Non-geographic numbers are used from across the nation without any difference. These are used by the customers to access a number of different services. To reach Businesses, agencies and government institutions, they use non-geographic numbers. Today, these non-geographic numbers are used for entertainment services, payment services as well as well as for voting on TV shows. What makes the non-geographic numbers different from other geographic numbers is the absence of area code that identifies the area. This enabled everyone across the country to access the number. In the National telephone Numbering Plan there are 16 separate non-geographic number ranges. Number plan, the document made available by Ofcom, highlights the purpose of the numbers in a specific range and its use. In certain cases, it provides the information related to the prices.
The current review takes into account all the non-geographic number excluding 07 ranges that are used by the mobile services. Given below are the non-geographic numbers along with the designation.
080 and 0500 numbers
Calls to these numbers are free from landline, however with few exceptions. Calls made to these numbers by mobile phones are chargeable. These are used to offer private and public sector voice services. They include helpline services, sales and enquiries.
03 numbers
In 2007, these numbers were introduced to offer a range for the reason that retain call charges were the similar as the costs charged by the communication provider for geographic numbers, along with same discounts and bundled minutes inclusion. In this range, revenue sharing where a part of the call revenues is shared with the service provider operating the number is forbidden. A part of this range was reserved for non-profit organizations and public sector bodies and rest is used by other organizations. Provisions for service to migrate s to identical numbers in 03 from numbers in the 08 ranges were made.
0843, 0844 and 0845 numbers
These were used to offer services including pre- and post-sales enquiry lines, transaction services, public sector services, information services, pay-as-you-go dial-up narrowband services and other lower cost services. In this range, revenue sharing between the communication provider and the service provider exists.
0870 numbers
In 2009, these numbers were designated as non-geographic numbers charged at geographic prices similar to the calls made to 03 numbers, except call charges are published according regulatory requirements. Revenue sharing also exists to this range but it is not supported by the revenues created. 0870 numbers are used for low cost voice and data services including sales, enquiries and help lines.
0871/2/3 numbers
These are used for higher cost pre- and post-sales enquiry lines. Few public sector services also make use of these numbers.
09 numbers
These are used to offer competitions, TV voting lines, technical support, scratch cards, adult entertainment and chat lines. Call prices to these premium rate numbers vary significantly. In this case, calls can be charged by duration or per call or combination of both. Currently, the prices are capped at £1.53 a minute or a call from almost all landlines.
116 numbers
Services with social value like ‘Missing Children’, ‘Medical On-Call Services’ and Victims of Crime’ make use of these numbers. Introduction of these numbers were made recently so that access to the services is easy. These numbers can be called free of cost.
118 numbers
Dedicated providers such as ‘The Number’, telecoms companies including BT and directory services by particular social interest groups can be reached for Directory Enquiries services by these numbers.
055 numbers
There is fewer user of this number range. They are launched for companies to have their own numbers allocated by Ofcom to them instead of telecom providers.
056 numbers
“Voice over Internet Protocol” (‘VoIP’) service providers make use of these numbers. This will enable customers to make and receive VoIP calls without the use of the fixed telecoms network. However, many VoIP operators use geographic numbers.
070 numbers
These numbers are known as personal numbers that offers personal follow-me services on a single number. Here individuals can obtain calls on mobile phone numbers and fixed numbers as well as messaging services. This way they could stay in touch everywhere they go.
076 numbers
To access mobile radio-paging services, these numbers are used.
