Virtual Number Company increases stock of London numbers with 0203 numbers

Jan. 7, 2012 - PRLog -- Birmingham, UK: “The Virtual Number Company constantly aims to evolve to meet the needs and demands of its customers, and so is delighted to announce that it is greatly increasing its supply of virtual London phone numbers by providing a much larger number of 0203 numbers”, announced Jemma Fox, Marketing Director of The Virtual Number Company. Previously the Virtual Number Company has specialised in 0207 and 0208 numbers, and although they will still be providing 0207 and 0208 numbers, The Virtual Number Company has found that demand is as great if not greater for 0203 numbers.

Of course, strictly speaking there is no such thing as an 0203 area code, a point that Jemma Fox is very keen to stress having been hauled up before for including the first digit of the next part of the number in the area code. “020 is the area code for London, and then the first digit of the rest of the phone number is 3, 7 or 8. But it is a common misperception that there are three different area codes – 0203, 0207 and 0208, and that is what people are looking for when they are ordering virtual London phone numbers. So, we are aware that 020 is the area code, but it is easier to refer to them as 0203 numbers as a shorthand method of communication and in order to help customers find what it is they are looking for”.

The confusion arises, Jemma explains, because “0207 numbers” were originally for inner London, and “0208 numbers” were for outer London. “0203” are the newest of the three numbers. It was announced in July 2004 that 0203 numbers – or 020 London numbers with the next digit being 3 – were to be introduced, and they were rolled out the following year in June 2005. 0203 numbers were for the whole of Greater London, as opposed to 0207 and 0208 numbers, although it had already become blurry as to where they were assigned. Part of the idea was that there would be no social stigma attached to having an 0203 number as it could be for anywhere in the capital. Previously whether you had an 0207 or an 0208 telephone code was seen as important as what postcode you had.

At the time of the announcement of 0203 numbers, OFCOM said “Our message is, there's no need to panic because nothing is really changing. The code for London is actually 020 and the seven, eight and three are simply sub-codes." This is quite right, but it is far easier to say 0203 numbers than 020 numbers followed by 3. The spokesman also said at the time that the 020 code will give London new numbers "for several decades to come", which is quite right, as there are still 0200, 0201, 0202, 0204, 0205, 0206 and 0209 codes to use, so despite regular rumours to the contrary, we are not about to run out of London numbers.

Commenting on the increase in 0203 numbers, Jemma Fox said: “As 020 numbers followed by 3 are the newest of the London numbers then it is not surprising they have taken longer to catch on, but we are now finding that they are incredibly popular and so we are delighted to be offering a much larger range of 0203 London phone numbers”.

To learn more about the wide range of London numbers offered by The Virtual Number Company, including 0203 numbers, visit the London numbers page of The Virtual Number Company website - http://www.thevirtualnumbercompany.co.uk/london-phone-num...

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