When did London have only 4 digit telephone numbers?

Answer 1

When each exchange had an individual name, local numbers had four digits:

Whitehall 1212

Waterloo 4564

After a few years the DIRECTOR system was introduced and the names were replaced with three digit excahnge codes.

Now the number had seven digits: 456-3232

When STD dialling was introduced, London acquired the 01 area code: 01-456-3232.

With the swap to the 020 area code in 2000, the seven digit local numbers became eight digit numbers. Those in inner London were prefixed with a 7 and those in outer London with an 8: e.g. (020) 8456 3232.

Answer 2

Area codes in the UK have been of a variable length since introduction in the 1950s or earlier.

For example, in the 1970s and 80s, these ranged from 1 digit (e.g. 01 for London) to 5 digits (e.g. 097084 for Capel Bangor). The 0 is not a part of the area code.

As of 2009, codes still vary in length from the two-digit 020 for London, to five-digit 019467 for Eskdale.

Many three-digit codes were lengthened to four digits during the "Phoneday" changes in 1995. Four-digit codes changed to five digits. Two digit codes changed to three digits.

Apart from that, it's hard to say when five digit codes first appeared - probably as long as direct dialling has been possible in the UK.

Answer 3

Between the 1920s and the 1960s, London used local phone numbers in the format AAA-1111 - that's a four digit number preceeded by a three-letter exchange code. For example, MAY-2034 = Mayfair 2034, or ABB-1234 = Westminster Abbey 1234.

During the 1960s the changeover to all-number dialling was completed and this system was replaced by seven-digit local numbers. For example, ABBey 1234 became 222-1234. Callers from outside London used the area code '01' to reach the London area.

London then retained seven digit numbers right up until the year 2000 - although between 1990 and 2000, the city was split into two separate "inner" and "outer" area codes.

Since 2000, London has had 8-digit phone number, plus the single area code of 020.

Answer 4

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