This list of telephone area name changes in the United Kingdom documents proposed and actual changes to the names of telephone areas, made in the third millennium by Oftel and its successor Ofcom, with assistance from BT and Cable & Wireless plc (C&W). [1]
In 2003, Oftel published a proposal to create a National Telephone Numbering Plan (NTNP). [2] This draft plan proposed changing the names of many areas from whatever name BT had previously used. Following responses from BT, [3] C&W [4] and others the final plan was published with a number of amendments incorporated, [5] followed by a minor revision a few weeks later. [6] A few months later, the data and the responsibility for maintaining it was passed to Ofcom. [7]
Ofcom's data is contained in two files: the NTNP PDF file [8] (updated several times per year) and the SABC CSV file [9] for electronic download (published weekly). Although the data in these files should be identical, there have been and still are many differences between them.
In one background document from 2004, [10] Ofcom states that In order to conform to the National Telephone Numbering Plan (NTNP), the names of the following Geographic Area Codes have changed - 1248, 1268, 1275, 1276, 1291, 1293, 1306, 1322, 1327, 1334, 1344, 1354, 1356, 1375, 1384, 1394, 1425, 1438, 1442, 1451, 1454, 1461, 1470, 1471, 1477, 1478, 1485, 1488, 1489, 1491, 1543, 1561, 1562, 1582, 1588, 1598, 1661, 1668, 1675, 1680, 1681, 1684, 1688, 1689, 1695, 1707, 1720, 1727, 1737, 1744, 1753, 1770, 1784, 1806, 1821, 1856, 1870, 1877, 1883, 1885, 1889, 1895, 1908, 1920, 1922, 1926, 1928, 1932, 1952, 1953, 1963, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1992.
The Ofcom proposal also contained a large number of spelling mistakes in the proposed area code names. [2] Some of those errors were rectified within weeks or months, while others have still not been fixed eight years later. Additionally, several other areas changed their name after suggestions by BT and/or C&W, although Ofcom originally had no plans to change them. There are also several areas which changed name but are not listed above. Additionally some names were changed in one Ofcom document but were not updated in the other Ofcom document until several years later. Some have still not been updated or corrected. [11]
Nine more place names were fixed in a reissued NTNP PDF document in mid-December 2011. [12]
The proposed and actual changes, along with the list of implementation errors, are detailed below.
Code | SABC March 2003 [13] | Oftel 2003 proposal [2] | BT 2003 comments [3] | C&W 2003 comments [4] | NTNP edits 2003 onwards [8] | SABC edits 2003 onwards [9] | Status 2012 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
117 | Bristol (Inner - See also 1275) | Bristol | No comment. | No comment. | Bristol | Bristol | OK |
1229 0,1 | Barrow-in-Furness / Millom | Barrow-in-Furness / Millom | No comment. | No comment. | Barrow-in-Furness / Millom (7) then changed to Barrow-in-Furness (2,4,5,6,8) / Millom (3,7,9) in 2005. | Barrow-in-Furness National Dialling (2003- ). Should be Barrow-in-Furness/Millom National Dialling. | NTNP OK. Error in SABC. Should be Barrow-in-Furness/Millom National Dialling. |
1233 | Ashford | Ashford | No comment. | Could cause confusion. Suggest Ashford (Kent). | Ashford (Kent) | Ashford (2003- ). Should be Ashford (Kent). | NTNP OK. Error in SABC. Should be Ashford (Kent). |
1248 | Bangor (N Wales) | Bangor | Suggest using Bangor (Wales). | Clashes with 28 91. Suggest Bangor (Wales). | Bangor (Gwynedd) | Bangor (Gwynedd) | OK |
