... in adopting 03 phone numbers

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2007/11/nr_20071113

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13|11|07

Ofcom leads the way in adopting 03 phone numbers
Ofcom today announced that it has adopted new 03 prefixed phone numbers.

Since 03 allocation started in March 2007 Ofcom has allocated over 13 million 03 numbers to more than 80 communications providers who have requested them for their customers.

03 numbers were introduced by Ofcom as an alternative number for organisations, including public sector bodies, who wish to offer their consumers a single, trusted point of contact.

Calls to 03 numbers will cost the same or less than calls to 01 and 02 prefixed numbers and will be included as part of any inclusive minutes or discount package.

These rules will apply to calls from any type of line including mobile, BT, other fixed line or payphone.

Blocks of numbers are allocated to communications providers who in turn allocate numbers to their customers. For 03, those customers may be service providers from the public sector, charities and voluntary organisations, or commercial bodies.

Ofcom will itself be using the new 03 number for its externally facing departments, alongside its existing numbers, as follows:-

Department Additional 03 number Retained existing number
Ofcom licensing centre
0300 123 1000
020 7981 3131

Ofcom switchboard
0300 123 3000
020 7981 3000

Ofcom media office
0300 123 4000
020 7981 3033

Ofcom advisory team
0300 123 3333
020 7981 3040

Ofcom Welsh language line
0300 123 2023
020 7981 3042

Ofcom text phone
0300 123 2024
020 7981 3043


Ofcom Chief Executive, Ed Richards said: ”Consumers will be able to dial 03 and will be able to have confidence about the cost of their call. We have seen a huge amount of interest in these numbers. We expect consumers to see the advantages of these new numbers as they start to be used by more and more public service organisations”.

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idb wrote on Nov 13^th, 2007 at 12:13pm:

... in adopting 03 phone numbers http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2007/11/nr_20071113 Calls to 03 numbers will cost the same or less than calls to 01 and 02 prefixed numbers and will be included as part of any inclusive minutes or discount package. These rules will apply to calls from any type of line including mobile, BT, other fixed line or payphone.

I thought there was some doubt that ALL providers would provide access?

farci wrote on Nov 13^th, 2007 at 1:46pm:

idb wrote on Nov 13th, 2007 at 12:13pm: Calls to 03 numbers will cost the same or less than calls to 01 and 02 prefixed numbers and will be included as part of any inclusive minutes or discount package. These rules will apply to calls from any type of line including mobile, BT, other fixed line or payphone. I thought there was some doubt that ALL providers would provide access?

Only BT must provide access to all numbers. This isn't saying that all do, but that if they do provide access to 03, that it is charged as per 01/02.

Notice how there is a press release for this but we're still waiting on an official statement of the "suspension" of the changes to 0870?  ::)

...  and who , one wonders, is going to enforce any foreign networks to charge the same  (or even allow access ) to yet another new range of numbers ?

Where does this leave the statement by the National Trust that they will not use 03 numbers because they will be charged to receive calls on those numbers?   If call recipients are charged to receive calls would this not mean that, for example, public sector organisations would be spending an amount of public money paying to receive their calls?   I haven't followed up my issues with the NT yet as the claim of charging really wrecked my arguments (together with the delay on changes to 0870) so clarification would be useful.   Thanks.

One understands that terminating providers initially made a lot of noise about enormous management fees for providing service on 03xx numbers, although have been found to talk more sensibly when engaged in proper negotiations.

Without any detailed knowledge, the position as I see it is as follows:

Users should demand that their (unchanged) telephone service is provided using a 03xx number on the same terms to those for existing 0845, 0844 or 0870 numbers. The terminating provider may however have been benefiting from a share of the excess charge paid by callers to 08xx numbers and would need to be compensated for this loss, if the terms are to remain unchanged.

A choice to go to 03xx (or a geographic number) means that the service provider does not wish its service to be subsidised by callers. If unable to persuade their telephone company to retain the discount without any subsidy from callers, then they have to pay the full cost themselves.


The National Trust may be being treated unfairly by its telephone company and needs to ensure that it is offered the best deal available in the market. If it is simply a question of whether the Trust pays to receive calls or callers pay extra to make them, then a choice has to be made.

- Would National Trust members be happy to know that they have to pay towards the cost of handling their telephone enquiry when they call, if they were told of this?
- Would they rather have all overhead costs funded out of their subscriptions?
- In the extreme, would they wish for the Trust to have two numbers - one freephone, the other premium rate - so that members could make an individual choice?

As a proud member, I have my own view.


I claim no detailed knowledge of issues that are far from simple. It does however seem unrealistic to hope that the lower cost of calling 03xx over other non-geographic numbers will do nothing more than reduce the income of the telcos. One should expect some form of quid pro quo.


(Yes, I know they are evil money-grabbing scumbags, who could easily afford to provide free telephones for all worthy charities, orphans and pensioners, but I am trying to be realistic!)

David