The new 118 numbers introduced in the UK are a mess!

Their critics say they are useless, give wrong numbers, charge extortionately for connection and only slightly less so for giving a number.

One of the first analyses performed with the Phone Analyser showed that the average cost was way over 50 pence and the average cost of a local call at peak time was somewhere short of 5!

So 'Phone a Friend' instead! Or ten friends! At least when you think they will know the number of have the relevant paper phone book!

Remember too that the progarm can also display a phone book, which shows all the numbers you have added.

This has proved invaluable, as barristers in common with many businesses only deal with a small number of clients. So if you want to know a number, you've probably used it before.

In the UK you can also use BT's on-line directory enquiries at www.118500.com. Note that this service enables you to search on a very much wider basis than through an operator!

Conclusion - Never use 118xxx numbers, except in a dire emergency!