'm on a fixed contract in terms of minutes, text and data but have still been met with the message about the text may attract charges on my account, but its still got through.
I can't say I've checked to see whether I was charged, and for 15p I don't care anyway.

 

[markymark2000]

some of their packages

Does anyone know which operators are including these texts in bundles/packages?

 

[jfowkes]

My complaint is not so much about the charge itself, it's that the BTP clearly very much want people to contact them. The posters, the automated announcements, the manual announcements. It's fairly pervasive and apparently extremely important that I'm constantly alert for anything suspicious of out of place. I must be vigilant at all times and be on a hair trigger to contact the BTP immediately.

And yet they don't want people to contact them enough to use a free short code. Like, make up your mind.