UK Phone Numbers To Change

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  • BexTechBexTech Posts: 12,957
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    dawson wrote:
    Put the shovel down :p


    It's a lot less than those that use 00.

    Looks like you need someone to fetch you some ladders.
  • SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    BexTech wrote:
    It's a lot less than those that use 00.

    Looks like you need someone to fetch you some ladders.
    No ladders required here ;) Wouldn't it be easier if you got yourself a JCB? :p

    No one suggested that 00 was not used by a lot of countries. What you said was:
    BexTech wrote:
    ...it's only a few countries like the USA and Australia that don't use the standard.
    What I have demonstrated is that there are 60+ countries that do not use 00.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 258
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    tvwatcher wrote:
    does anyone remember the good old days when Going Live? on BBC1 number was

    0181 811 8181

    amazing how singing a number will never let you forget the god damn thing.

    its either that or i have got it half right. Might be Half BBC Going live / living and kicking AND / OR Nickelodeon!!

    its to early to try and be 100% sure.

    cos i think nickelodeon was 0800 801 801! (totallly different i now)


    Now i feel real old
  • BexTechBexTech Posts: 12,957
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    I remember when it was 01 811 8181
  • kevkev Posts: 21,070
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    dawson wrote:
    I think you'll find that 00 is only the standard within the EU

    There seem to be more than just 'a few countries' that don't use 00 around the world ;)

    It's a recent ITU descision I belive, those countries following the NANP ignored it. No doubt over the years the rest will gradually shift over when they need to make changes in there country. Here in the UK it was part of PhoneOneDay for instance.

    I don't see how the NANP is any better than the UK. In London you might get (745) 673 233 , (984) 347 837, (390) 383 393 and ALWAYS have to dial the area code, where smaller cities wouldn't have to dial the area code. The 02's are a good idea, smaller neighbouring towns budled together (e.g. the whole of Northern Ireland, Portsmouth & Southampton etc) - more people will lie in you local phone code. Mind you with the widespread adoption of mobiles I don't see why we don't adopt a closed numbering plan - i.e. you have to call 020 8811 8181 from anywhere in the UK, including London.

    I notice we havn't adopted the ENP though - where a number to Dublin would be 353 01 XXX XXX from anywhere in Europe (although TBH I don't really see what benefit it would gain over 00 353 01 XXX XXX anyway)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 227
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    BexTech wrote:
    I remember when it was 01 811 8181

    If I remember rightly, and I must've only been about 7 :gettin old:... it was used for Live & Kicking before they switched over to an 0891? number...

    David
  • Tenacious PeeTenacious Pee Posts: 1,132
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    Why cant new number just be generated like this for example i live in inverness.

    Most numbers at the moment begin with 7,2 or an 8

    so why cant they use 1, 3, 4, 5, 9

    so you could have business numbers like

    01463 123456
    01463 345678
    01463 987654
    01463 456789

    and residential number would be numbers like

    01463 234567
    01463 567890
    01463 789012
    01463 890123

    is this not a good and easy way of introducing new numbers without, all the new numbers would only be asigned to new phone lines and no need for changing exsisting numbers.

    so london new numbers would be like this

    new business numbers

    020 1234 5678
    020 2345 6789
    020 3456 7890
    020 4567 8901
    020 5678 9012

    and new residential numbers could be


    020 6789 0123
    020 7890 1234
    020 8901 2345
    020 9012 3456

    the numbers that would have to be left out would be ones that start 112, or 999, so that the phone network doesnt think that you are trying to make an emergency call
  • BexTechBexTech Posts: 12,957
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    Why cant new number just be generated like this for example i live in inverness.

    Most numbers at the moment begin with 7,2 or an 8

    so why cant they use 1, 3, 4, 5, 9


    They can and will and in many case do.

    For example Birmingham uses (0121) [2-7]nn nnnn
  • Blake ConnollyBlake Connolly Posts: 9,509
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    mattworld wrote:
    http://www.tv.cream.org/specialassignments/themes/goinglivejingle.wav :)

    I think they even used it for Crime Watch at one point. Then things got really confusing.

    It was the general BBC TV Centre studio line, cleverly they also used it in Ghostwatch which made it look even more like a real programme.

    I was in the hairdressers the other week and they had their new 020 3 number on the card, everyone that came in asked them if they made a mistake and it's supposed to be 020 8!

    Even though I know the area code is 020, it's really difficult not to think of it as 0207. I know a lot of people who, out of sheer confusion, dial the 020 at the front of the number when they don't need to.
  • kevkev Posts: 21,070
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    Why cant new number just be generated like this for example i live in inverness.

    Most numbers at the moment begin with 7,2 or an 8

    so why cant they use 1, 3, 4, 5, 9
    They do, but in some towns all those numbers have been exhausted.
    the numbers that would have to be left out would be ones that start 112, or 999, so that the phone network doesnt think that you are trying to make an emergency call

    I think that numbers starting with a 0 or 1 (e.g. 0115 0 or 0115 1) are used for DDI redirection purposes only to avoid those issues. Also numbers starting 99 can't be used in case people accidently prefix a local number with a 9 (as I have to at work - e.g. 9 0115 XXX X XXX) when at home
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 604
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    *Bex* wrote:
    How about this for random... until late 2004 I lived in Blackheath, Lewisham, SE3.

