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UK Phone Numbers To Change |
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#126 |
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Banned User
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: In a Cottage in Herefordshire
Posts: 2,628
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Yeah my mobile number used to be 0836 xxxxxx, now its 07836 xxxxxx, so I'm guess mobile numbers will change (again) as well?! How annoying
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#127 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Berwickshire (not Berkshire)
Posts: 738
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Usually anyone asking me for my phone number will either get short shrift or if they're really insistent the 0870 number I have set up for the purpose
![]() For those that actually need to know they get the full STD number |
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#128 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: South Notts (Waltham TV TX)
Posts: 20,200
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JasonW
Usually anyone asking me for my phone number will either get short shrift or if they're really insistent the 0870 number I have set up for the purpose
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#129 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,323
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I don't understand why they'd need more phone numbers, surely the shift of calls away from landlines would mean they would need less numbers, not more? Quote:
Originally Posted by swingaleg
My number code has already changed twice........01 to 0171, then 0171 to 0207...........
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#130 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Sahf London
Posts: 1,719
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Quite a lot of local people don't seem to realise that the local London number is 8 digits. If one phones up for a food delivery, for example, and they ask for my phone number, I give them the 8 digits starting with 8, but quite a few of them seem to think they only require a 7 digit number and that the London code is the 0208 at the beginning. I would like to see them trying to call me!
From anywhere in London, whether 020 8 or 020 7, one can get through to someone by just using the 8 digits starting with 8 or 7. 020 is the area code. So, why won't the admin staff in my office get this right? ![]() Okay, I will calm down again now.
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#131 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London sw19
Posts: 1,077
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When I moved here the number was LIBerty ****, which soon became 542 ****. That changed to 01 542 ****, then to 081 542 ****, and not long after that to 0181 542 ****. 020 8542 **** seemed a step in the right direction at last, but it came after BT spent a small fortune on research that established that most people do not have a problem remembering eight and nine digit numbers but have a real problem with eleven digits!
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#132 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 786
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What a quite interesting thread.
I remember when I was younger, phone numbers in my village had just 3 numbers like 200. I used to be obsessed with numbering plans when I was a kid but could not for the life of me remember the old area code but I think it was 020 784 Then in Dipton where I grew up, they became 570*** and the code changed to 0207 then 01207. Most 3 digit village exchanges were upgraded to 6 figures. Over a number of years all the numbers in our area code changed. Ebchester prefixed with 560 etc etc but they always prefixed everything in the region with XX0 like 730, 560, 700 and it was a nice and uniform. The next number range on village exchanges would be 571 and 572 etc etc. Then some wally in the 90's decided that the old area code add on bit like 0207 84 would be added, so my old village would have looked stupid with 0207 584 XXX. In the late 80's Newcastle upon Tyne 0632 changed to 091 over the space of about 2 years with exchanges upgrading to the new format every couple of months. Numbers north of the river had a 2 prefixed, numbers south a 4. Ryton which was a 4 digit number with a different area code 089 422, was brought into Tyneside becoming 091 413 and it was eventaully completed with Newcastle City Centre 32 and 61 numbers becoming 7 digits. The numbering system was then extended to Sunderland and Durham. The weirdest thing about 091 was that you could be in Seaton Deleval in Northumberland and call someone on the northern Fringes of hartlepool in Cleveland (some 35 odd miles away) with just a 7 digit number. I was living in Stanley at the time and immensely jealous of people with an 091 number. Now numbers north and numbers south of the river are a bit mixed, with some 0191 4 allocations north of river and some 0191 2 allocations south. 0191 2 is at full allocated capacity and 0191 6 is now active on Tyneside, but no one has winged about that. Also BT have (through the back door) allocated blocks of the same prefix on different exchanges. My exchange 0191 236 XXXX has blocks 0191 236 2XXX through to 0191 236 8XXX as Wideopen, yet 0191 236 9XXX is Wallsend, some 8 or 9 miles away. 0191 219 is allocated in Washington which is very confusing as 0191 419 is allocated there too with some 0191 219 numbers allocated north of the river. 0191 256 XXXX is alocated on 5 different exchanges in Newcastle with different number blocks. For enthusiasts. The only 4 digit telephone numbers in the UK Exist in Brampton in Cumbria with allocation 016977 2XXX and 3XXX John (having a nerdy Sunday afternoon) |
