Phone just rang (4 rings then caller hung up) and the caller ID showed the number as beginning 0203. Now I know that London phone numbers begin 020 then followed by 7 etc or 8 etc, and other cities now have numbers beginning 023 etc, but I don't recognise an 0203 xxx xxxx or even 020 3xxx xxxx (withholding full number in case it's a legitimate private number).

Done a few google searches and can't find a valid STD code that is 020 3 or 0203.

Any ideas what it might be please? Tried ringing it back (withholding my number) and there was no ringing tone at the other end nor any sound of connection, although the call log did show my call had been 'connected' for 12 seconds before I hung up.

Thanks.

EDIT: Sorry, I'm an idiot, I didn't google enough. An article on dialling codes on Wikipedia gave the following info:
020 3xxx xxxx New phase of numbers, released London-wide from June 2005
Last edited by katie : 22-08-2006 at 08:28

If you click on the relevant pdf file in this page
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/telecoms/ioi..._administered/
you will see what phone co. the number is allocated to by the next 2 digits.

Yeah, London numbers are now 020 followed by 1 - 9 - currently only (020) 3XXX XXXX, (020) 8XXX XXXX and (020) 9XXX XXXX are in use.

For 02X codes the first three digits only (i.e. 020, 028) identify the STD code, with the rest being the local number.

What about
(020) 0xxx xxxx and (020) 7xxx xxxx.
Last edited by blazor : 25-08-2006 at 00:10

Oops.

You mean (020) 3xxx xxxx, (020) 7xxx xxxx and (020) 8xxx xxxx are currently in use.

Of course (020) 9 should have read (020) 7 - getting mixed up with Nottingham!

AFAIK (020) 0XXX XXXX is used for 0870 (etc) redirects only to save people misdialling - as 0XXX XXXX is an invalid number in the 020 area

There are, of course, 020 70xx xxxx numbers now which would have been impossible under the old system (0171 0xx xxxx).

I have seen some dial through numbers 020 0222 xxxx

Code: 020 0222
Area: London

Operator: Magrathea
Tariff Band: National (inc VAT)
Service: Geographic

Katie, why do you care about a one off call like that?

We have caller id and only answer the phone if we recognise the caller and want to speak to them. All other calls get the answering machine.

If an unrecognised number calls and hangs up or does not leave a message, why should we care? If it is important they will call back. If it is not important then who cares?

I know human nature makes us curious but these types of calls are usually either wrong numbers or spoofs trying to get you to call back on a premium rate number.

Just ignore them and forget about them.

You were right on the curious part. It was just because I knew 020 was London and thought all numbers then started 7 or 8 so was curious about one that started 3. That's all.

I have tesco internet phone and 0203 is my dialing code and im in plymouth

No such code as 0203.

What you have is a London code of 020 and your local number begins with 3. (020) 3nnn nnnn.

In London if you were to say you had an 0203 number you would then expect to be able to dial the local number nnn nnnn, however that will not work as you are a digit missing on the local number, as (020) is the London code you need to dial 3nnn nnnn for a number to connect, same as in anywhere in London you need to dial 7nnn nnnn or 8nnn nnnn.

I have London 020, Manchester, Edinburgh, Leeds, Cardiff, Warwick, and several other area codes around the UK as well as a German number, Italian number, Romanian number, Dutch number and USA number yet live in the Midlands.

Warning! I wouldn't ring it back.

I'm sure I heard something about this on TV about this, but it was a slight mention that didn't give details. It's a con I believe, that somehow allows them to charge you a fortune on your mobile, something about £50 a time (was it your mobile they rang?), it's possible it might work on a landline too, though. I'm sure they mentioned "020" numbers, as I remember at the time thinking "but isn't that the London code?"

I'm prepared to accept I could be totally wrong on this though, as like I say, the details were scant.
Last edited by Chunes : 27-09-2006 at 22:15

Why not its a common or garden Geographical Number. It want cost you an arm and a leg to call it.

Did you miss this addition to the op?

"020 3xxx xxxx New phase of numbers, released London-wide from June 2005"

You might be mixing things up with 070 numbers.Even they dont cost £50 to ring,thats just an urban myth.
Last edited by blazor : 29-09-2006 at 17:39

There have been nasty cons with 070 numbers where they make you think you are holding on to get through to something important like someone in hospital and maybe after a few minutes they make it sound like you mobile has lost the signal so you will call again. So maybe someone gullable has been conned out of £50 by such a con.

..... but we're into the realms of fantasy now with the highest cost 070 number being about 50p per minute to call - so this gullable sucker is now hanging on for over 100 minutes.

It could be over 50p/min from a mobile.

The important point is that there are cons out there using 070 numbers (and even 0871 I think) so we should all be vigilant.

You're right. Ofcom say up to 75p/minute.

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/files/2009/08/numbering.pdf

Racking up £50 would still be a heck of a long time hanging on though.

http://www.numberstore.com/0203-numbers-order.asp

That's just someone selling virtual numbers. Only a mug buys them!
You get the same kind of number with VoIP phones. You can pick from a range of numbers with the geographical dialling codes of most major cities, both here in the UK and abroad too.