Path: csiph.com!weretis.net!feeder8.news.weretis.net!reader5.news.weretis.net!news.solani.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: Richmond Newsgroups: uk.telecom Subject: Re: Area codes in Cumbria Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2026 21:02:08 +0100 Organization: Frantic Message-ID: <82ik3mld8f.fsf@example.com> References: <3hjlbl9ce42u3jfmldjqpe7emas6780m71@4ax.com> <82o6dhukku.fsf@example.com> <5q6obllkrandj210r4b20t8k80a46p2o1d@4ax.com> <82v77nkdrg.fsf@example.com> <119ik7o$2tnq$1@dont-email.me> <82v77nkrln.fsf@example.com> <1oiqbldt8ivnatl9vsh2f3qmongd9is1rl@4ax.com> <119joqh$hhlo$2@dont-email.me> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Injection-Info: solani.org; logging-data="606267"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@news.solani.org" User-Agent: Gnus/5.13 (Gnus v5.13) Cancel-Lock: sha1:NmsrpKoDVC+IhyoVgJbaj2M05Kc= sha1:dtz6zcTdOiDIUIucP053u3QaHKU= X-User-ID: eJwNxsERwDAIA7CVQoyBjkNpvP8IzekjIiwmPRhOUfp8VMegwu53ToYMT6+kbGkX6nbM+gLxAyimEMQ= Xref: csiph.com uk.telecom:39698 David Wade writes: > On 30/09/2026 19:47, Scott wrote: >> On Wed, 30 Sep 2026 18:21:22 +0100, Andy Burns >> wrote: >> >>> Richmond wrote: >>> >>>> B3.1.1 mentions this. >>>> >>>> "A Geographic Number shall be assigned only to a Subscriber whose >>>> Network Termination Point is physically located within the >>>> geographic area associated with that number (having regard to the >>>> relevant Geographic Area Code), unless: >>>> >>>> "a. the Subscriber has requested a Geographic Number that includes >>>> the relevant Geographic Area Code; and >>>> >>>> "b. charges for calls to that Geographic Number remain consistent >>>> with charges for calls to other Geographic Numbers that include the >>>> same Geographic Area Code." >>>> >>>> According to Claude this facility goes back a long way, 2011 or >>>> 2003 maybe, but documents are not available from before that (when >>>> Oftel was the regulator). >>> >>> A lot earlier (1970s?) weren't they called "out of area numbers" and >>> pretty expensive, ISTR charged by distance of chosen exchange from >>> the location's natural exchange. >> IIRC there was a huge cost if >>> you wanted an 0171 number when you >> lived >> in 0181. > > This is no longer the case. For example:- > > https://www.voipfone.co.uk/support/guides/numbers/telephone-numbers#geographic > > However, with Internet Telephony you can choose ANY geographical > number, no matter where you are actually located. You could finally > finish up in Calcutta! And, of course, if the number is called by > another Voipfone customer, the call is totally free. > > There are many uses for these numbers; the obvious one being that a > business can have a prestigious telephone address whilst being > somewhere else entirely. You can also now move your office to anywhere > in the world and keep this telephone number. > > For the personal user, it means that if you have moved abroad but > still have family in the UK you could take a number for the town your > relative lives in, they can then make ordinary calls to you, no matter > where in the world you are, for the cost of a local call. > > .. although I believe rules are being put in place to ensure UK > numbers are only accesible from the UK > > Dave You've gone around in a circle there I think. Not everyone is on VOIP yet. We were discussing the current and historical rules.