1260 | Congleton (See also 1477) | Congleton | No comment. | No comment. | Congleton | Congleton | OK |
1268 | Stanford-le-Hope (See also 1375) | Canvey Island | Suggest using Basildon. | Consider using Basildon. | Basildon | Basildon | OK (using BT and C&W suggested name). |
1271 | Barnstable[ sic ] | Barnstable [sic] | No comment. | No comment. | Barnstable (2003–2011) then corrected to Barnstaple in late 2011. | Barnstable (2003–2010) then corrected to Barnstaple in 2010. | NTNP now OK. SABC now OK. (Error persists in TACT. [14] ) |
1275 | Bristol (Outer - See also 117) | Clevedon | Clevedon. No comment. | Clevedon. Agree. | Clevedon | Clevedon | OK |
1276 | Ascot (See also 1344) | Camberley | Camberley. No comment. | Camberley. Agree. | Camberley | Camberley | OK |
1284 | Bury-St-Edmunds [sic] | Bury-St-Edmunds [sic] | No comment. | No comment. | Bury-St-Edmunds (2003–2011) then corrected to Bury St Edmunds in late 2011. | Bury-St-Edmunds (2003–2010) then corrected to Bury St Edmunds in 2010. | NTNP now OK. SABC now OK. (Error persists in TACT. [14] ) |
1286 | Caernarvon [sic] | Caernarvon [sic] | No comment. | No comment. | Caernarvon (2003–2011) then corrected to Caernarfon in late 2011. | Caernarvon (2003–2010) then corrected to Caernarfon in 2010. | NTNP now OK. SABC now OK. (Error persists in TACT. [14] ) |
1289 | Berwick-on-Tweed [sic] | Berwick-on-Tweed [sic] | No comment. | No comment. | Berwick-on-Tweed (2003–2011) then corrected to Berwick-upon-Tweed in late 2011. | Berwick-on-Tweed (2003–2010) then corrected to Berwick-upon-Tweed in 2010. | NTNP now OK. SABC now OK. (Error persists in TACT. [14] ) |
1291 | Shirenewton | Chepstow | Chepstow. No comment. | Chepstow. Agree. | Chepstow | Chepstow | OK |
1293 | Newdigate (See also 1306) | Crawley | Crawley. No comment. | Crawley. Agree. | Crawley | Crawley | OK |
1294 | Ardrossan | Ardrossan | Ardrossan. No comment. | Consider using Irvine. | Ardrossan | Ardrossan | OK |
1306 | Newdigate (See also 1293) | Dorking | Dorking. No comment. | Dorking. Agree. | Dorking | Dorking | OK |
1322 | Swanley (See also 1959 & 1689) | Dartford | Dartford. No comment. | Dartford. Agree. | Dartford | Dartford | OK |
1327 | Weedon | Daventry | Daventry. No comment. | Daventry. Agree. | Daventry | Daventry | OK |
1329 | Fareham (See also 1489) | Fareham | No comment. | No comment. | Fareham | Fareham | OK |
1333 | Peat Inn (See also 1334) | Peat Inn | Peat Inn. No comment. | Peat Inn. Agree. | Peat Inn (2003- ) | Peat Inn (2003- ) | Leven (Fife) would be a better name for 1333. Peat Inn is in 1334. |
1334 | Peat Inn (See also 1333) | St Andrews | St Andrews. No comment. | St Andrews. Agree. | St Andrews (2003- ) | St Andrews (2003- ) | In renaming 1334 Ofcom renamed the wrong area. |
1340 | Craigellachie | Craigellachie | No comment. | No comment. | Craigellachie | Craigellachie | OK (Aberlour may be a better name, no exchange in Craigellachie). |
1344 | Ascot (See also 1276) | Bracknell | Bracknell. No comment. | Bracknell. Agree. | Bracknell | Bracknell | OK |
1354 | Doddington | Chatteris | Chatteris. No comment. | Chatteris. Agree. | Chatteris | Chatteris | OK |
1355 | East Kilbride (See also 1357) | Kilbride | Consider East Kilbride for both. | Suggest using East Kilbride. | East Kilbride | East Kilbride | OK |
1356 | Brechin | Brechin | No comment. | No comment. | Brechin | Brechin | OK (Listed by Ofcom as changing name in 2003 but name not actually changed). |
1357 | East Kilbride (See also 1355) | East Kilbride | Consider East Kilbride for both. | Suggest using Strathaven. | Strathaven | Strathaven | OK (using C&W suggested name). |
