Simple inspection of the call price lists for all major landline and mobile telephone service providers readily confirmed that 0844 numbers always cost more than 01 and 02 numbers. From this, it is clear that only 01, 02 and 03 numbers can be used by NHS bodies. The GP committee of the BMA (British Medical Association) advised that NEG (Network Europe Group, a supplier of telephone switchboard equipment to GPs and a reseller of the telephone lines and numbers that GPs use) had assured both the BMA and the Department of Health that 0844 numbers were "local rate" calls charged at rates less than geographic calls, and that GPs could continue using them as long as each GP obtained that assurance from NEG. However, NEG does not have any patients as customers nor does NEG set the prices for calls that patients make, nor does it send out bills to patients, so any such assurance is worthless. Patients are billed by BT, Sky, Virgin, Vodafone, O2, Orange, T-Mobile, and others, and all of those charge more for calling 0844 numbers than for calling 01, 02 and 03 numbers. With widespread abuse of non-geographic numbers continuing unabated, Ofcom started a long series of consultations in April 2010. Also in April 2010, the Department of Health introduced new GMS (General Medical Services) contracts so that GPs would now also be covered by the earlier direction. From this point on, the more than 6500 GP surgeries in England and Wales were banned from using phone numbers that "cost more than calling a geographic number", and given one year to comply. The GMS contract variation was needed as GPs are not NHS bodies, rather independent contractors. Questions were asked in the Scottish Parliament in June 2010. A year after the GMS contract variation came into effect, many GPs were continuing to use 0844 numbers in defiance of the ban. In March and May 2011, more than 1300 GP surgeries were still using the banned 0844 (and 0845/0870) numbers. It was becoming clear that local decision makers (i.e. PCTs and GPs) had failed to understand the 0844 revenue share mechanism as well as the price regulations that apply uniquely to BT and make their call rates atypical when compared to other providers. At least one PCT claimed that they did not know what patients were paying for calls and further claimed that they had no way of finding out, seemingly unaware that every telecoms supplier publishes a detailed price list on their respective websites.