Ofcom announces local telephone numbers change

Date: 08/09/2011

Ofcom has announced plans to change the way in which people contact local telephone numbers.

Currently, individuals getting in touch with friends, family or enterprises do not have to dial the area code if they are situated nearby.

However, this is set to change from next year and some Brits will have to dial the whole number - including the area prefix - when making a local call.

The regulatory body explained this is to safeguard the supply of landline numbers, which are declining due to the growing number of communications providers.

Bournemouth will be the first place to trial the change and it will come into effect at the middle of next year.

The southern town will be followed by Brighton and Hove, Aberdeen, Milton Keynes, Bradford and Cambridge in bringing in the alteration.

Earlier this year, Ofcom revealed which of the UK's telecoms providers were most complained about by the public, with TalkTalk Group topping the list.

It was followed by BSkyB, BT Retail and finally Virgin Media.