1375 | Stanford-le-Hope (See also 1268) | Stanford-le-Hope | Suggest using Grays Thurrock instead of Stanford Le Hope [sic]. | Suggest using Grays Thurrock. | Grays Thurrock | Grays Thurrock | OK (using BT and C&W suggested name). |
1384 | Stourbridge (See also 1562) | Dudley | Dudley. No comment. | Dudley. Agree. | Dudley | Stourbridge (2003–2007) then corrected to Dudley in 2007. | NTNP OK. SABC now OK. |
1388 5 | Stanhope (5) and Bishop Auckland | Stanhope (4) and Bishop Auckland | 01388 contains two separate charge groups: 01388 and 01388 5. Stanhope sub-reference needs correcting: (5) not (4). | No comment. | Stanhope (5) | 1388 5 Stanhope | OK (The Stanhope exchange is located in Eastgate). |
1394 | Shottisham | Felixstowe | Felixstowe. No comment. | Felixstowe. Agree. | Felixstowe | Felixstowe | OK |
1425 | Burley | Ringwood | Ringwood. No comment. | Ringwood. Agree. | Ringwood | Ringwood | OK |
1437 2,3,4,5 | Clynderwen | Clynderwen | No comment. | No comment. | Clynderwen | Clynderwen | OK (The correct Welsh spelling is Clunderwen). |
1438 | Knebworth (See also 1920) | Knebworth | Suggest using Stevenage. | Suggest using Stevenage. | Stevenage | Stevenage | OK (using BT and C&W suggested name). |
1442 | Markyate (See also 1582) | Hemel Hempstead | Hemel Hempstead. No comment. | Hemel Hempstead. Agree. | Hemel Hempstead | Hemel Hempstead | OK |
1451 | Bourton-on-the-Water | Stow-on-the-Wold | Stow-on-the-Wold. No comment. | Stow-on-the-Wold. Agree. | Stow-on-the-Wold | Stow-on-the-Wold | OK |
1454 | Rangeworthy | Chipping Sodbury | Chipping Sodbury. No comment. | Chipping Sodbury. Agree. | Chipping Sodbury | Chipping Sodbury | OK |
1461 | Annan | Gretna | Gretna. No comment. | Gretna. Agree. | Gretna | Gretna | OK |
1470 | Edinbane | Isle of Skye - Edinbane | Isle of Skye - Edinbane. No comment. | Isle of Skye - Edinbane. Agree. | Isle of Skye - Edinbane | Isle of Skye - Edinbane | OK |
1471 | Broadford | Isle of Skye - Broadford | Isle of Skye - Broadford. No comment. | Isle of Skye - Broadford. Agree. | Isle of Skye - Broadford | Isle of Skye - Broadford | OK |
1477 | Congleton (See also 1260) | Holmes Chapel | Holmes Chapel. No comment. | Holmes Chapel. Agree. | Holmes Chapel | Holmes Chappel (2003–2007) then corrected to Holmes Chapel in 2007. | NTNP OK. SABC now OK. |
1478 | Portree | Isle of Skye - Portree | Isle of Skye - Portree. No comment. | Isle of Skye - Portree. Agree. | Isle of Skye - Portree | Isle of Skye - Portree | OK |
1482 | Hull | Hull | No comment. | No comment. | Hull | Hull | Kingston-upon-Hull would be a better name. |
1485 | Docking | Hunstanton | Hunstanton. No comment. | Hunstanton. Agree. | Hunstanton | Hunstanton | OK |
1488 | Great Shefford | Hungerford | Hungerford. No comment. | Hungerford. Agree. | Hungerford | Hungerford | OK |
1489 | Fareham (See also 1329) | Bishops Waltham | Bishops Waltham. No comment. | Bishops Waltham. Agree. | Bishops Waltham | Bishops Waltham | OK |
1491 | Nettlebed | Henley-on-Thames | Henley-on-Thames. No comment. | Henley-on-Thames. Agree. | Henley-on-Thames | Henley on Thames (2003–2010) then corrected to Henley-on-Thames in 2010. | NTNP OK. SABC now OK. |
1507 4 | Alford (Lincs) | Alford | No comment. | Clashes with 1975. Suggest Alford (Lincs). | Alford (Lincolnshire) (2003) then corrected to Alford (Lincs) later in 2003. | Alford (Lincs) | NTNP now OK. SABC OK. |
