Calling 020 numbers from 020 landline

[tiger_1310]

Not urgent, but got a question.

Up until Sunday we used to call 0208 numbers by dialing the numbers from the 8 from our 0208 landline number, and it used to connect fine...since about Sunday it doesn't.  So if the full number is 0208 123 4567, we could dial  8 123 4567 and it would connect. 

Now it only connects when we dial the full number, i.e. 0208 123 4567. Any idea why...has something changed recently?

[Vikki_M]

Hi tiger_1310

Are you connected via the hub?

If so, yes we are aware of this issue and are working on a fix.

In the meantime, please dial the full number.

We are sorry for any inconvenience that may be caused whilst we work to resolve this. 

[tiger_1310]

Yes connected via the hub.

Ok thank you, thought we were going mad, because it took us a while to figure out that it worked with the full number!

[Tudor]

I believe in the future you will always have to dial the full number.
By the way the correct format for typography is 02x 8123 4567  NOT  02x8 123 4567 as is often shown on signage and even letter heads.

[japitts]

---

@Tudor wrote:

By the way the correct format for typography is 02x 8123 4567  NOT  02x8 123 4567 as is often shown on signage and even letter heads.

---

Indeed so - the London area code is 020. The 8 is part of the individual number, not the area code. Otherwise, there would be multiple London area codes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_telephone_code_misconceptions under "misquoting" & "other numbers"

[nodrogd]

---

@Tudor wrote:

I believe in the future you will always have to dial the full number.
By the way the correct format for typography is 02x 8123 4567  NOT  02x8 123 4567 as is often shown on signage and even letter heads.

---

An inevitable result of everyone with a landline being forced onto VoIP with the closure of the PSTN exchanges. From that point your entire number becomes portable & you can take a number from Lands End & use it in John o' Groats, as there will be no such thing as an area code.

[Roger_Gooner]

Actually, guys, the leading 0 is not part of the area code, so it's 20 for London. This also applies for mobile numbers which have no area code but must still be prefixed by 0 if dialled within the UK. The 0 is a legacy trunk prefix which has been retained to this day.

In case why you may have wondered why the 0 must be omitted when using the the international dialing format (also known as E.164 format) such as +44 20 8123 4567 (spaces added for ease of reading with 44 being the UK's country code), it's because the trunk prefix is only applicable to calls within the UK.

In my phone contact book all of my phone numbers are in the E.164 format - even local numbers. This way I can be sure that wherever I am in the world the correct number will be dialled as the + character will be automatically converted to the country's exit code and I know I've got the rest of the number correct. So, +442081234567 will get converted to 011442081234567 if I'm in Barbados. Also I use WhatsApp a lot and the use of the E.164 format is a good way of ensuring you reduce the risk of not connecting.