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#133 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: NE Essex,6½m SSW of Sudbury TX
Posts: 7,107
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John Doc
For enthusiasts. The only 4 digit telephone numbers in the UK Exist in Brampton in Cumbria with allocation 016977 2XXX and 3XXX
John (having a nerdy Sunday afternoon) And that some Lancaster (01524) numbers are the same - 5 digits (I'm sure there are still others). Come to think of it, all numbers in my village are 4 digits - but the STD code is 7 digts - 0178722. Last edited by Heinz : 24-09-2006 at 17:57. |
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#134 |
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Posts: n/a
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That's interesting, as we have a friend in Beer, Devon, and they're number is (STD: 01297) 22* ** - however, I always think there's a digit missing at teh end, but there isn't.
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#135 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3,673
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Heinz
Although some would say that they are really 5-digit numbers because all '01' STD codes are a standard five digits (01697).
And that some Lancaster (01524) numbers are the same - 5 digits (I'm sure there are still others). Come to think of it, all numbers in my village are 4 digits - but the STD code is 7 digts - 0178722. |
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#136 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3,673
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#137 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3,673
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I dont think its landlines changing as such but what they are going to do is:-
Those numbers that start 070 (which some presume to be mobiles but are actually personal numbers costing as much as some premium rate ones) are being changed so that they begin 06. This will then enable all codes used for mobile communications to start 07. 0500 freefone numbers will change to start 080 (then all free numbers will start 080) Corporate numbering, which is a company with a main switchboard, and hundreds of 'direct dial in' numbers (which enable people to dial in directly to the extention required) will be changing to numbers beginning 03. 03 numbers will behave like 01 & 02 numbers and so be included in the numbers you can phone for free, according to your price plan etc. And there was talk of premium rate number charges being changed so that you know how much it is to call by looking at the code, for example a number like 09025 would cost 25p/min to phone and 09350 would be £3.50/min etc. |
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#138 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3,673
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gwimble
When I moved here the number was LIBerty ****, which soon became 542 ****. That changed to 01 542 ****, then to 081 542 ****, and not long after that to 0181 542 ****. 020 8542 **** seemed a step in the right direction at last, but it came after BT spent a small fortune on research that established that most people do not have a problem remembering eight and nine digit numbers but have a real problem with eleven digits!
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#139 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 786
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Heinz
Although some would say that they are really 5-digit numbers because all '01' STD codes are a standard five digits (01697).
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#140 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 786
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Quote:
Yes, we'vegot excellent telcommunications nowadays, I even use VOIP for my business calls now as it suits me much better but I loved the old telephone exhanges and the old short codes you could dial for a neighbouring exchanges. I can recall that from my telephone exchange STANLEY when I was about 10, we had 5 digit numbers and you could dial 6 to dial DURHAM numbers (0385) 9 to dial Newcastle and Tyneside (0632/091) and 994 for Ponteland, routed through Tyneside. No one used the full codes for adjoining charge areas, you always referred to your dialling code book where your list of local codes were tucked into the first or second pages.
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#141 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3,673
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr.Phlox
I think the North American Numbering Plan adapted for EU countries would be a better way to go.