1507 5 | Spilsby | Spilsby | 01507 - contains two rather than three charge groups. 01507 5, like the rest of the range bar Alford, is Louth, and not Spilsby - Spilsby is 01790. The reference to Spilsby should be deleted. | No comment. | Spilsby removed (2003–2005) then added again in 2005. | Spilsby (2003- ) | Horncastle would be a better name for 1507 2 and 1507 5. Spilsby is 1790. |
15395 | Grange over Sands [sic] | Grange-Over-Sands [sic] | No comment. | Grange-over-sands. No comment. | Grange-Over-Sands (2003–2011) then corrected to Grange-over-Sands in late 2011. | Grange over Sands (2003–2010) then corrected to Grange-over-Sands in 2010. | NTNP now OK. SABC now OK. (Error persists in TACT. [14] ) |
1543 | Burntwood | Cannock | Cannock. No comment. | Cannock. Agree. | Cannock | Cannock | OK |
1559 | Llandyssul [sic] | Llandyssul [sic] | No comment. | No comment. | Llandyssul (2003–2011) then corrected to Llandysul in late 2011. | Llandyssul (2003–2010) then corrected to Llandysul in 2010. | NTNP now OK. SABC now OK. (Error persists in TACT. [14] ) |
1561 | Fordoun | Laurencekirk | Laurencekirk. No comment. | Laurencekirk. Agree. | Laurencekirk | Laurencekirk | OK |
1562 | Stourbridge (See also 1384) | Stourbridge | Stourbridge. No comment. | Consider using Kidderminster. | Kidderminster | Kidderminster | OK (using C&W suggested name). |
1582 | Markyate (See also 1442) | Luton | Luton. No comment. | Luton. Agree. | Luton | Luton | OK |
1588 | Craven Arms | Bishops Castle | Bishops Castle. No comment. | Bishops Castle. Agree. | Bishops Castle | Bishops Castle | OK |
1594 | Lydney | Lydney | Lydney. No comment. | Consider using Dean. | Lydney | Lydney | OK |
1598 | Brayford | Lynton | Lynton. No comment. | Consider using Barnstable [sic] [Bad idea]. | Lynton | Lynton | OK |
1603 | Norwich_ | Norwich | No comment. | No comment. | Norwich | Norwich_ (2000–2012) then corrected to Norwich in early 2012. | NTNP OK. SABC now OK. Trailing space in SABC removed in early 2012. |
1636 | Newark | Newark | No comment. | No comment. | Newark | Newark | Newark-on-Trent would be a better name. |
1637 | Newquay (See also 1841) | Newquay | No comment. | No comment. | Newquay | Newquay | OK |
1661 | Wylam | Prudhoe | Prudhoe. No comment. | Prudhoe. Agree. | Prudhoe | Prudhoe | OK |
1668 | Belford | Bamburgh | Bamburgh. No comment. | Consider using Wooler. | Bamburgh | Bamburgh | OK |
1675 | Meriden (See also 1676) | Coleshill | Coleshill. No comment. | Coleshill. Agree. | Coleshill | Coleshill | OK |
1676 | Meriden (See also 1675) | Meriden | Meriden. No comment. | Meriden. Agree. | Meriden | Meriden | OK |
1680 | Craignure | Isle of Mull - Craignure | Isle of Mull - Craignure. No comment. | Isle of Mull - Craignure. Agree. | Isle of Mull - Craignure | Isle of Mull - Craignure | OK |
1681 | Fionnphort | Isle of Mull - Fionnphort | Isle of Mull - Fionnphort. No comment. | Isle of Mull - Fionnphort. Agree. | Isle of Mull - Fionnphort | Isle of Mull - Fionnphort | OK |
1684 | Hanley Swan | Hanley Swan | Suggest using Tewkesbury. | Suggest using Malvern. | Malvern | Malvern | OK (using C&W suggested name). |
1686 4 | Llanidloes | Llandiloes [sic] | No comment. | Spelling error. Use Llanidloes. | Llanidloes | Llanidloes | OK. Spelling error fixed in 2003. |
1688 | Tobermory | Isle of Mull - Tobermory | Isle of Mull - Tobermory. No comment. | Isle of Mull - Tobermory. Agree. | Isle of Mull - Tobermory | Isle of Mull - Tobermory | OK |
1689 | Swanley (See also 1322 & 1959) | Orpington | Orpington. No comment. | Orpington. Agree. | Orpington | Orpington | OK |
1695 | Skelmersdale (Rainford) (See also 1744) | Skelmersdale | Skelmersdale. No comment. | Skelmersdale. Agree. | Skelmersdale | Skelmersdale | OK |
