The United Kingdom is changing its telephone numbers, again!
There's a quick summary below and a reference point for further details
Peter Radford
The main changes affect the fixed network telephone numbers in areas that are running out of numbers; however the opportunity is being taken to introduce other changes to make the numbering scheme more easily understandable. These other changes affect mobile numbers and special rate and premium rate services; of these, only the mobile number changes are discussed below.
The fixed network changes affect numbers in Cardiff, Coventry, London (both Inner and Outer London), Portsmouth, Southampton and the whole of Northern Ireland. All these areas will have numbers that, from outside the UK, will now begin +44 2X followed by an 8-digit local number. For example, London numbers will now begin +44 20. Those (Inner London) numbers which were +44 171 XXX XXXX will become +44 20 7XXX XXXX, with 7XXX XXXX being the new local number; similarly, those (Outer London) numbers which were +44 181 YYY YYYY will become +44 20 8YYY YYYY. The different area codes for Inner and Outer London disappear. Changes for the other areas are detailed in www.numberchange.org. (Note that the Portsmouth and Southampton areas are merged behind one area code, as are all the old Northern Ireland areas.)
The new local numbers take effect on 22nd April but you can use the full numbers now, the old geographic area codes and numbers can be used until later this summer.
The mobile number changes are part of the move to re-organise the numbering scheme, so that +44 7 will denote what OFTEL, the UK Regulator, calls "Find Me Anywhere numbers" (personal numbers, mobiles and pagers). Any existing mobile or pager number that does not begin +44 7 is being changed. In a few cases, an extra digit is inserted (so that +44 860 XXXXXX becomes +44 7860 XXXXXX). In other cases, the change is not quite as simple (for example, +44 370 XXXXXX becomes +44 7770 XXXXXX) and look up tables (see below) must be used to determine the new numbers.
The new numbers can all be used now; the old mobile numbers will stop working at the end of April next year.
If you need to find a new number, the www.numberchange.org web-site offers a number conversion facility.
Peter Radford Logica Telecoms Solutions telephone +44 (0) 20 7446 1281 http://www.logica.com/