What digit does your extension number start with? I expect you've seen this before:

2xxxx - these numbers cannot be called from outside
3xxxx - precede with a 4 to give 01865 4 3xxxx
530 xxxx - replace 530 by 35 to give 01865 35xxxx
553 2xxxx - replace 5532 by 22 to give 01865 22xxxx
553 3xxxx - replace 5533 by 73 to give 01865 73xxxx
553 4xxxx - replace 5534 by 74 to give 01865 74xxxx
553 5xxxx - replace 5535 by 85 to give 01865 85xxx
7xxxx - precede with a 2 to give 01865 2 7xxxx
8xxxx - precede with a 2 to give 01865 2 8xxxx
9 xxxxxx - remove 9 to give 01865 xxxxxx

(Good grief, you need an Oxford degree just to understand the phone system! )

Numbers starting 2 can be called from the outside using the 0870 number, I believe.

There is probably a geographical number that the 0870 number maps to, but as it's only one number and could be any Oxford number, I can't see an easy way of finding it without it being leaked by someone in the know!

I've had another thought about this. If you dial the 0870 number then the extension, there may be no geographical alternative. The only reason there may be a geo number for each ext is if each ext had its own 0870.

Trying to find the geographical number for 0870 120 0870... every tried looking for a needle in a haystack?!

Another thing to remember is that the call is charged when the 0870 number answers. So it charges you to here ringing and no answer!! 

This may be of interest:

http://www.kcom.com/aboutus/casestudies/oxford_uni.shtml

Quote:


It's funny how phone systems in universities are so much more expensive to run than, say, a home phone. The poor phone companies, they have to use an 0870 number to the university as it's so much more expensive for them!

You have to find the geographical number!

As I say, this is 100 times worse than having an 0870 for each line as calls are metered before you even dial the extension, and even if no-one answers. 

4,200 lines they have on this number!!

These days it's a marketing exercise where these systems charge no line rental! They pretend they're giving you something! IMHO that's the case with mobiles, the caller pays a fortune, the subscriber pays no line rental and pays more for calls. Mobile companies are busy telling us we can have free this and free that.

Students can either use this system or a mobile. That's competition for you! The students have no other choice because the choice is down to the universities who are quite happy to rip them off! Doesn't this make a BT line such a good deal?

The 0870s are their to get subsidy from the caller for the phone system. The more calls the more subsidy/profit.

"There's no such thing as a free lunch"

The link Johnathon provided above gives a name of someone to complain to at Oxford: Ian Everett, Telecommunications Manager.

The number in the database is 01865 288 000 and seems to go through to the 0870 recording asking you to input an extension number out of hours only.

that number doesn't work.  You simply get bleeping similar to an engaged tone before it cuts off.

Righto oh!
I'll give it a go. 
Thanks

I may try asking the student's union for help with this - it does seem that the university is ripping people off.