Useful Information & Say no to 0870! Hot Topics » Guide to Finding Alternative Numbers

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Guide to Finding Alternative Numbers

There's quite a few people posting in the Geographical Requests section requesting numbers that either exist in the listings or don't give any information on the company they are requesting for. We have to do some spade work that the poster should have done, such as finding the address.

To find a number follow these steps:

1. Check the Say no to 0870 database
Check the database of alternative numbers by clicking http://www.saynoto0870.com/images/search.gifSearch to find an alternative number on the home page. From there, you can either search by company name or non-geographical number. Entering a partial company name is always best. If you get too many results, either enter more of the name or a different word from the name.

Numbers in the top table (entitled Main Database) have been verified by us. Those in the table with the blue background have not been verified. That said, there is always the possibility that numbers change anyway and the best way to report incorrect numbers, whether verified or unverified, is to post a message in the Geographical Requests section of the forum.

2. Search the internet for a number
When I look for a number I usually use Google. Some tips for searching are as follows:

• name of company and telephone dialing code, eg "direct line" 0113
  
• post code and dialing code, eg "S12 3CD" 0114
  
• if the name of the company is a common phrase, it's worth adding other terms, like 'insurance' or a location/street name, eg "direct line" insurance 0113
  
• try the dialing code in international format, eg "direct line" "44 113" or "direct line" "44 0113"
  
• don't just search UK pages, try selecting 'web' for worldwide search.
  
• is the company/brand part of a bigger company? If so, try searching for them.
  
• does the company have more than one site? Search the post and telephone codes of any sites you find.
  

Putting quotes in searches groups the words together. For example, a search for direct line (without quotes) will get different results to "direct line" (with quotes). Similarly when searching for post codes use quotes.

It is also worth looking at the Internet Archive. It provides snapshots of pages back to 1996. See Reply #6 below for more information.

Another thing to consider is if the company has changed its name or if it's a particular address or shop, then maybe it has been taken over. It may be that the new owners have kept the same telephone number.

3. Post a request
If you have no joy finding what you're looking for you can make a request on the forum here.

Before you do so, please search to see if the organisation has been talked about before.

Select Search Forums at the top of the page. I suggest you put one word of the company's name into the search field. If you get too many hits you may have to narrow it down by putting in more terms. I also suggest that you search only in Geographical Requests section and only subject titles (as opposed to within messages).

When posting a request give as much information as possible. Make the title of the thread the organisation/company's name. Include the following if you know it:

• the non-geographical number you are looking for an alternative for
  
• a full address including post code
  
• website address
  
• type of business
  
• whether the company has changed its name or been bought out
  
• in the case of a shop, for example, whether it has changed occupants and who used to be there
  
• any other useful information you can think of

Adding a number to the database
Only add a number the database if you have found a geographical or freephone alternative!

If you have a geographical or freephone number, select http://www.saynoto0870.com/images/addno.gifClick here to add a new alternative number on the home page. Fill in the appropriate boxes and press 'Add Number'.

Thanks for that Dave. I agree that it was about time we clarified the method we go about it to the newbies & regular guests.
Still think that using the stick was a good idea !! http://www.fendeal.btinternet.co.uk/pics/grr10.gif

  Hi you'all,  Some good tips there. However Dave, since normally you wouldn't have a geographical dialling code, only a non-geo, it wouldn't help in a  search would it! I did a Google search on your example for "direct line insurance", with and without an 0845 in the search and couldn't find a geo no. anywhere. How do you find a geo dialling code of a company. Would you have to have their address or area code?

If there's another geographical number on their website, such as fax, that would tell you the code.

Failing that, the address and post code come in useful. Look up the code in the Phone Book.

Remember that telephone dialing codes don't necessarily follow town boundaries. You may find that if you put the post code into Google you will find neighbouring businesses with an STD code.

You could also look up the post code on Multimap to find neighbouring towns.

The key is to use your initiative!

Some companies change to a NGN and change their geographical number. For those, it's highly unlikely that a search of the internet will find the new geographical number.

Quite often you will find old pages which were written before the company changed to a NGN. Another source is old letterheads and other correspondance you may have.

Large companies have many lines, quite often with consecutive numbers. A clue to this would be finding several numbers all starting with the same prefix. Try ringing neighbouring numbers, you may find what you're looking for. This may mean dialing 50 or 100 numbers or more.

When you do this, bear in mind that minimum/connection calls charges will apply to each number which connects (answers), if you are not on an inclusive package. On BT Together Option 1 that is 5p in the day time (between 8am and 6pm) and 5.5p at evening and weekend.