1697 | Brampton | Brampton | Brampton should be 016977, not 01697. | No comment. | Correctly listed as 016977 (2003–2004) then incorrect 01697 (2005- ). | Correctly listed as 16977 (2001–2002) then incorrect 1697 (2003- ). | 16977 is a five-digit area code. |
1707 | Colney Heath (See also 1727) | Welwyn Garden City | Suggest using Potters Bar. | Consider using Potters Bar. | Welwyn Garden City | Welwyn Garden City | OK (BT and C&W suggested Potters Bar). |
1720 | Scillonia | Isles of Scilly | Isles of Scilly. No comment. | Isles of Scilly. Agree. | Isles of Scilly | Isles of Scilly | OK |
1727 | Colney Heath (See also 1707) | St Albans | St Albans. No comment. | St Albans. Agree. | St Albans | St Albans | OK |
1737 | Merstham (See also 1883) | Redhill | Redhill. No comment. | Redhill. Agree. | Redhill | Redhill | OK |
1744 | Rainford (See also 1695) | St Helens | St Helens. No comment. | St Helens. Agree. | St Helens | St Helens | OK |
1753 | Iver (See also 1895 & 1784) | Slough | Slough. No comment. | Slough. Agree. | Slough | Slough | OK |
1770 | Brodick | Isle of Arran | Isle of Arran. No comment. | Isle of Arran. Agree. | Isle of Arran | Isle of Arran | OK |
1784 | Iver (See also 1895 & 1753) | Staines | Staines. No comment. | Staines. Agree. | Staines | Staines | OK |
1790 | Spilsby (See also 1507) | Spilsby | Spilsby. No comment. | Spilsby. Agree. | Spilsby | Spilsby | OK |
1806 | Voe | Shetland | Shetland. No comment. | Shetland. Agree. | Shetland | Shetland | OK |
1807 | Ballindalloch | Ballindalloch | No comment. | No comment. | Ballindalloch | Ballindalloch | OK |
1821 | Coupar Angus (See also 1828) | Kinross | Consider using Kinrossie or Errol. Kinross is 01577 and many miles away. | Kinross [sic]. Agree (See BT comments). | Kinrossie | Kinrossie | OK (using BT suggested name). |
1828 | Coupar Angus (See also 1821) | Coupar Angus | Coupar Angus. No comment. | Coupar Angus. Agree. | Coupar Angus | Coupar Angus | OK |
1832 | Clopton | Clopton | Clopton. No comment. | Suggest using Oundle. | Clopton | Clopton | OK |
1841 | Newquay (See also 1637) | Newquay | No comment. | Consider using Padstow. | Newquay (2003- ) | Newquay (2003- ) | Clashes with 1637. C&W suggested Padstow in 2003. |
1843 | Thanet | Thanet | No comment. | No comment. | Thanet | Thanet | OK (Thanet is a region not a town). |
1847 | Thurso / Tongue | Thurso / Tongue | 01847 would be better shown in the same way as 01339. Use 01847 Thurso (8) and Tongue (6) as these are non-adjacent charge groups. | No comment. | Thurso [5,8] / Tongue (6) (2003–2005) then changed to Thurso (2,3,4,5,8) / Tongue (6,7,9) in 2005. | Thurso (8) / Tongue (6) (2002) then Thurso (5,8) / Tongue (6) (2003) then Thurso (2,3,4,5,8) / Tongue (6,7,9) 2004 onwards. | OK |
1851 7,8 | Stornoway | Stornaway [sic] | No comment. | Spelling error. Use Stornoway. | Stornoway | Stornoway | OK. Spelling error fixed in 2003. |
1856 | Kirkwall | Orkney | Orkney. No comment. | Orkney. Agree. | Orkney | Orkney | OK |
1864 | Abington | Abington | No comment. | No comment. | Abington | Abington | OK (The Abington exchange is located in Crawford). |
1870 | Benbecula | Isle of Benbecula | Isle of Benbecula. No comment. | Isle of Benbecula. Agree. | Isle of Benbecula | Isle of Benbecula | OK |
1877 | Trossachs | Callandar [sic] | No comment. | Callandar [sic]. Agree. | Callandar (2003–2011) then corrected to Callander in late 2011. | Callander | NTNP now OK. SABC OK. (Error persists in TACT. [14] ) |
1878 | Lohboisdale [sic] | Lochboisdale | Lochboisdale. No comment. | Lochboisdale. Agree. | Lochboisdale | Lohboisdale (2003–2005) then corrected to Lochboisdale in 2005. | NTNP OK. SABC now OK. |
