This is a non-geographic number used to reach students at Cambridge University. It's operated by NTL. Anyone know a geographic alternative?

No, my crystal ball is coming up a blank. ::)

Perhaps you could help us to help you by providing more information.

What is the number for? Is it for accommodation or the university? Can you provide a weblink giving information on the number/system?

Thanks for the response. The number is for contacting students in their accommodation. You dial this 0845 number and then later enter their 5-digit extension. The only vaguely useful web-link I can find is

http://www.quns.cam.ac.uk/Queens/Events/mcr/mcrnew/misc/QueensMCRIntro_ARQ-2.pdf

From RACottrell's link:

Quote:

Get your phone connected. All college rooms have phone connections (part of the NTL system). You will need to provide your own phone. Dial 0800 013 6556 to find out your extension number. To receive calls, caller should dial 0845 045 4884 (note: expensive from mobiles) followed by your extension. To make outgoing calls, you need to get a rechargeable calling card from the lodge.

It's 0845 which is unusual, as most universities seem to have implemented systems which use 0870 numbers. It's interesting to see that they've put that it's expensive to call such numbers from mobiles. It suggests that they are (sort-of) aware that 0845 isn't the same as a local call.

Anyway, back to trying to find the number. As it's not a block of numbers we're looking for (which correspond to individual extensions), but one number, it's rather like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Needless to say, this doesn't put use off searching.

When you ring another number (mobile, landline etc), I presume that it comes up "Withheld number". Try dialing 1470 infront of the outside number as this gives the number out on a line which is set to be perminantly withheld. The 1470 code will come after any prefix to get an outside line, if there is one. For example, if you have to dial 1234 to get an outside line, dial 1234 1470 07789 78912 etc. When you do this, see if the number is shown on the receiver's caller display or 1471. Probably easiest to try by ringing your mobile.

Universities are covered by the Freedom of Information Act, see this page on Cambridge's site. That's one avenue you could go down.

However, if they've not used 0845 for revenue generating purposes, they may be happy to provide the underlying geographical alternative(s) on request. I understand that these 0845 numbers can't be called from many overseas providers, so maybe that can be given as a reason to release the numbers.

Hi. Just wondering if anyone has made any progress on this one.  My daughter has one of these phones in her room.  I have rung ntl and have spoken to three different operators and claimed to be having diffculty calling from abroad and each time they have been adamant that there's no geographic alternative.
Anybody else had any luck?

Phoning NTL didn't work with Swansea University either :(

It is strange that it's an 0845 as most others have 0870 - may I suggest that till you obtain a geographical alternative, that you add it to your calling circle or equivalent?  TalkTalk give 33% off one nominated 0845 number which would help with the costs till we find the geographical.  I'm sure other companies allow 0845's to be added, BT definitely do.  Worth a try ;D

In case it helps anone come up with the answer, here is the address of the relevant NTL website
http://www.ntlatuni.com/showuni.php

By chance somebody phoned a student room in Cambridge by accident (they had the wrong number). The student had the presence of mind to ask the caller what number they dialled, and hey presto, that geographic number connects straight to the student room without the need to add an extension number. This suggests that after all we are looking for a batch of numbers, not just a single number. I don't want to reveal this number in a public forum.

Can you give at least the first 7 or 8 digits? Also, does the number in any way correspond to the internal extension number?

The number starts 01223 516

It bears no evident relation to the extension number.

If Cambridge University has 11,600 undergraduates in college accommodation with NTL phones, then presumably they can't all be individual lines of the format 01223-516xxx as that would allow only 1,000 extensions. How many of the digits in the lucky student's extension are to be found in the digits 5,1,6,x,x,x ?

Well, perhaps it's 01223-51xxxx for 10000 of the students. Feel free to try them all if you like   :o

If you find a student and tell them their geographical number, they'll probably thank you for calling!

Is there some inverse look-up directory where somebody can find if any number of the form 01223-51xxxx appears in the phone book?

That is a number allocated to NTL anyway!

Numbers are usually allocated in blocks of 10 000. NTL have 14 such blocks in Cambridge. If anyone would like to try a few out to figure out which number ranges connect to student rooms, go here:

http://www.ukphoneinfo.com/search/Phones/oftel_cl_sabc_1223.html

If you get through to someone, you can try to find out their extension number, in return for giving them the geo number. Perhaps if we find enough of them, it'll be possible to work out how the numbers map.