When you find a number not listed on this site which works, make sure you add it to the listings.

Continuing on from the point I made about companies with many lines with the same prefix, if you find one with a memorable number (eg ending 000, 555, 123 etc), it may well be the switchboard/reception. It is worth a call to that number rather than calling Joe Bloggs in marketing and asking to be put through to sales.

One website that may be of use is:

http://www.archive.org/

This is the "Wayback machine", and is a site that regularly archives the whole web as it is. You can see what many sites looked like back to at least 1999. In many cases, this is before firms introduced 08 numbers, so you can see their old geographical number. Of course, the number may no longer be valid, but in some cases it will.

It isn't always easy to use. Some pages are missing, and links are often broken.

Just another tool in our armoury for finding numbers!

I agree absolutely with your recommendations for improving the site Dave & DaveM. One small suggestion I have is that the position of the "Unverified Numbers" heading is put in a better position. When I started using the site as a beginner I didn't realise that the heading was right at the bottom of the page below the search facility because I couldn't see it!!!

I won't make the unfair comment about you needing a bigger one - SCREEN that is ! I realise you're working with the restriction that a TV screen imposes.

I think that what you say is a fair comment. Hopefully Daniel will pick up on that & move it to a button further up the screen for those amongst us with bad eyesight, etc. & forced to work at Low Res (640x480)

BE unfair DaveM----I NEED, I NEED!!!

Just wanted to add this site as an instant method of finding the geographic code for a town:

http://www.ukphoneinfo.com/section/tci/locator.shtml

Also a superb resource for finding out the cost of a call.

I heard once that you could somehow use an ISDN line to figure out geographic numbers. I don't actually have an ISDN line, but would be interested to know if this works and if so how.

thanks

Probably by dialling an 0870 or 08X etc number and looking at the Connected Line Identification.

Like CLI or Caller Display, but the other way round. Good practice would probably suppress the real or electric number and so not give the delivery number away, but....

The words "cart before the horse" come to mind. I've only just joined (sorry to say), and the first thing I did was to put a request for wanadoo's customer service regional number (not broadband), then I decide to open a few metophorical doors to see for myself what is happening within this site.

Only to discover this thread of guidence for newbies!. Whoops, sorry.

Y'know, I spend hours pouring over MSE now I guess I'll be here equally as regular. isandman

For companies with many outlets/branches, some are happy to provide geographical numbers. You could ring a branch which is listed in the database and request the geographical number for the one you wish to contact.

Tesco are one such company where each branch has geographical numbers of other branches. Tesco's head office isn't so helpful as they only give out 0845 numbers.

I've just verified the Going Places branch numbers by ringing one of the branches.

Remember to add the number to the database when you find it. Also, find the geographical number from online directories such as BT Directory Enquiries or Yell.

Put the location in the 'Other Info' field, ie in the form Town - Street/Locality.

:)Hello,  My first look at the site.  Tried it out, read the Introductory posts.  One comment - someone said they couldn't find the List Unverified Entries button.  Nor could I.  I assumed it would be on the Search *Results* page, after getting a No Results message from searching the Verified listings.  Just seemed logical to me.  Anyway, on with the GN searching!  Keep up the good work.

It's located at the bottom of the * Search * page here.

I missed it as well at first because at my screen resolution (800*600) I had to scroll down to see it.  Even at a screen resolution of 1024*768 I have to scroll down.

Hi, I've used this site a few times and found it very useful - thanks to those who maintain it.

As an additional suggestion in searching for branches etc. I would recommend trying http://www.infobel.co.uk - this site appears to be based on the contents of old telephone directories often with geographical numbers, though I don't think it is comprehensive - it can also be searched on a postcode only, unlike most online telephone directories.

A technique which is useful for finding the prefixes issued to large systems (eg those in university halls) is to do some research as to which telco provides the system and look up what prefixes (within a particular STD code) it has. More on this information can be found here.

A good way of locating a company number is by searching their Domain.  If they have a website use the 'Domain dossier' on http://centralops.net/co/ .  Often there is a Non geographical number as contact on there.  It is the number related to the 'Registrant' not 'Registra' that you need.

What an excellent suggestion.  :)
Just had a look at shopping4cameras.com, which sadly gives 0116 1234567899.
Can't expect honesty there then.  :(

They have a box number for an address as well.  But the Domain search came up with an actual address.  Multimap gives this location.
Anyone in Leicester might pop round if you are in that much need of knowing ?

I tend to use www.geektools.com/whois.php
Just stick in the "confirmation code" and the domain without the 'www.' and it will display the results with no other rubbish or adverts. Just the plain text.

