A non-geographic number is a type of telephone number that is not linked to any specific locality. Such numbers are an alternative to the traditional 'landline' numbers that are assigned geographically using a system of location-specific area codes. Non-geographic numbers are used for various reasons, from providing flexible routing of incoming phone calls to generating revenue for paid-for services.

Functionality Non-geographic numbers were introduced to offer services that were historically unavailable on standard landline phone numbers, particularly in terms of call routing and special charging arrangements. Advertised benefits of non-geographic numbers include: Call routing. Calls can be flexibly redirected to virtually any destination. For example, calls could be answered in different call centres depending on where the caller is located or the time of day. Ease of communication. Organisations covering multiple locations can advertise a single national phone number rather than having to publicise different numbers for different areas. Location neutrality. Standard geographic numbers are firmly linked with specific localities. Using non-geographic numbers can help an organisation avoid appearing to be limited in scope to a specific geographic area, and also removes any need to change telephone numbers in the event of relocation or expansion into a different area. Resilience and disaster recovery. Standard geographically routed landline numbers may become unreachable in the event of a fault or damage to the telephone network in the area they are linked to. Non-geographic numbers allow for incoming calls to be easily redirected to alternative locations when necessary. Special charging arrangements. The use of number prefixes that are distinct from standard landline numbers allows for a variety of different charging arrangements – from freephone numbers that cost the caller nothing to dial to premium rate numbers that generate revenue for the called party.

Call handling Calls to non-geographic numbers are handled in various different ways by the telephone network. In the simplest case, calls are simply forwarded to a regular geographic number and routed by the telephone exchange in the normal way. In other cases, such numbers may channel calls directly to a company's private telephone system or VOIP service.

Developments in telecoms technology mean that advanced call routing facilities are no longer unique to non-geographic numbers with many suppliers offering the same functionality through 'virtual' geographic numbers.

Calling non-geographic numbers from abroad Calling certain non-geographic number ranges might not be possible when calling from abroad of the United Kingdom. This is mostly the case with the 070 personal numbering range, the 080 freephone range and service numbers starting 084, 087, and 09.

Non-geographic number ranges All non-geographic numbers offer similar functionality, with the main difference being the charge levied on the caller. The major non-geographic prefixes now in use are:

080 (freephone) 0800 and 0808 numbers are free-to-caller from landlines, mobile phones, and payphones alike. The organisation receiving the call pays the cost of the call.

03 numbers Billing and costs Numbers starting with '03' are non-geographic numbers charged at standard geographic rates. Calls to these numbers cost exactly the same as calls to regular local or national landlines (those starting with 01 or 02). Regulation ensures that if a tariff offers inclusive minutes or free calls to numbers starting with 01 or 02, calls to 03 numbers must be included on exactly the same terms.

Since their reintroduction in 2007, these 03 numbers have been the only variety of non-geographic number whose charge is officially linked to that of geographic numbers. No provision has been made for replicating the old 'local rate' or 'national rate' prefixes, as almost all UK telephone operators now charge all landline calls at the same rate, regardless of location.

Usage As of 2016, active 03 number prefixes are: 0300, 0303, 0330, 0333, 0343, 0344, 0345, 0370, 0371, and 0372.

While all 03 numbers operate the same way, some sub-ranges have restrictions on their use. 030 Reserved for allocation to public sector bodies and not-for-profit bodies such as registered charities

034 / 037 Reserved for migration from equivalent 084 and 087 numbers.

Service numbers These are the non-geographic numbers starting 084, 087, and 09. They are also known as premium rate numbers. Until 2015, 084 and 087 numbers were called special rate or business rate numbers.

Since 2015, these numbers have a two-part charging structure. Call charges consist of a per-minute access charge levied by the caller's phone service provider, plus a service charge or 'premium' paid to the joint benefit of the organisation being called and their telecoms provider.

The access charge varies considerably by phone operator, with calls from landlines charged at 2p to 27p per minute and calls from mobile phones charged at 4p to 89p per minute.

The service charge is charged at the same rate regardless of which telephone company the caller uses to make the call. The rate that applies must be detailed wherever the number is publicised and falls into the following bands: 084 numbers: up to 7p per call and/or 7p per minute 087 numbers: up to 13p per call and/or 13p per minute 09 numbers: up to £6.00 per call and/or £3.60 per minute.

