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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03 UK Wide numbers

• Introduction - the future is 03
• Background - restoring confidence
• UK Wide numbers - The 03 range explained
• 03 -a non geographic number with a difference
• Future proofing
• No extra charge - even for mobile phone users
• 03 UK Wide -Pricing
• Early adopters of the new UK Wide Services
• Raising confidence in telephone numbers - Ofcom

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