New London Numbers
From June 2005 new local numbers in London have begun to be allocated with an initial "3" - for example, (020) 3222 1234. Owing to the lingering confusion, people unaware of the correct format are beginning to erroneously assume that there is now a new London code, "0203", and some people confuse this with the dialling code for Coventry (which used to be 0203 prior to PhONEday). Even some newspapers, both local and national, have given this misinformation. Some people report mis-dialling of London 3xxx xxxx numbers, where callers are dialling 0207 in front of the local number part instead of just 020. This call connects to the owner of an (020) 73xx xxxx number (in the process, ignoring the final digit actually dialled) instead of to the expected person.
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".
Read more about this topic: UK Telephone Code Misconceptions
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