There is no official central repository for Service Charge information, but the Federation of Communications Services (FCS) has provided an interactive online facility to look up the Service Charge for any 084, 087, 09, or 118 number.

Service charge price points Upon introduction of the "unbundled tariff" for calls to 084, 087, 09, and 118 numbers on 1 July 2015 there were 80 price points for the Service Charge element of the call cost. These were designated SC001 to SC080. A further 20 price points, designated SC081 to SC100, were added on 1 July 2016. There were 100 price points until 1 April 2019. The same charges apply to calls made from all landline and mobile providers.

Zen Internet charged six of the price points at the wrong rate, three from 1 July 2015 until their withdrawal on 1 April 2019 and three more from 1 July 2016 to January 2019. From 1 July 2016 to 26 December 2016, Sky Talk charged three of the Service Charge price points at the wrong rate. From 30 November 2016 to 14 March 2017, Sky Mobile charged three of the price points at the wrong rate. Virgin Media did not list price points SC081 to SC100. Andrews & Arnold did not list price points SC068 to SC072, SC080 or SC081 to SC100. Origin Broadband did not list price points SC081 to SC100.

On 1 April 2019, Ofcom introduced a price cap (on the Service Charge element of the call cost) of £3.65 per 90 seconds of a call on calls to numbers starting 118. From this date, 26 of the existing 100 Service Charge price points were no longer available for use by services on telephone numbers starting 118. Of those 26 price points, some 15 price points were available only for use by services on numbers starting 09, and eleven price points were withdrawn from use. From 1 May 2019, new price points started to be introduced. These re-used some of the previously withdrawn SC code numbers – all as noted in the table below.

