Five Cities Will Now Have To Dial Full Numbers Because We're Out Of Phone Numbers

The UK Is Running Out Of Phone Numbers

Five cities in the UK will now have to type full phone numbers, including the area code, in order to help stay off a shortage of telephone numbers.

People in Bradford, Brighton, Middlesbrough and Milton Keynes will, from today be forced to type in the full number including the area code.

In a report by the Telegraph the reason for this is the huge increase in households moving away from BT towards other phone providers.

As that number increases so to does the requirement for phone numbers, resulting in a sudden shortage of available options.

To try and stay the problem, Ofcom has enforced the new ruling which means that households in these cities will need to dial the full number. If they dial without they'll be given a brief error message explaining the problem.

A spokesperson speaking to the Telegraph confirmed that both Oxford, Slough and Stoke-On-Trent could soon be joining the list as numbers become scarce.

"Asking landline callers to use the code when dialling local numbers is intended to safeguard the future supply of new landline numbers and avoid the need for more disruptive measures, such as changing existing phone numbers,"

The telephone network has gone through a colossal change since its inception in 1870 when the private telegraph companies were nationalised under the Post Office.

Close

What's Hot