1883 | Merstham (See also 1737) | Caterham | Caterham. No comment. | Caterham. Agree. | Caterham | Caterham | OK |
1885 | Bromyard (See also 1886) | Pencombe | No comment. | Suggest using Bromyard. | Pencombe (2003- ) | Pencombe (2003- ) | In renaming 1885 Ofcom renamed the wrong area. |
1886 | Bromyard (See also 1885) | Bromyard | No comment. | Suggest using Leigh Sinton. | Bromyard (2003- ) | Bromyard (2003- ) | Knightwick or Leigh Sinton would be a better name for 1886. Bromyard businesses use 1885. |
1889 | Dapple Heath | Rugely [sic] | No comment. | Rugely [sic]. Agree. | Rugely (2003–2011) then corrected to Rugeley in late 2011. | Rugeley | NTNP now OK. SABC OK. (Error persists in TACT. [14] ) |
1890 6 | n/a | n/a | No comment. | No comment. | Ayton (7) (2003–2004) then changed to Ayton (5,6,7,9) in 2005. | Coldstream (2003–2005) then corrected to Ayton in 2005. | NTNP OK. SABC now OK. |
1895 | Iver (See also 1753 & 1784) | Uxbridge | Uxbridge. No comment. | Uxbridge Agree. | Uxbridge | Uxbridge | OK |
1902 | Wolverhampton (See also 1922) | Wolverhampton | No comment. | No comment. | Wolverhampton | Wolverhampton | OK |
1908 | Wolverton | Milton Keynes | Milton Keynes. No comment. | Milton Keynes. Agree. | Milton Keynes | Milton Keynes | OK |
191 2,4,6,8 | Tyneside | Tyneside | No comment. | No comment. | Tyneside | Tyneside | Newcastle-upon-Tyne would be a better name. |
191 5 | Wearside | Sunderland | Sunderland. No comment. | Sunderland. Agree. | Sunderland | Wearside (2003–2007) then corrected to Sunderland in 2007. | NTNP OK. SABC now OK. |
1920 | Knebworth (See also 1438) | Ware | Ware. No comment. | Ware. No comment. | Ware | Ware | OK |
1922 | Wolverhampton (See also 1902) | Walsall | Walsall. No comment. | Walsall. No comment. | Walsall | Walsall | OK |
1926 | Leamington Spa | Warwick | Warwick. No comment. | Suggest Leamington Spa. | Warwick | Warwick | OK |
1928 | Frodsham | Runcorn | No comment. | Runcorn. Agree. | Runcorn | Runcorn | OK |
1931 | Shap | Bampton | Suggest continuing to use Shap. | Suggest Shap. | Shap | Shap | OK (using BT and C&W suggested name). |
1932 | Esher (See also 1372) | Esher | No comment. | Clashes with 1372. Suggest Weybridge. | Weybridge | Weybridge | OK (using C&W suggested name). |
1934 | Weston-Super-Mare [sic] | Weston-Super-Mare [sic] | No comment. | No comment. | Weston-Super-Mare (2003–2011) then corrected to Weston-super-Mare in late 2011. | Weston-Super-Mare (2003- ). Should be Weston-super-Mare. | NTNP now OK. Error in SABC. Should be Weston-super-Mare. (Error persists in TACT. [14] ) |
19467 | Gosforth (Mixed) | Gosforth | No comment. | Gosforth. Agree. | Gosforth | Gosforth (Mixed) (2003- ). Should be Gosforth. | NTNP OK. Error in SABC. Should be Gosforth. |
1952 | Wellington | Telford | Telford. No comment. | Telford. No comment. | Telford | Telford | OK |
1953 | Attleborough | Wymondham | Wymondham. No comment. | Wymondham. No comment. | Wymondham | Wymondham | OK |
1959 | Swanley (See also 1322 & 1689) | Westerham | Westerham. No comment. | Consider Swanley or Biggin Hill. | Westerham | Swanley (2003–2007) then corrected to Westerham in 2007. | NTNP OK. SABC now OK. |
1963 | Templecombe | Wincanton | Wincanton. No comment. | Wincanton. Agree. | Wincanton | Wincanton | OK |
1975 5 | Alford (Aberdeen) | Alford | No comment. | Clashes with 1507. Suggest Alford (Scotland). | Alford (Aberdeenshire) (2003–2005) then corrected to Alford (Aberdeen) in 2005. | Alford (Aberdeen) | NTNP now OK. SABC OK. |
