Dial the Code

This topic is so niche that at first I was going to post this on Metropol, hopefully this is the right place.

Just today I remembered hearing about changes to the way people dial landline numbers from landlines. Up until now if you want to phone someone who is in your area, you can just drop the area code and it'll connect fine (so e.g. 0151 234 5678 can just be 234 5678).

Turns out that this happened at the start of the month, but only in certain areas where there is high demand for numbers. Specifically: Aberdeen (01224), Bradford (01274), Brighton (01273), Middlesbrough (01642) and Milton Keynes (01908). Ofcom are calling it 'Dial the Code'.

Is it possible that in the future, the demand for numbers may mean this policy will be rolled out nationwide? Next year will see the 20th anniversary of BT's PhONEday, and 15 years since the 'Big Number Change'. Are we due another one? I know this is even more anorak-y than usual for this forum but it's an interesting subject as the population is expected to increase dramatically.

This sounds like a stop gap measure - there's plenty of codes still available as a result of phONEday, but that would mean these areas having to change to a totally new area code. This change frees up numbers beginning with zero (and 9?), adding 100,000 new numbers without the hassle of a complete code change.

I'd guess they see themselves running out of the current allocation, but nit to the degree of needing millions of new numbers.

For example, 0119 xxx xxxx is already allocated to the next area which needs a significant upgrade in number availability. Then there's all the 02... numbers.

You also have to wonder how much longer it will be an issue - I can see a point in the not too distant future when the traditional "landline" becomes a thing of the past. I live with my parents and the only reason we still have a landline is because they want it - when I eventually get my own place, I wont be getting one as everyone who needs to get me has my mobile number.

Significant numbers of people have a phone number solely for adsl provision.

Likewise, it's cheaper and easier for businesses to have more phone lines than ever before for various reasons. Its not unusual for even tiny companies to have a multiple landline numbers where even 10 years ago they would all have shared one or two. The place in in now has over 20 external lines, yet only 6 full time staff.

I would imagine the low cost of VOIP lines has something to do with it, at my work everyone has a direct dial number which is routed through the company Asterisk server. In the past I would imagine such a setup would cost alot more than it does now.

The only reason I have my landline is that it was actually cheaper to take it with my Virgin Media package than to just have Broadband and TV alone, but my mobile is where I make 100% of my calls.

I think over the past year since I've had my services from Virgin, I've only used it twice, so it's a pretty redundant object in my flat...

I find my landline still useful considering the poor mobile phone reception I have here, but I still make all of my outgoing calls on my mobile.

Ofcom are reluctant to have a widespread remembering like before because of the cost to the businesses and disruption to trade, particularly in these economic times. The policy had been to move codes over to an 02X code when demand required it so eventually all lines would have a 3-digit code and 8 digit number.

The result of this reversal is that 024 (Coventry) and 029 (Wales) are vastly underused - they have enough capacity for all of the West Midlands and Wales respectively. 023 is split between Portsmouth and Southampton and landlines in either city can call the other without using the code, even though there is an area in between where a code is required.

Only in London and Northern Ireland were the new codes allocated sensibly.

The UK numbering system is a lot better than it used to be but it feels like a job half done, with misconceptions like 0203 for London or 02890 for Belfast. I feel that if they just sorted out and were done with it rather than a piecemeal fashion which doesn't work very well.

But surely it's difficult to anticipate demand in a certain area - there doesn't seem to be one method which works for all areas equally.

That's why having shorter codes and longer numbers works better. You have more flexibility to allocate blocks over a wider area.

The main issue that's confounded the initial numbering plan is the proliferation of Direct Dial In - DDI numbers to businesses. Whereas in the 1960's and 1970's, to some extent, even big firms could cope with a dozen or so exchange lines, now every business seems to demand more incoming line resources. The creation of virtual numbering - VN for functions within organisations has compounded this. The only positive move recently has been the 03nnn series which has diverted a chunk of VNs out of the geographic ranges. WFH has also exacerbated the numbering plans too, with more demand for DDI onto the domestic premises of those so working.

When BT launches it's exchange rationalisation project, the concentration of local exchanges into one physical location, making the geographical locations virtual, then there'll be an opportunity for major reassignment and claim-back of numbering ranges, if the country considers it worth the upheaval.

That's the thing, though, the upheaval. To be honest there are already codes shared by more than one exchange. 0191, 028, 023 etc. I don't see how reducing the exchanges will make it easier.

It will probably be easier to create a new code for an area to run alongside the existing one like they do in North America. It means that no numbers have to change but there is confusion over whether numbers are local.

There's no easy option. Even when codes stay the same and new number ranges are allocated it doesn't stop the Mail coming out with this nonsense:

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-119278386.html

And this from the BBC who should know better:

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28210214