The way it works over there is large geographical areas have blocks of codes allocated - eg NYC has 212, 646, 347, 718 and one other which I forget right now (think it's 916). Initially, 212 covered Manhattan, 718 covered the rest of the boroughs as most major businesses were centered around Manhattan, the rest were more residential (in the case of Staten Island, quite sparsely populated until about 35-40 years ago). Then along came faxes, then cellphones and the numbers were rapidly running out. The numbers were (in full) 1-xxx-yyy-zzzz where xxx was the main area code, the yyy was a local switch code then zzzz was the kit hanging off. When the switches were upgraded to digital it was then possible to have the same yyy part anywhere else on the area which made porting numbers over when you moved house possible. If such a system was used here, the wide area codes could be anything from 001 to 999 (reserved numbers excepting), each county could therefore have 1 main "xxx" except where size dictates more. So 210 to 219 for London, 220-229 for Manchester, 230-239 for Glasgow etc followed by the provinces and counties in alphabetical order. That would then leave 999,999 numbers usable for each area per "xxx". To dial between them, you'd just need to dial (for example 212 123 1234 from anywhere in the country to connect you to that London number. The digital switches would know what calls are local to you and you would be billed accordingly. The special numbers, 999, 112 etc would still stay the same as they'd be reserved much like 911, 411 etc is in the States. Non geographical or freephone could work as in the states 800, 808, 870, 900 etc. So +44 800 123 1234 would be a freephone number. Each EU country could then do a similar system. To dial international, use the standard 011 followed by country code. So 011 44 212 123 1234 gets you London, but 011 33 212 123 1234 gets you someone in Paris for example. What about mobiles? I hear you ask. Well in the US NANP system, cellphones have the same numbers as landlines. In the US this is forced by law - and could be the same in the UK. That way your airtime you pay for with the phone would cover the cost back to the networks of connecting your call, as is what happens across the pond. The Yanks find it weird that we don't lose calling minutes for receiving! It would therefore be possible for companies to buy blocks of numbers for certain areas. The BBC for example could take +44 212 111 xxxx ( the 111 would spell "BBC" on the keypad). It would also mean you could get a phone number that spelled your name. Say you lived in Norwich and it's new code was 419, you run a plumbing business, you could get yourself +44 419 123 TAPS (8277). Because there are 998 potential other numbers ending in 8277 other plumbers could have similar numbers if they so wanted. Local police could have +44 XXX YYY COPS so you'd go through to the Force HQ for your local bizzies. The downside to this system - the cost. Every number in the country would change (oh wait, they might already be anyway), so every business would need to update stationery, signage etc. The way round would be to have an auto anouncement for every number dialled that started 01 or 02 that directs for free to the customers new number, so 0181 811 8181 would say "This number has now changed, please note the new number is 212 111 8181 please make a note of this for your records whilst we connect your call". That could run for 6 months to a year. BT wouldn't lose money on the calls as it's just going to be a virtual connection on their new wazzy IP based phone network. Whaddaya think? DP How confusing! What ought to have happened was to leave the dialling codes the same (4digits) and made evey phone number 8 digits long. There would have plenty of numbers to go round for a long time! France uses this system with numbers being written xx xx xx xx and it's been working well for years |
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#142 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London sw19
Posts: 1,077
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It's about time we dropped the initial 0 which seems to serve the purpose of alerting the equipment that a number is coming. How necessary is that?
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#143 |
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Banned User
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Middle Earth.
Posts: 1,121
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gwimble
It's about time we dropped the initial 0 which seems to serve the purpose of alerting the equipment that a number is coming. How necessary is that?
The 0 is used to tell the exchange you are dialling (0)utside your local area, if you didn't have the option for dialling the 0 then all local calls would have to be dialled including the area code. For example if you lived in London and you local number was 7946 0999 instead of being able to dial your friend on 3946 0888 you'd have to dial 20 3946 0888, if you lived in Birmingham and your local number was 496 0999 and you wanted to call you friend on 496 0888, you'd need to dial 121 496 0888. OFCOM was thinking of all digit dialling at one time, but most people are used to dialling on the local number and not the full national number. |
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#144 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London sw19
Posts: 1,077
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Thanks for the explanation. Now I can see it has a purpose.