1980 | Bulford Camp | Amesbury | Amesbury. No comment. | Amesbury. Agree. | Amesbury | Amesbury | OK |
1983 | Ryde | Isle of Wight | Isle of Wight. No comment. | Isle of Wight. Agree. | Isle of Wight | Isle of Wight | OK |
1984 | Stogumber | Watchet | Watchet. No comment. | Watchet. Agree. | Watchet | Watchet | OK (The Watchet exchange is located in Williton). |
1992 | Hoddesdon | Lea Valley | Suggest continuing to use Hoddesden. | Consider Waltham Cross. | Lea Valley | Lea Valley | OK (BT and C&W each suggested a different name). |
1994 | St Clears | Whitland | Suggest continuing to use St Clears. | Suggest using St Clears. | St Clears | St Clears | OK (using BT and C&W suggested name). |
28 10,11 | Nothern [sic] Ireland National Dialling | n/a | No comment. | No comment. | n/a | Nothern Ireland National Dialling (2003–2010) then corrected to Northern Ireland National Dialling in 2010. | SABC now OK. |
28 40 | Banbridge | Bambridge [sic] | Spelling error. Use Banbridge. | Spelling error. Use Banbridge. | Banbridge | Banbridge | OK. Spelling error fixed in 2003. |
28 43 | Newcastle | Newcastle | No comment. | Could cause confusion. Suggest Newcastle (Co Down). | Newcastle (Co. Down) | Newcastle (2003–2010) then corrected to Newcastle (Co. Down) in 2010. | NTNP OK. SABC now OK (using C&W suggested name). |
28 66 | Enniskillen | Enniskilen [sic] | Spelling error. Use Enniskillen. | Spelling error. Use Enniskillen. | Enniskillen | Enniskillen | OK. Spelling error fixed in 2003. |
28 81 | Newtownstewart | Newtonstewart [sic] | Spelling error. Use Newtownstewart. | Spelling error. Use Newtownstewart. | Newtownstewart | Newtownstewart | OK. Spelling error fixed in 2003. |
28 90 | Belfast City | Belfast | Belfast. No comment. | Belfast. Agree. | Belfast | Belfast City (2003- ). Should be Belfast. | NTNP OK. Error in SABC. Should be Belfast. |
28 91 | Bangor | Bangor | No comment. | Clashes with 1248. Suggest Bangor (Co Down). | Bangor (Co. Down) | Bangor (2003–2010) then corrected to Bangor (Co. Down) in 2010. | NTNP OK. SABC now OK. |
BT Group plc is a British multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered in London, England. It has operations in around 180 countries and is the largest provider of fixed-line, broadband and mobile services in the UK, and also provides subscription television and IT services.
Local loop unbundling is the regulatory process of allowing multiple telecommunications operators to use connections from the telephone exchange to the customer's premises. The physical wire connection between the local exchange and the customer is known as a "local loop", and is owned by the incumbent local exchange carrier. To increase competition, other providers are granted unbundled access.
The Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) was a department in the United Kingdom government, under civil service control, charged with promoting competition and maintaining the interests of consumers in the UK telecommunications market. It was set up under the Telecommunications Act 1984 after privatisation of the nationalised operator BT.
Telecommunications in the United Kingdom have evolved from the early days of the telegraph to modern broadband and mobile phone networks with Internet services.
A toll-free telephone number or freephone number is a telephone number that is billed for all arriving calls instead of incurring charges to the originating telephone subscriber. For the calling party, a call to a toll-free number from a landline is free of charge.
The Office of Communications, commonly known as Ofcom, is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom.
