0207 & 0208
Encyclopedia : 0 : 02 : 020 : 0207 & 0208
"0207" and "0208" are erroneous telephone STD codes, which are commonly and incorrectly quoted in speech and writing by residents of the United Kingdom instead of the correct code of 020 for London.
According to research by regulator Ofcom in February 2005, only 13% of respondents correctly identified, without prompting, the code for London to be 020 and 59% identified it as 0207 or 0208. [link]
Local numbers and area codes
A full British fixed telephone number is divided into two parts: an STD code (area code) and a local number. The STD code indicates the geographical area, and is only needed when calling from a line with a different STD code. When dialling from within the correct area, merely the local number may be dialled.In order to distinguish between the area code and the local number, a notable gap is often created - both in speech and in writing. To quote the number as 01223123456 would appear less clear, and less easy on the eye when reading it.
To make the pause in the correct place - both in writing and in speech - serves as a guide to distinguish the area code from the local number, and also an aid to memory.
London area code
- Further information: 020
"020" is the area code. All London telephone numbers then have 8 digits, most clearly expressed as 2 sets of 4 digits. The London number 020 7222 1234 can be dialled simply as 7222 1234 from any other geographical land-line whose area code is also 020.
History of the confusion
Between 1958 and 1979, when the UK's traditional STD codes were decided upon and allocated, London was given the code 01. The local number comprised seven digits.In May 1990, the single London areas was split, into two areas, due to increased demand. Central London was given the code 071, and the rest was given the code 081. The local numbers remained as seven digits. This doubled the numbers available for London, but it also meant that a person from outer London, when calling a central London number, would have to dial the full number including prefix.
To free up more numbers for future use, on 16 April 1995 (dubbed "PhONE Day"), an extra digit "1" was inserted after the initial zero into all the existing geographic codes. Therefore Central and Outer London became 0171 and 0181 respectively.
Re-unification of London
Further increased demand for telephone numbers in London led to the need for more number-space : rather than again split area codes, it was decided to add an extra digit to the start of each London local number, and merge the 0171 and 0181 area codes back into one - thus increasing the available numbers fivefold.From 1 June 1999, a new code for a re-united London was created, 020. All the old seven-digit numbers had a 7 or 8 prepended to them, depending upon whether they had been part of 0171 or 0181. Thus (0171) 222 1234 became (020) 7222 1234, and (0181) 222 1234 became (020) 8222 1234. However, direct dialling of 8-digit local numbers was not implemented until 22 April 2000.
After this date, however, London became once more fully united and all local numbers could be connected correctly from anywhere in the area. The following diagram shows the history of London's code, starting with the original unified 01 code and ending with the reunified 020 code:
Misquoting
Although London was re-united, people still frequently quote and write London numbers as if the city were still split up into central and outer areas, by saying "0207" and "0208". If the number is dialled in full as 0207 222 1234, the destination will indeed be correctly reached. However, it is confusing to place the pause as such, because if such a number as 222 1234 were attempted within London as if it were a local number, it would be missing the first digit (of eight) and the call would not be connected.Possible causes for the misunderstanding include the confusion created during the period from 1 June 1999 to 22 April 2000, where it was not possible to dial 8-digit local numbers; the fact that people had become very much accustomed to the rhythm of a four-digit area code; and that incorrectly formatted caller ID data was transmitted for some time after the change.
New London numbers
As of June 2005, new local numbers in London have begun to be allocated with an initial "3" - for example, 020 3222 1234. Due to the lingering confusion, people ignorant of the correct format are beginning to erroneously assume that there is now a new London code, 0203. Even some newspapers, both local and national, have given this misinformation, e.g. [link] [link].
In addition, the geographical significance of the "7" or "8" has been lost with regard to new number issues, so that, for example, some newly allocated numbers in central London now begin with an "8".
Similar errors with other area codes
Telephone numbers in the other 02x area codes (023, 024, 028 and 029) are often similarly misquoted. For example, somebody may be inclined to misquote the number 024 7612 3456 (formerly 01203 123456) as 02476 123456.
Although now less common, the mistake still sometimes occurs with the 011x codes, both those introduced in the 1995 phONEday changes and the more recently introduced 0118 code for Reading.
See also
External links
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