DescriptionService Charge rateCharge Band (starting dates)Numbersstarting Per call Per minute1 July2015 1 July2016 1 April2019 1 May2019Calls with a zero-ratedService Charge – – SC001 SC001 SC001 SC001 084, 087, 09, 118Calls with a per-call ratedService Charge £0.05 – SC046 SC046 SC046 SC046 084, 087, 09, 118 £0.10 – SC047 SC047 SC047 SC047 087, 09, 118 £0.15 – SC048 SC048 SC048 SC04809, 118 £0.25 – SC049 SC049 SC049 SC049 £0.30 – SC050 SC050 SC050 SC050 £0.35 – SC051 SC051 SC051 SC051 £0.40 – SC052 SC052 SC052 SC052 £0.48 – SC053 SC053 SC053 SC053 £0.50 – SC054 SC054 SC054 SC054 £0.70 – SC055 SC055 SC055 SC055 £0.75 – SC056 SC056 SC056 SC056 £1.00 – SC057 SC057 SC057 SC057 £1.45 – SC058 SC058 SC058 SC058 £1.50 – SC059 SC059 SC059 SC059 £2.00 – SC060 SC060 SC060 SC060 £2.50 – SC061 SC061 SC061 SC061 £3.00 – SC062 SC062 SC062 SC062 £3.65 – SC088 £4.00 – SC063 SC063 SC063 SC063 09, 118 £5.00 – SC064 SC064 SC064 SC064 £6.00 – SC065 SC065 SC065 SC065Calls with a per-minute ratedService Charge – £0.01 SC002 SC002 SC002 SC002 084, 087, 09, 118 – £0.02 SC003 SC003 SC003 SC003 – £0.03 SC004 SC004 SC004 SC004 – £0.04 SC005 SC005 SC005 SC005 – £0.05 SC006 SC006 SC006 SC006 – £0.06 SC007 SC007 SC007 SC007 – £0.07 SC008 SC008 SC008 SC008 – £0.08 SC009 SC009 SC009 SC009 087, 09, 118 – £0.09 SC010 SC010 SC010 SC010 – £0.10 SC011 SC011 SC011 SC011 – £0.11 SC012 SC012 SC012 SC012 – £0.12 SC013 SC013 SC013 SC013 – £0.13 SC014 SC014 SC014 SC014 – £0.15 SC015 SC015 SC015 SC015 09, 118 – £0.18 SC081 SC081 SC081 – £0.20 SC016 SC016 SC016 SC016 – £0.22 SC082 SC082 SC082 – £0.25 SC017 SC017 SC017 SC017 – £0.30 SC018 SC018 SC018 SC018 – £0.35 SC019 SC019 SC019 SC019 – £0.36 SC020 SC020 SC020 SC020 – £0.40 SC021 SC021 SC021 SC021 – £0.45 SC022 SC022 SC022 SC022 – £0.46 SC023 SC023 SC023 SC023 – £0.50 SC024 SC024 SC024 SC024 – £0.55 SC025 SC025 SC025 SC025 – £0.60 SC026 SC026 SC026 SC026 – £0.65 SC027 SC027 SC027 SC027 – £0.70 SC028 SC028 SC028 SC028 – £0.75 SC029 SC029 SC029 SC029 – £0.80 SC030 SC030 SC030 SC030 – £0.90 SC031 SC031 SC031 SC031 – £0.95 SC032 SC032 SC032 SC032 – £0.99 SC033 SC033 SC033 SC033 – £1.00 SC034 SC034 SC034 SC034 – £1.10 SC035 SC035 SC035 SC035 – £1.20 SC036 SC036 SC036 SC036 – £1.45 SC037 SC037 SC037 SC037 – £1.50 SC038 SC038 SC038 SC038 – £1.55 SC039 SC039 SC039 SC039 – £1.80 SC040 SC040 SC040 SC040 – £2.00 SC041 SC041 SC041 SC041 – £2.20 SC042 SC042 SC042 SC042 – £2.43 SC068 – £2.50 SC043 SC043 SC043 SC043 09, 118 – £3.00 SC044 SC044 SC044 SC044 – £3.50 SC083 SC083 SC083 – £3.60 SC045 SC045 SC045 SC045Calls with a per-callplus per-minute ratedService Charge(both charges applyfrom start of call) £0.77 £1.55 SC066 SC066 SC066 SC066 09, 118 £0.80 £0.25 SC067 SC067 SC067 SC067 £2.50 £0.75 SC084 SC084 SC084 £2.60 £0.99 SC085 SC085 SC085 09, 118 £2.75 £0.78 SC086 SC086 SC086 £3.50 £0.10 SC069 09, 118 £3.99 £1.39 SC068 SC068 withdrawn 118 £4.99 £1.35 SC069 SC069 withdrawn Calls with a per-callplus per-minute ratedService Charge(per-minute chargeapplies after first60 seconds) £0.05 £0.05 SC074 SC074 SC074 SC074 084, 087, 09, 118 £0.07 £0.07 SC092 SC092 SC092 £0.10 £0.10 SC075 SC075 SC075 SC075 087, 09, 118 £0.13 £0.13 SC093 SC093 SC093 £0.40 £0.40 SC076 SC076 SC076 SC076 09, 118 £0.70 £0.70 SC077 SC077 SC077 SC077 £0.80 £0.80 SC094 SC094 SC094 £1.00 £1.00 SC095 SC095 SC095 £1.50 £1.50 SC078 SC078 SC078 SC078 £2.00 £2.00 SC079 SC079 SC079 SC079 £2.43 £2.43 SC070 £2.60 £2.10 SC071 £2.76 £1.77 SC072 £3.00 £1.30 SC087 £3.00 £3.00 SC096 SC096 SC096 09, 118 £3.60 £0.50 SC097 SC097 SC097 £3.60 £1.50 SC098 SC098 SC098 £3.60 £2.00 SC099 SC099 SC099 £3.60 £3.60 SC100 SC100 SC100 £4.45 £2.57 SC080 SC080 withdrawn 118 £5.50 £2.75 SC070 SC070 withdrawn £5.74 £2.99 SC071 SC071 withdrawn £6.98 £3.49 SC072 SC072 withdrawn £8.98 £4.49 SC087 withdrawn £9.98 £4.99 SC088 withdrawn £11.98 £5.99 SC089 withdrawn £13.98 £6.99 SC090 withdrawn £15.98 £7.99 SC091 withdrawn Calls with a zero-ratedService Charge forthe first minute plusa per-minute ratedService Charge afterthe first 60 seconds – £2.50 SC073 SC073 SC073 SC073 09, 118Price point undefined – – SC068 n/a – – SC069 – – SC080 SC080 – – SC070 – – SC071 – – SC072 – – SC087 – – SC088 – – SC089 SC089 – – SC090 SC090 – – SC091 SC091

Notes

Personal numbers