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#145 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 14,637
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kentboy
That's interesting, as we have a friend in Beer, Devon, and they're number is (STD: 01297) 22* ** - however, I always think there's a digit missing at teh end, but there isn't.
Is it sad that I know what each exchange is in my area? 01726 80xxxx - Magreathea Telecom 81xxxx Par 82xxxx Nanpean 83xxxx not assigned 84xxxx Mevagissey 85xxxx Stenalees 86xxxx Fraddon 87xxxx St. Austell (again) 88xxxx Grampound Road 89xxxx Roche 6xxxx and 7xxxx St. Austell There are also a few non-BT providers with numbers in my area. Speaking of local dialling, am I the only one who actually dials the last 5 or 6 digits from my landline when calling locally? |
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#146 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: South Notts (Waltham TV TX)
Posts: 20,200
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Quote:
Originally Posted by moox
St. Austell (01726) is also 5 digits, as is Bodmin (01208)
Is it sad that I know what each exchange is in my area? 01726 80xxxx - Magreathea Telecom 81xxxx Par 82xxxx Nanpean 83xxxx not assigned 84xxxx Mevagissey 85xxxx Stenalees 86xxxx Fraddon 87xxxx St. Austell (again) 88xxxx Grampound Road 89xxxx Roche 6xxxx and 7xxxx St. Austell There are also a few non-BT providers with numbers in my area. Speaking of local dialling, am I the only one who actually dials the last 5 or 6 digits from my landline when calling locally? Saying that, those of us who have grown up with the mobile being the main phone do it the other way round - adding 0115 on the front when it's not needed (mind you as all Nottingham's BT numbers begin with a 9 it's half accidental 999 prevention too - especially when you dial 9 to get an outside line at work.) |
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#147 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 786
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9 is also being used in 6 digit blocks now in towns that are approaching saturation. I personally have 4 mobile phone numbers, my partner one, my employee has 3 and I have 1 home landline, 3 business landlines (all different numbers but linked with an internal featureline service) and 5 years ago i bought a block of 150 memorable personal numbers for £15 which I use for various advertising campaigns.
Many big businesses reserve whole blocks of numbers. DDI numbers are reserved in huge blocks. Were I live in Newcastle 211 Newcastle City Council 201 6 Newcastle Chronicle Newspapers 201 8 Newcastle Football Club 221 3 GNER North East 221 9 Northumbria Police 277 Newcastle City Council 278 Newcastle City Council 202 South Tyneside Hospital 433 Gateshead Council 222 Newcastle University 334 Durham University 227 Northumbria University 219 NHS Newcastle 226 NHS Newcastle 282 NHS Newcastle 244 Northern Rock Building Society 203 Tyne and Wear PTE 229 North Tyneside College 200 North Tyneside Council 553 Sunderland City Council 219 Sunderland City Council 375 Durham Police 383 Durham County Council 301 8 Durham City Council 333 NHS Durham 293 Sage 404 Tyne Tees Television 644 Civil Service Kenton 225 Civil Service Longbenton Countless others exist. Theses companies reserve HUGE blocks for DDI, some of which are never used. Numbers, even at landline level are running out. Last edited by John Doc : 30-09-2006 at 17:38. |
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#148 |
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Banned User
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Middle Earth.
Posts: 1,121
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http://www.magsys.co.uk/telecom/codelook.asp
http://www.ukphoneinfo.com/section/tci/locator.shtml My two main numbers at home are operated by Connect Telecom and Magreathea Telecom. Yes, number are running out this is why London switched to 020 for it's dialling code and now have an extra digit on their local number, as did Coventry and a couple of other places. OFCOM has also reduced the numbers in each block that are allocated to each Telecom supplier, as some suppliers have a huge allocation of numbers, yet not a great deal of customers, so there are many numbers not actually used. Last edited by MadMulla : 30-09-2006 at 17:45. |
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