On Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:40:40 +0100, Richard J.
wrote:

ALL numbers in London have an area code of 020 followed by a 4-digit
exchange code...

Beg pardon?
Are you saying that all numbers on the same exchange will start with the
same 4 first numbers?
I guess not, but what do you mean by '4-digit exchange code'?


--
Fig

Fig wrote:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:40:40 +0100, Richard J.
wrote:

ALL numbers in London have an area code of 020 followed by a
4-digit exchange code...

Beg pardon?
Are you saying that all numbers on the same exchange will start
with the same 4 first numbers?
I guess not, but what do you mean by '4-digit exchange code'?

To take the number in the title of this thread as an example, the
enquiries number for London Transport used to be ABBey 1234, one of up
to 9999 numbers on the ABBey exchange, which became the 222 exchange
when all-figure numbers were introduced. That exchange is now the 7222
exchange, and all numbers on that exchange have the format 020 7222
xxxx. 7222 is what I called the '4-digit exchange code', though I note
that OFCOM now refer to the area code (020 in this example) and the
'number' (7222 1234) without any mention of 'exchange'. In London it
has always been necessary to dial all 8 (formerly 7) numbers including
the exchange code for local calls within London.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

On Wed, 28 Mar 2007 10:57:01 +0100, Richard J.
wrote:

Fig wrote:
On Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:40:40 +0100, Richard J.
wrote:

ALL numbers in London have an area code of 020 followed by a
4-digit exchange code...

Beg pardon?
Are you saying that all numbers on the same exchange will start
with the same 4 first numbers?
I guess not, but what do you mean by '4-digit exchange code'?

To take the number in the title of this thread as an example, the
enquiries number for London Transport used to be ABBey 1234, one of up
to 9999 numbers on the ABBey exchange, which became the 222 exchange
when all-figure numbers were introduced. That exchange is now the 7222
exchange, and all numbers on that exchange have the format 020 7222
xxxx. 7222 is what I called the '4-digit exchange code', though I note
that OFCOM now refer to the area code (020 in this example) and the
'number' (7222 1234) without any mention of 'exchange'. In London it
has always been necessary to dial all 8 (formerly 7) numbers including
the exchange code for local calls within London.

I understand, although I think your reasoning is out of date. Surely now,
the code for London is 020 and no inference can be made at all about the
next 4 digits. Numbers connected to a given exchange in London will be 8
digits long and the only thing connecting them is that they will start
with either 3,7or8?


--
Fig

Fig typed

I understand, although I think your reasoning is out of date. Surely now,
the code for London is 020 and no inference can be made at all about the
next 4 digits. Numbers connected to a given exchange in London will be 8
digits long and the only thing connecting them is that they will start
with either 3,7or8?

True but many numbers give big clues to their geographical location.

I certainly like to know if a call is from 7PAD dington, 8HAR row or
8COL indale

--
Helen D. Vecht:
Edgware.

"Helen Deborah Vecht" wrote in message
...
Fig typed

I understand, although I think your reasoning is out of date. Surely now,
the code for London is 020 and no inference can be made at all about the
next 4 digits. Numbers connected to a given exchange in London will be 8
digits long and the only thing connecting them is that they will start
with either 3,7or8?

True but many numbers give big clues to their geographical location.

I certainly like to know if a call is from 7PAD dington, 8HAR row or
8COL indale


If as others have said, numbers throughout the 020 area are 'virtual' can
these numbers be retained by someone moving elsewhere in the London area,
and as numbers are recycled, will 3,7 and 8 appear everywhere?

Paul

Paul Scott wrote:

If as others have said, numbers throughout the 020 area are 'virtual' can
these numbers be retained by someone moving elsewhere in the London area,
and as numbers are recycled, will 3,7 and 8 appear everywhere?

Let's put it this way. There are two big phone providers in the London
area, BT and Virgin Media. Numbers are portable between carriers and
within carriers subject to a few limitations and possible costs
depending on the circumstances. As time goes by, the geographical
correlation will reduce with porting but given the size of the existing
user base, it seems unlikely that it will disappear entirely. Recycled
numbers tend to stay in the same place.

To add to the confusing mix, a VoIP provider, like Skype, can give you
an 020 number (just one of many available UK STD codes) and so this
clearly does not lend itself to any meaningful geographical
interpretation. They're just numbers.

ESB

On Wed, 28 Mar 2007 12:10:31 +0100, Helen Deborah Vecht wrote:

True but many numbers give big clues to their geographical location.

I certainly like to know if a call is from 7PAD dington, 8HAR row or
8COL indale

Even though it's not so clear any more, a lot of that is true.

7BER mondsey, for example... though the only number I watch out for there
is sadly not a 7237 but a 7232.

Of course, HENdon became, through all the changes, 8201 - presumably
because they tied it in with COLindale.

--
Phil Reynolds
mail: (though I'd prefer followups on group)
Web: http://www.tinsleyviaduct.com/phil/
Waltham 67, Emley Moor 69, Droitwich 79, Windows 95

Phil Reynolds typed


On Wed, 28 Mar 2007 12:10:31 +0100, Helen Deborah Vecht wrote:

True but many numbers give big clues to their geographical location.

I certainly like to know if a call is from 7PAD dington, 8HAR row or
8COL indale

Even though it's not so clear any more, a lot of that is true.

7BER mondsey, for example... though the only number I watch out for there
is sadly not a 7237 but a 7232.

Of course, HENdon became, through all the changes, 8201 - presumably
because they tied it in with COLindale.

The Hendon Exchanges became 202 (Sunnyhill) and 203 IIRC. 201 is a
newcomer, as is 209.

--
Helen D. Vecht:
Edgware.

On Thu, 29 Mar 2007 12:03:04 +0100, Helen Deborah Vecht wrote:
Of course, HENdon became, through all the changes, 8201 - presumably
because they tied it in with COLindale.

The Hendon Exchanges became 202 (Sunnyhill) and 203 IIRC. 201 is a
newcomer, as is 209.

Ah, yes, HENdon went to 202, and SUNnyhill 203 according to the list at
http://www.rhaworth.myby.co.uk/phreak/tenp_01.htm

8209 of course is new, because in the old days, there was BOWes Park which
became 888.

--
Phil Reynolds
mail: (though I'd prefer followups on group)
Web: http://www.tinsleyviaduct.com/phil/
Waltham 67, Emley Moor 69, Droitwich 79, Windows 95

On Wed, 28 Mar 2007 Richard J. wrote:

In London it
has always been necessary to dial all 8 (formerly 7) numbers including
the exchange code for local calls within London.

But you can also dial the full 11-digit number including the area code
020 at the front.

--
Thoss