A Rant

[drplokta]

Since I've abdicated, I guess this isn't actually legally binding. But everyone should do it anyway.

How to Write UK Phone Numbers

UK phone numbers are written as the dialling code, including the 0 national prefix, followed by the phone number. They may alternatively be written as +44 followed by the dialling code (excluding the 0 national prefix), followed by the phone number. You may not try to combine the national and international versions into one -- if you want to give both versions, give both versions. If you want, you can put brackets around a geographic dialling code -- but not around a non-geographic one that can never be omitted from the number. 7 digit phone numbers may be grouped 3-4 (with no punctuation). 8 digit phone numbers may be grouped 4-4. Nice and simple, isn't it? So why do so many people get it wrong?

Mostly because they don't know their dialling code. There are no such dialling codes as 0207 and 0208. London has a dialling code of 020 and eight digit phone numbers. All mobile phone numbers have five digit dialling codes (including the 0) and six digit number. The recently issued dialling codes starting 011 are all four digit codes and seven digit numbers.

So the following are correct:

020 7123 4567
07941 123456
+44 118 912 3456
National: 01244 123456
International: +44 1244 123456
(01244) 123456
0845 7484950

And the following are wrong:

0207 123 4567
0794 112 3456
+44 (0)118 912 3456
01189 123456
(0845) 7484950

Is that clear?

Comments

[daveon.livejournal.com]

I also disagree with not alloowing the (0) convention.

It is not necessarily clear to foreigners, especially USians what the zero is for. Having it in brackets helps there. Most phone diallers should now scrub the zero. If they can't, have the manufacturer call me and I'll arrange to have their dialler fixed.

[sbisson.livejournal.com]

Well, go have a word with the Beast. It's still broken.

Unless of course Magneto fixes it...

[daveon.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... I thought it was fixed in Ozup...

Checks... Hmmm... Nope... Pretty sure it's fixed in Magneto. If not, I'll mention it. It's certainly on a bug list somewhere. I thought they were going to do it when they fixed the brackets bug in Stinger.

[lostcarpark.livejournal.com]

I don't see the point of the (0). If the reader understands international dialling codes, it's redundant, if they don't they'll still be confused.

[daveon.livejournal.com]

The issue is generally for USians who don't understand international dialling nor internal non-US dialling. As they don't use a "0" ever, they often forget they need it. Having it there in brackets does help.