Premium number phone call to Home Office/UKBA helpdesk

Has anyone tried ringing the premium rate helpdesk number to query about visa application status?

All posts with regards to their premium rate number suggest its useless, so never called them myself. Seems it's a lucrative deal between the UK home office and the Hinduja group to get rich out of people's misery and I won't be surprised if the email responses are to make people panic and make them ring that premium number. Having sent email queries myself, As far as I can make out the email responses to queries are standard responses that make no sense. Calling the premium rate number is useless as the helpdesk too unable to provide any useful info.