UK Telephone Numbers Change - Sat 15 April 1995

New United Kingdom Telephone Numbers

A period of parallel running with both old and new numbers working ends
on Saturday 15 April.  After that date, most old numbers dialled from
outside the UK will no longer work (although certain numbers for e.g. 
special services and mobile telephones do not change).  (ISDN numbers
WILL change, one understands, but the ISDN number changes will follow
the same pattern as the other changes.)

People are supposed to be quoting the new numbers only, but many are
not.  The following may help those who have difficulties -
alternatively, make contact by other means and ask for the number.  Any
other queries should be directed to YOUR local telephone company. 

However, one could also try the number given:
 - if it works, great!
 - else, if it begins "+44 1" and you can't get through, try again later
or check the number out by other means or give up;
 - else, if it does not begin with "+44 1" and does NOT appear in the
five exceptional areas described below, try the number given with a "1"
inserted immediately after the "+44".  For example:

 -- for +44 71 abc defg, try +44 171 abc defg

 -- for +44 275 abcdef, try +44 1275 abcdef

The five exceptional areas:
 
+44 272 abcdef: try +44 117 9ab cdef (Bristol)
+44 532 abcdef: try +44 113 2ab cdef (Leeds)
+44 533 abcdef: try +44 116 2ab cdef (Leicester)
+44 602 abcdef: try +44 115 9ab cdef (Nottingham)
+44 742 abcdef: try +44 114 2ab cdef (Sheffield)

Footnotes:

The working of the new numbers depends on changes worldwide, not just in
the UK.  For example, the new codes did not work from Marseille on 1
August 1994 as BT had led one to expect.  However, France Telecom made a
change in the Marseille exchange later that month, and the new UK codes
work throughout the France Telecom telephone service (one understands). 
Further enquiries to your local telephone company, please. 

Also, numbers less than 12 digits long (starting from and including the
"44" but not the "+") are very unlikely to work.  One suggests trying
what you are given (just in case the number is indeed correct), but
without great hopes of getting through.  Apart from straightforward
mistakes, one does occasionally see very old (and failing) London
numbers quoted - e.g.:

+44 1 abc defg (or 01 abc defg, UK internal form)

In such cases, it may well be worth trying:

+44 171 abc defg and/or +44 181 abc defg