I have searched domain info for geo numbers for some time now.But an awful lot of the time your find spoof or NGN numbers quoted.

Another site for looking up telephone codes, what telecommunications company they are allocated to and (in the case of BT numbers) the locality within the area is Online CodeLook on the Magenta Systems website.

Thank You for your excellent advice and help.  I have followed your advice and have found the number I need on the internet. I did not however find it using your system albeit one member says there are numbers on file perhaps I am not using it properly.

Many thanks again

B Coulthard  

Hi there. What a great site! Found it via a recommendation in Which? magazine. I'm spreading the word and I've used the converter for a number of service sites. I have one or two numbers that I just can't find and for the life of me I can't remember what the company was when I called. Checked out your number search, Google and a few of the sites recommended by the folks in the forum. Read your recommendations for finding a number before posting. But no progress. One of the mumbers is 08447363610 and the other is 08455830086. I'd like to be able to search for the number in the postings on saynoto870 but I don't see how I can do that. Before I do a general posting is there anything else I should do? It goes without saying that if I crack any numbers I'll be offering the alternative numbers to the site.
All the best
donf

0844 736 3610 belongs to .......HR info & Advice line
For enquiries from current McDonald's employees.

which I found here

http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-form.mcd

Not sure who the other one belongs to

donf wrote on Aug 27^th, 2010 at 6:20pm:

Hi there. What a great site! Found it via a recommendation in Which? magazine. I'm spreading the word and I've used the converter for a number of service sites. I have one or two numbers that I just can't find and for the life of me I can't remember what the company was when I called. Checked out your number search, Google and a few of the sites recommended by the folks in the forum. Read your recommendations for finding a number before posting. But no progress. One of the mumbers is 08447363610 and the other is 08455830086. I'd like to be able to search for the number in the postings on saynoto870 but I don't see how I can do that. Before I do a general posting is there anything else I should do? It goes without saying that if I crack any numbers I'll be offering the alternative numbers to the site.

Hello and welcome to SAYNOTO0870.COM.

I put 08447363610 (without spaces) into Google and it came back with nothing worthwhile. However, change that to "0844 736 3610" (put spaces in and quotes just to be sure) and the first link is to the McDonald's contact page:
http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-form.mcd
It is the number for McDonald's HR department.

Can't find anything on 0845 583 0086. :-/

How come you have these numbers but don't know what they are for? Are these entries on your telephone bill?

Hi Dave,

Thank you for the welcome!

Thanks also to sherbert!

Interesting.. I didn't make any calls to McDonalds HR.. Still, with a family it's difficult to know who's calling whom and for what reason.  :-/

For the other number, well, I have just started a "system" here where we really need to take note of any 0845/0870 numbers we call. I'm getting these into a spreadsheet as I go and if I get a decent lead, I'll be reporting my findings to you for sure. Just been talking to my neigbours and they are now on-board with saynoto870

DonF

donf wrote on Aug 27^th, 2010 at 8:41pm:

For the other number, well, I have just started a "system" here where we really need to take note of any 0845/0870 numbers we call. I'm getting these into a spreadsheet as I go and if I get a decent lead, I'll be reporting my findings to you for sure. Just been talking to my neigbours and they are now on-board with saynoto870

As a registered forum member, please can you report any feedback on the database through the Requests section of the forum. That way we keep requests for alternatives, suggestions of alternatives and feedback (positive and negative) all together in one section of the forum.

By feedback, I mean:

• numbers that no longer work;
  
• unverified numbers (on the table with the blue background) that do work and can therefore be verified;
  
• numbers that aren't listed that you know to work;
  
• any other 08 numbers that the company in question may operate and that aren't listed on SAYNOTO0870.COM.

I think that the question of what 0845 583 0086 can now be answered. I believe it is a branch of HSBC, although I have no idea which one. There is an unverified entry in the database which says "Any HSBC Number starting 0845 583 can be called using 01226 83". There is also one unverified entry for a branch which is a 0845 583 number.

Hi Dave,

Apologies for the lateness of this message. I have been away for a few weeks.

I'll report through the requests section from now on. It takes a bit of time to find one's way around the site and know where to look for things but I'm getting there. Thank you for solving the obscure HSBC number.

Regards

Donf

Another online business telephone directory to try is: http://www.ukphonebook.com/directory_enquiries.

You can search using a partial business name:
e.g. starbucks* returns starbucks coffee co nottingham

They also have a dialling code lookup
http://www.ukphonebook.com/dialling_codes

The dialling code list has many errors. None of the twelve 5-digit codes are correctly listed. The London code is incorrect.