    We had a BT line in the lounge at the front of the flat and an NTL line running into the back of the flat. The BT line at the front was an 020 8 number and the NTL line 020 7

    Go figure...

    Becauce 020 is no longer geographical as far as London goes, 020 IS London, the 7 or 8 that was added to the old local number is no longer geographically connected in the way 0181 or 0171 was, you could of ended up with a 3 as that is now in use!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 604
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    There should no longer be a need for a complete nationwide number change. At the last change BT completely restructured every single number as follows (if I remember correctly)

    01 - Domestic & Business numbers nationwide (with some exceptions)
    02 - London (and 6 or 7 other major cities - sorry I don't get out much and can't remember which!)
    03 - Reserved for future use
    04 - Reserved for future use
    05 - Reserved for future use
    06 - Reserved for future use
    07 - Mobiles and Personal numbers
    08 - Freefone & LoCall numbers (non geographical numbers)
    09 - Premium rate numbers
    00 - International Numbers

    So if a city exhausted all of its potential numbers it could be moved to an 03, 04, 05 or 06 number, therefore meaning a potential of billions of numbers still available.

    In theory, there should only be local changes in future, not nationwide. But then BT being BT may decide one day that they are bored...
  • BexTechBexTech Posts: 12,957
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    I didn't realise it was BT, there was me thinking it was OFTEL/OFCOM that decided on the number change.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,449
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    scottsw4 wrote:
    Becauce 020 is no longer geographical as far as London goes, 020 IS London, the 7 or 8 that was added to the old local number is no longer geographically connected in the way 0181 or 0171 was, you could of ended up with a 3 as that is now in use!

    That's the case now but those numbers were allocated in 2000 when 7 was still inner and 8 was still outer.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 604
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    BexTech wrote:
    I didn't realise it was BT, there was me thinking it was OFTEL/OFCOM that decided on the number change.

    Ooopps!! My mistake!! You are absolutly right, was very tired when I wrote that post :o
  • BexTechBexTech Posts: 12,957
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    No worries, easy enough to do.
  • m419m419 Posts: 782
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    BexTech wrote:
    I didn't realise it was BT, there was me thinking it was OFTEL/OFCOM that decided on the number change.

    BT and Mercury was put in charge of phoneday in the mid-90's. Although, now that there is Cable and Wireless,Telewest,NTL,Wight Cable,MCI Worldcom,Colt,Thus,Fibreway,Spacetel and a few more which set up there own networks over the 90's. Plus a vast increase in mobile usage, Oftel thought that it would be better if they ran the campaign and called it 'The Big Number'.

    In 1995, there were two resources of which you could obtain information about the changes. For BT line users, they were given a distinctive number to call which I think it was 0800-010101 which was to inform people of the new 01 codes. The other resource was Mercury's which was for Mercury and Cable customers.

    In 2000, there were two resources of the campaign. BT's National code and number enquiry service for BT line users and The Big Number helpline for non-BT line users.

    Since competition has grown, Ofcom will run the show in future.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5,335
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    Does anyone know the code for Wakefield - I thought it was 01924 but my phone says 0118 and directs me to a paying directory enquiries
  • BexTechBexTech Posts: 12,957
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    01924 is indeed Wakefield. 0118 is Reading.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,514
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    I was part of the Mercury national project team for the Big Number Change in 2000, with loads of least cost routing smart boxes and sockets to deal with! Our project manager had nerves of steel, as we thought she'd go for blanket coverage with engineers on standby in each area of the country as they switched over, in case customers' LCR systems fell over. She went for the minimum cover and was right each time. I'd hate to play poker with her! :)

    Technology moves on and more devices are now remotely programmable, so I guess any future changes wouldn't be such a nail biting event.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,514
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    Must have had a brain meltdown from sitting at the same desk for so many years, but with three different company names on the wall outside. Of course it was C&W UK by 2000, not Mercury! :o
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,109
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    swingaleg wrote:
    My number code has already changed twice........01 to 0171, then 0171 to 0207........... :eek:

    Don't you mean:

    01- to 071-

    071- to 0171-

    0171- to 020-7

    Isn^t that 3 times!!!!! ;)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,109
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    Perhaps the answer is to scrap the "0", which is a leftover from the days when "0" connected you to the STD switching equipment with its registers and translators, and just have a 10 figure numbering scheme. Forget the code and numerial way of doing things...you just always dial all digits.

    I mean you drop the "0" when calling the UK from an international location. Its +44 then the UK number WITHOUT the "0"

    Then we could use "0" for something else (the Operator?) ;)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,456
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    mrfreeview wrote:
    0171- to 020-7

    Think you'll find the dialling code went from 0171 to 020.
  • Dante AmecheDante Ameche Posts: 20,692
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    I got offered a great job back in 1995 fitting smartboxes but because we worked so hard and efficiently we completed our six month quota in three.

    We were then sent to help out another area and because we showed them up for the lazy so and so's they were they did the dirty on us and our contract didn't get extended :(
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