Think "London prices" are crazy now ...?

An interesting article in The Telegraph this morning noted that London Hotel Rates are set to soar during the 2012 Olympic Games. The writer, Oliver Smith, speculated that visitors to our capital will have to pay around 10 times the price of what they are currently paying for a hotel room during the olympics.

Regular readers of the blog have probably noticed by now that we are taking a very keen interest in the London games! This is partly because we are genuinely excited that London is going to be hosting this major sporting event, and partly because London phone numbers are by far the biggest selling virtual local phone numbers.

We suspect that whilst London prices for things such as hotels will only really increase during and around the time of the London olympics, the prices of a virtual 020 number - which includes virtual 0207 and 0208 numbers, will steadily increase from now over the course of the next year as they become a prime commodity. Snap them up now whilst they're still a decent price!

London Phone Numbers

You may recall a blog post recently about London 0203, 0207 and 0208 phone numbers running out. The article described that there was a real threat of numbers being depleted in the very near future.

I spotted an article on the PR Log website written by Jenny Forbes who is head of marketing at Organic Numbers.

In her London Phone Numbers Won't Run Out article she argues quite persuasively that 020 phone numbers won't be running out for a very long time indeed.

Jenny's website can be found at: http://www.organiclocalnumbers.co.uk/

The facebook page and twitter page are also worth a look.

London Phone Number Depletion

Noticed a few articles and press releases on t'internet during the last few weeks regarding the depletion of London phone numbers.

Some other areas of the UK like Derby and Brighton look like they may be in real danger of running out of numbers.

The emphasis of the articles suggested that London phone numbers could run out within a generation.

You can make up your own mind by perusing the following:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1333264/Shortage-phone-numbers-means-youll-dial-area-code-just-ring-door.html

http://www.prlog.org/11109047-london-phone-numbers-are-running-out-again.html

To clarify. London only has one code which is 020.

London phone numbers are 11 digits long eg:
020 3234 2345

Many people make the mistake of saying that the London dialling codes are:

• 0203
• 0207
• 0208.

This isn't the case. The "3" "7" and "8" aren't part of the prefix.

This is a great way of impressing people at dinner parties. I tried it last week and the person I told this too was so impressed they left the table - presumably to go home to look at the front of their Phone Book.

London Phone Numbers

Further to the post made here in September about London Phone Numbers we have done a little background research.

If you are feeling a bit geeky there is quite an informative page on Wikipedia that is all about how phone systems have grown in the last six decades and how numbering systems have had to react to this.

Not everyone's cup of tea but don't worry - there won't be a test on it.

It's amazing to think that telephone numbers in London were once only 3 digits long!

I guess it would have suited James Bond.

The page is here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_number

0203 London Code Numbers

Changes have happened to the London area code several times over the last few years.



The more senior among us will recall the old "01" code which was replaced by 020.



There are 3 variations of the London phone number 020 prefix which are:

• 0207


• 0208


• 0203

The 0203 code is the new kid on the block and covers all of London - the 0207 and 0208 codes originally had a geographical split.

All of the codes are available as "local numbers" which means that UK businesses can use them to give the appearance of being a London based company.

OFCOM authorised resellers include DBS.

The 020 code will be sufficient to supply new London numbers for many years to come according to this article.