People in London don't seem to understand that the dialling code for London is 020 and NOT 0207 or 0208. It must be about ten years now that the dialling codes were changed from 0171 and 0181 to 020. And yet people persist in quoting their number as "oh-two-oh-eight [pause]", rather than "oh-two-oh [pause]".
This applies too to written representations of the numbers: on headed notepaper, advertisements, shop fronts etc. You often see fascia boards of shops, for which the shopkeeper probably paid hundreds of pounds, with the number incorrectly displayed. Let's say the number is 020 8841 9500, the shop sign will have 0208-841 9500 (or, even worse, 0208-841-9500).
2007-11-21 22:09:28 · 6 answers · asked by deedsallan 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
I think you'll find that the 0207 and 0208 part of the number indicates the area code and distinguishes between inner and outer London. For many that is important.
2007-11-21 22:13:49 · answer #1 · answered by angela b 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It's annoying isn't it? Seems a lot of people ignorantly believe that there are two codes for London and not one code. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0207_%26_0208 for proof!!
"Although London was re-united, people still frequently quote and write London numbers as if the city were still split up into central and outer areas, by saying and writing "0207" and "0208". If the number is dialled in full as 0207 222 1234, the destination will indeed be correctly reached. However, it is confusing to place the pause as such, because if such a number as 222 1234 were attempted within London as if it were a local number, it would be missing the first digit (of eight) and the call would not be connected."
2007-11-22 06:48:55 · answer #2 · answered by Skidoo 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it annoys me too. I wonder what those people do when phoning another number within London. Just dialling 841 9500 won't work - so do they dial the whole thing including the 020?
To be fair, though, it's only been about 5 years since the switch, not ten.
And to the two previous answers: you are unfortunately wrong. The dialling code is 020. The 8 or 7 is *part of the actual number*, not part of the code. As I said above, this makes a difference if you're dialling within London.
2007-11-22 06:14:56 · answer #3 · answered by Daniel R 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Oh my God, that annoys the hell out of me too!!!!! Whenever I start my number with just an 8, people get very confused. When you say, you don't need to dial the 020, you can just dial the 7 or 8, they are amazed. Thank you for highlighting this very annoying point. Don't get me started or I'll be on about putting apostrophes instead of just an "S" for plurals. MOT's instead of MOTs!!!! Arrrrrrrghhh
I sound like a right Grumpy Old Woman, how did that happen?
2007-11-22 06:15:41 · answer #4 · answered by ♥ Minki ♥ 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Because for most Londoners, London numbers begin with 0207 or 0208.
It's as simple as that.
2007-11-22 06:14:33 · answer #5 · answered by ? 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Do you live in London?
0207 - Central London and neighbouring towns
0208 - Outer regions of London.
My landline code is 0208 and I live just outside South East London in Kent.
It doesn't matter HOW your say your telephone number.
How others say it is up to them, not you.
I say mine as "0208..."
Get over it.
2007-11-22 06:17:47 · answer #6 · answered by Lady Godiva 5 · 2⤊ 4⤋