"Richard" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 02 Jan 2005 14:15:37 GMT, John Youles mines.a.pint@localhost
wrote:
In message on Sun, 02 Jan
2005
13:22:40 +0000 in uk.transport.london,
(Richard)
tapped out on the keyboard:
Perhaps Ofcom could do some advertising that actually works this time,
when London starts to get 3xxx xxxx numbers.
Why ? The area code will not have changed, all that will be happening is
that a
new range of local numbers will come into existence. You already have to
dial
the last eight digits anyway.
So that people get it right this time! IMO as soon as it was obvious
that enough people were confused about the change, the ads, website
and bill inserts should have been changed to explain why the format
that was becoming common was *wrong*. That so many people are still
confused shows that the original publicity could have been better,
doesn't it?
Richard.
I work in an office with 12 people, only 3 of them (including myself) format
London numbers correctly...
All day long I am surrounded by people who say "my number is 0207 (long
pause) 074 xxxx". I tell them they are wrong but they insist they are right,
that London "is either 0207 or 0208".
Today a woman called my extension, when I gave her another number to ring
i.e "020 (long pause) 7637 xxxx" she interrupted and said "You mean 0207, is
that 898 after it?". I then said "No, I didn't mean, or say, "0207"....I
gave you the correct number, in the correct format. If you are phoning from
a London landline you only need to dial 7898 xxxx, 0207 is NOT the code".
The reply was, "Oh, you mean you can call another London number without
putting 0207 or 0208 in front it? I didn't know that, no-one has ever said
it was 020".
Oftel/Ofcom are to blame and they should sort it out before 020-3xxx xxx
brings on apoplexy within the media who will insist *London phone numbers
are changing again.....0203 is the new code for London" (or similar,
hysterical and duff headlines appear as 'information' for Londoners).
It is probably too late now to re-educate the majority who seem convinced
London has two, soon to be three area codes...
Andy