In telecommunications, directory assistance or directory inquiries is a phone service used to find out a specific telephone number and/or address of a residence, business, or government entity.
Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom are administered by the Office of Communications (Ofcom). For this purpose, Ofcom established a telephone numbering plan, known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, which is the system for assigning telephone numbers to subscriber stations.
The Big Number Change addressed various issues with the telephone dialling plan in the United Kingdom, during the late-1990s and early-2000s.
Widespread UK telephone code misconceptions, in particular brought on by the Big Number Change in 2000, have been reported by regulator Ofcom since publication of a report it commissioned in 2004.
020 is the national dialling code for London in the United Kingdom. All subscriber numbers within the area code consist of eight digits and it has capacity for approaching 100 million telephone numbers. The code is used at 170 telephone exchanges in and around Greater London as part of the largest linked numbering scheme in the United Kingdom. In common with all other British area codes the initial '0' is a trunk prefix that is not required when dialling London from abroad.
Openreach Limited is a company wholly owned by BT plc, that maintains the telephone cables, ducts, cabinets and exchanges that connect nearly all homes and businesses in the United Kingdom to the national broadband and telephone network. It was established in 2006 following an agreement between BT and the UK's telecoms regulator, Ofcom, to implement certain undertakings, pursuant to the Enterprise Act 2002, to ensure that rival telecom operators have equality of access to BT's local network.
A non-geographic number is a type of telephone number that is not linked to any specific locality. Such numbers are an alternative to the traditional 'landline' numbers that are assigned geographically using a system of location-specific area codes. Non-geographic numbers are used for various reasons, from providing flexible routing of incoming phone calls to generating revenue for paid-for services.
PhONEday was a change to the telephone dialling plan in the United Kingdom on 16 April 1995. It changed geographic area codes and some telephone numbers. In most areas, a "1" was added to the dialling code after the initial zero. In Bristol, Leeds, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield, the area codes were replaced with new codes and the subscriber numbers gained an extra digit. The PhONEday changes also made provision for new ranges of subscriber numbers in those five cities. A £16m advertising campaign, and an eight-month period of parallel running during which old and new codes were active, preceded the change. PhONEday followed a change made in May 1990, when the old London area code 01 had been released from use, permitting all United Kingdom geographic numbers to begin with this prefix. Originally planned in 1991 to take place in 1994, in 1992 the change was postponed until the Easter Sunday bank holiday in 1995.
The United Kingdom has been involved with the Internet throughout its origins and development. The telecommunications infrastructure in the United Kingdom provides Internet access to businesses and home users in various forms, including fibre, cable, DSL, wireless and mobile.
Ranges for fictitious telephone numbers are common in most telephone numbering plans. One of the main reasons these ranges exist is to avoid accidentally using real phone numbers in movies and television programs because of viewers frequently calling the numbers used. In North America, the area served by the North American Numbering Plan (NANPA) system of area codes, fictitious telephone numbers are usually of the form (XXX) 555-xxxx. The use of 555 numbers in fiction, however, led a desire to assign some of them in the real world, and some of them are no longer suitable for use in fiction. Other areas have different fictitious telephone numbers.
Personal numbering is the name for the virtual telephone number service in the UK. Typically the national destination code used for this service is (0)70. The service provides a flexible virtual telephone number able to be routed to any other number, including international mobiles. For example, the UK number +44 70 0585 0070 might route to an Inmarsat satellite phone number, allowing the user to have a UK number while roaming globally.
Area codes 809, 829, and 849 are telephone area codes in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for the Dominican Republic. As all NANP members, the Dominican Republic uses country code 1, and has similar dialing procedures for dialing the ten-digit national telephone numbers, which consist of the area code, a three-digit central office code, and a four-digit line number. The three area codes of the country are organized as an overlay plan for a single numbering plan area (NPA), comprising the entire country. Thus, ten-digit dialing is mandatory.
Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom have a flexible structure that reflects their historical demands, starting from many independent companies through a nationalised near-monopoly, to a system that supports many different services, including cellular phones, which were not envisaged when the system was first built. Numbers evolved in a piecemeal fashion, with numbers initially allocated on an exchange-by-exchange basis for calls connected by manual operators. Subscriber numbers reflected demand in each area, with single digit telephone numbers in very rural areas and longer numbers in cities.