Personal numbering is the name for the
virtual telephone number
A virtual number, also known as direct inward dialing (DID) or access numbers, is a telephone number without a directly associated telephone line. Usually, these numbers are programmed to forward incoming calls to one of the pre-set telephone num ...
service in the
UK. Typically the
national destination code
E.164 is an international standard (ITU-T Recommendation), titled ''The international public telecommunication numbering plan'', that defines a numbering plan for the worldwide public switched telephone network (PSTN) and some other data networks. ...
used for this service is (0)70. The service provides a flexible
virtual telephone number
A virtual number, also known as direct inward dialing (DID) or access numbers, is a telephone number without a directly associated telephone line. Usually, these numbers are programmed to forward incoming calls to one of the pre-set telephone num ...
able to be routed to any other number, including international mobiles. For example, the UK number +44 70 0585 0070 might route to an
Inmarsat satellite phone number, allowing the user to have a UK number while roaming globally.
This service has however been reported as having "significant
scamming activity" of various sorts
as users can mistakenly assume they are calling a UK mobile telephone number that generally costs far less.
:(For the
telephone numbering plan
A telephone numbering plan is a type of numbering scheme used in telecommunication to assign telephone numbers to subscriber telephones or other telephony endpoints. Telephone numbers are the addresses of participants in a telephone network, re ...
context of 070 numbers see
Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom
Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom are administered by the Office of Communications ( Ofcom). For this purpose, Ofcom established a telephone numbering plan, known as the ''National Telephone Numbering Plan'', which is the system for as ...
).
History
In the United States,
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the world's largest telecommunications company by revenue and the third largest provider of mobile te ...
ran a trial in 1991
which led, in 1992, to the ''AT&T EasyReach 700'' service
of
follow me numbers, on
area code 700.
Early days
After protracted lobbying of
Oftel
The Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) (''the telecommunications regulator'') was a department in the United Kingdom government, under civil service control, charged with promoting competition and maintaining the interests of consumers in the UK ...
throughout 1992,
FleXtel launched the UK's first Personal Telephone Number Service, using the 09567 number range in December 1993,
070 introduction
In 1995 the UK telecoms regulator,
Oftel
The Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) (''the telecommunications regulator'') was a department in the United Kingdom government, under civil service control, charged with promoting competition and maintaining the interests of consumers in the UK ...
(now
Ofcom), reserved the whole of the 070 range exclusively for personal numbering, imitating the
USA area code 700. FleXtel migrated its existing customers across during a two-year transition phase.
Fraudulent use
Call cost scams
A range of scams revolve around UK residents being tricked into making calls to 070 numbers that attract much larger than normal call costs.
False UK number scams
In its full format (e.g. +44 70 0585 0070) an 070 number will be internationally recognisable as a UK number - even though it might in fact terminate to a mobile number anywhere - this feature is used in a variety of scams.
Ofcom reforms
Concerned at the number of scams, Ofcom consulted on removing revenue share from the 070 range and this took effect in 2009. They had previously considered other options such as moving this service to the unused 06 number range or enforcing a pre-call announcement of the call charges. Although consulted on, those other remedies were never put into effect.
Concerned at the lack of transparency and the high retail charges for calls to 070 numbers, Ofcom launched a call cost review in 2017.
This led to a consultation in 2018 which recommended capping the termination rate or wholesale rate at no more than the rate for calling a mobile number.
Those changes took effect on 1 October 2019
and several phone providers have already passed the saving on by now including calls to 070 numbers within inclusive allowances.
See also
*
Personal Numbers, similar service in Spain
*
Area code 700, similar US service
*
Follow-me
A business telephone system is a multiline telephone system typically used in business environments, encompassing systems ranging in technology from the key telephone system (KTS) to the private branch exchange (PBX).
A business telephone syst ...
, similar concept for
PBXs
*
Virtual number
A virtual number, also known as direct inward dialing (DID) or access numbers, is a telephone number without a directly associated telephone line. Usually, these numbers are programmed to forward incoming calls to one of the pre-set telephone num ...
*
Universal Personal Telecommunications
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Personal Numbering
Telephone numbers