Re: Area codes in Cumbria

From	David Wade <dave@g4ugm.invalid>
Newsgroups	uk.telecom
Subject	Re: Area codes in Cumbria
Date	2026-09-30 22:43 +0200
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<119js92$hhlo$3@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References	(6 earlier) <82v77nkrln.fsf@example.com> <ni4uokFhrfhU1@mid.individual.net> <1oiqbldt8ivnatl9vsh2f3qmongd9is1rl@4ax.com> <119joqh$hhlo$2@dont-email.me> <82ik3mld8f.fsf@example.com>

Show all headers | View raw

On 30/09/2026 22:02, Richmond wrote:
> David Wade <dave@g4ugm.invalid> writes:
> 
>> On 30/09/2026 19:47, Scott wrote:
>>> On Wed, 30 Sep 2026 18:21:22 +0100, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk>
>>> 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.

True, for the next few four months, but on the 31st January, or very 
soon after everyone will be on VOIP.

Just for info there were according to this page:-

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2026/09/openreach-confirm-post-january-2027-measures-for-uk-analogue-phone-switch-off.html

one week ago, still 1.2 million out of 16.2 million lines not on VOIP . 
However they are migrating 44,000 per week by the 31st January 2027 POTS 
will be switched off and and EVERYONE will be on some kind of VOIP service.

For most this will be conventional VOIP but for a few this will be by a 
kind of "off-premises" VOIP known as Emergency Voice Access (eVAC) where 
there is an ATA in the exchange driving a copper circuit to the premises:-

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2026/04/openreach-pilot-emergency-uk-phone-lines-for-2027-analogue-switch-off.html

Apart from being charged a very expensive 35 quid a month for this 
service, I assume to encourage users to switch it works like 
"on-premises" VOIP with a local ATA. Users have to dial the full STD 
number so any "Exchange Code" is a pure illusion.

Dave

Thread

Area codes in Cumbria Scott <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> - 2026-09-28 21:36 +0100
  Re: Area codes in Cumbria Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-09-28 22:34 +0100
    Re: Area codes in Cumbria Scott <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> - 2026-09-29 09:22 +0100
    Re: Area codes in Cumbria Scott <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> - 2026-09-29 21:12 +0100
      Re: Area codes in Cumbria Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-09-29 21:23 +0100
        Re: Area codes in Cumbria Scott <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> - 2026-09-30 09:27 +0100
          Re: Area codes in Cumbria David Wade <dave@g4ugm.invalid> - 2026-09-30 11:19 +0200
            Re: Area codes in Cumbria Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-09-30 10:37 +0100
              Re: Area codes in Cumbria Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2026-09-30 18:21 +0100
                Re: Area codes in Cumbria Scott <newsgroups@gefion.myzen.co.uk> - 2026-09-30 18:47 +0100
                Re: Area codes in Cumbria David Wade <dave@g4ugm.invalid> - 2026-09-30 21:44 +0200
                Re: Area codes in Cumbria Richmond <dnomhcir@gmx.com> - 2026-09-30 21:02 +0100
                Re: Area codes in Cumbria David Wade <dave@g4ugm.invalid> - 2026-09-30 22:43 +0200
                Re: Area codes in Cumbria The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-10-01 15:59 +0100
            Re: Area codes in Cumbria Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2026-09-30 18:18 +0100

csiph-web