Its a fifth time in the history of London that the demand for landline numbers has gone short due to the monthly demand for a landline number and the company responsible for providing numbers decided to change the dialing code of London in order to coup up the demand. We are running short of numbers as demand escalates to 60,000 for two weeks and we have no other way out to deal with the situation.
London is set to gain 10 million new landline phone numbers this year with the launch of a new “0204” dialing code. The capital’s area code changed to “020” in 2000 — with 30 million phone numbers since allocated across the existing (020) 3, 7, and 8 range.
But communications regulator Ofcom says it now has fewer than a million of the numbers left to offer phone companies. And with 30,000 London numbers being handed out each week, it says its new 0204 range will help cope with demand.
Brits still spend more than 44 billion minutes making landline calls each year, 5th time in a row London to get new codes as Ofcom is short of providing numbers to offer.
“We’re seeing a growing need for 020 numbers, as London expands and new homes and offices are built,” said Ofcom’s head of numbering Liz Greenberg. “These 10 million new numbers will allow us to meet demand and help keep the capital connected.”
But communications regulator Ofcom says it now has fewer than a million of the numbers left to offer phone companies. And with 30,000 London numbers being handed out each week, it says its new 0204 range will help cope with demand.