UK Telephone Code Misconceptions - Misquoting

Misquoting

Although London was re-united, people still frequently quote and write London numbers as if the city and surrounding suburbs were still split up into central and suburban areas by saying and writing "0207" and "0208". If the London number (020) 7222 1234 is incorrectly written as 0207 222 1234, and then dialled in full, the destination will be reached. However, it is incorrect to place the pause as shown, because if the local number is dialled from within London as if it is just 222 1234 - it will not be connected because it is missing the first digit (of eight digits). On the day of the changeover, one in three callers failed to correctly use eight-digit local dialling.

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 eight-digit local numbers; the fact that people had become very much accustomed to the audio rhythm of a four-digit area code (from hearing the old codes, "0171" and "0181" repeated previously); and that incorrectly formatted caller ID data continues to be transmitted on some telephone networks even as of 2012. Also, many users are unaware that there is any local dialling procedure, probably because of the increasing popularity of mobile phones (from which the full national number must always be dialled).

Numerous examples of incorrectly formatted telephone numbers may still be seen in and around London, including signwriting on shopfronts and commercial vehicles, and in newspaper advertisements. The incorrectly placed pauses are also heard in speech everywhere: in radio and television advertisements, and said by office workers misquoting their office numbers as "0207 xxx xxxx" - unaware that this simply perpetuates the confusion.

While some clear publicity explaining the change was produced, BT's directory-assistance service quoted the codes incorrectly and, until November 2009, their online phonebook still incorrectly showed "0207" and "0208" as "London Inner" and "London Outer" codes respectively.

A 2005 television advertisement for the mobile telephony provider O2 promoted a service that allows a user to select two area codes they can call for a reduced price; it also incorrectly showed 0207 and 0208 as different "area codes".

Confusion is also caused by exchange automated changed number announcements where the voice synthesiser assumes that ALL area codes have four digits and places the spoken pause incorrectly.