01223 516

770 - unobtan.
771 - fax (digital), could be modem?
772 - no answer, no divert
773 - rings then it diverted four times somewhere then "Welcome to NTL Voicemail, person you are calling ....."
774 - fax (digital), could be modem?
775 - unobtan.
776 - no answer, no divert
777 - fax (digital), could be modem?
778 - no answer, no divert
779 - answerphone "your call cannot be answered at the moment SO please leave a message after the tone",

Thats what i could do before the phone at the local council refused to let me dial out anymore.

516516 is a brochure company

Was thinking if all of us who are on a inclusive call package say dial a block of 30/50 numbers each in the 516 range, wed get thru the numbers so fast.

01223 516 801 - Fax
01223 516 802 - Rings and then diverts to NTL Voicemail.
01223 516 803 - Unobtainable.
01223 516 804 - Unobtainable.
01223 516 805 - Unobtainable.
01223 516 806 - Fax
01223 516 807 - Unobtainable.
01223 516 808 - Unobtainable.
01223 516 809 - Unobtainable.
01223 516 810 - Unobtainable.
01223 516 811 - Unobtainable.
01223 516 812 - Fax
01223 516 813 - Fax
01223 516 814 - Private firm (John Marshall)

Sorry, had to stop there - someone at the door.

I understand that dialing 173 from the handset in the room reveals the number

01223 516 815 - unobtainable
01223 516 816 - busy
01223 516 817 - unobtainable
01223 516 818 - unobtainable
01223 516 819 - rings, no reply
01223 516 820 - unobtainable
01223 516 821 - "Please leave your name and a message."
01223 516 822 - rings, no reply
01223 516 823 - unobtainable
01223 516 824 - unobtainable
01223 516 825 - unobtainable
01223 516 826 - unobtainable
01223 516 827 - unobtainable
01223 516 828 - unobtainable
01223 516 829 - unobtainable
01223 516 830 - busy
01223 516 831 - busy
01223 516 832 - busy
01223 516 833 - busy
01223 516 834 - unobtainable

Just a note to say thanks to all the people who have helped with this search.  I can confirm that the tip about dialling 173 does reveal the number.  This will save me a fortune.  

And also maybe this will help at other universities using ntl?

Thanks Again

Mr Ed

wrote on Nov 8^th, 2005 at 7:48pm:

Just a note to say thanks to all the people who have helped with this search.  I can confirm that the tip about dialling 173 does reveal the number.  This will save me a fortune.

And the number is...?  ::)

If it's a direct number to your phone, ** out the last few digits. Also, how does this relate to the extension number? For example, are the last 2 digits the same?

Sorry ...to make it clear...dialling 173 gives you the individual number for your room. DDL. I have two contacts in univesity accommodation.  Both have successfully dialled 173. They get an automated voice which gives them an individual Cambridge (01223) number which is the direct dial number for their room.

The two numbers bear no relation to their college, room number, or anything. In fact they are very different. one starts 519***. The other 506***
Thanks again for all your help.

Thanks for that information mred. I will post on other threads for NTL uni systems, see if it works for them. :-/

Do you just pick up the phone and dial 173, or do you have to dial your prefix (assuming there is a prefix: Is there?) to get an outside line?

wrote on Nov 9^th, 2005 at 11:21am:

The two numbers bear no relation to their college, room number, or anything. In fact they are very different. one starts 519***. The other 506***

As expected, those are in the ranges allocated to NTL.

Are the last three digits (or even two of them) related in any way to either the 0870 number, or to the internal number that can be used to call between rooms in the university?

Maybe ntl are reading this site.  Dialling 173 was working for Cambridge University numbers.  It has now been barred.  I have one other tip which MAY disclose the number....but I haven't been able to check this.

My theory is as follows: This 0845 system only started this term  In previous years students were able to rent an ntl line in their room in a standard way paying line rental and call charges.  Each student had their own DDL for incoming calls.  I just wonder whether the telephone numbers used in previous years are still the DDL's for each room.  If this is the case, you could do a bit of detective work. Find out who had the room in a previous year. Ask them what their phone number used to be. And that could be the number.

I have tried to check this out with my daughter's number from a previous year.  But I always get the (I think) ntl answerphone.

I'm at Queens' College in Cambridge and in my room at least the non-geo number from last year is still active (I still have the same room).

Dependent on your college the telephone number is affixed to the telephone socket. Needless to say I haven't given anyone the 0845 number.

Rich