FIRE, POLICE, AMBULANCE, COASTGUARD, MOUNTAIN RESCUE: dial 999 or 112
00 is the International Access Code to dial out from within the UK, the Republic of Ireland and all other EU countries.
44 is the Country Code for the UK.
353 is the Country Code for the Republic of Ireland.
100 is the code for the Operator, 155 for International Operator.
Geographic phone numbers have 01 or 02 prefixes, for example (020) 8594 0000 in London, (0118) 555 5555 in Reading, (01332) 888777 in Derby, or (017687) 33277 in Keswick. The new 03 numbers are not tied to a location, but are charged at the same rate.
London numbers are in the 020 area code, and the local number is eight digits long. Most London numbers will start with a 7 or an 8; however, this is not always the case, new London numbers now start with a 3. The four digits after the 020 area code identify the exact location.
The first part of a UK telephone number, which is specific to one town or city, may be referred to as the area code or the STD (Subscriber Trunk Dialling) code. The STD code may be three to six digits long. If you are making a local call within one area, you do not need to dial the STD code. However, it does not matter if you do, the charge is the same. When calling from a mobile telephone, you must always dial the STD code.
Landlines all start with 01 or 02. Most are eleven digits long. A few areas still have some numbers which are only ten digits long. The local number part will be four to eight digits long, depending on the location.
Numbers beginning 03 are charged to the consumer at the same rate as calling a geographic number. However, 03 numbers are not yet that common.
Numbers beginning 074xx to 079xx are for mobile telephones. Beware of numbers begining 070 as these are for personalised numbers, and are very much more expensive to call. 070 numbers are managed as Premium Rate numbers by PhonepayPlus.
0845... and 0870... numbers are similar to 1-900 numbers in the States (pay per call). 0845 numbers are charged at the 'lower national rate' and 0870 numbers at the 'higher national rate'. In the weekday, daytime higher national rate from a BT residential line is just over 7.5p per minute, lower national rate is 3p per minute. It is less in the evenings and they fall to 1.50 and 1p respectively at weekends.
0844, 0843, 0842... are similar to 0845 numbers, but charged at a higher rate.
0871, 0872, 0873... are similar to 0870 numbers, but are charged at a much higher rate. Since August 2009 these numbers are managed as Premium Rate numbers by PhonepayPlus.
0808... 0800... & 0500 numbers are the only free numbers when dialled from a landline. Some mobile phone providers still charge for calls to these numbers, so be wary. Also, hotels may charge for calling these numbers.
09xx... numbers are premium rate phone lines and can cost anything up to £1.50 per minute to call. By law, the cost must be advertised. 0901... numbers have a fixed charge - no matter how long you are on the phone, you will only pay the amount stated. 0906 and 0908... numbers are charged per minute. 0908 and 0909... numbers are for adult services. Mobile phone providers usually bar access to premium rate services as standard.
Numbers which begin with 118 are Directory Enquiry services and are special rate numbers. There is a one-off fee per call, usually in region of 50p. The operator will ask if you wish to put be through to the number you require. By doing this a per minute charge will be added, making it an expensive call. You can say "no", hang up, and redial the number at a much cheaper rate.
To get the operator, just dial 100. For international assistance, it's 155.
Phoning from a hotel can be expensive, as they can charge more than the standard rate. There is no set cost of phoning from your hotel room, so it is advisable to check the rate before making the call.
Telephone boxes now permit a national call (anywhere on mainland UK) for up to 20 minutes for 60p. Details are given inside the telephone booth. Most British people have given up using payphones now, preferring their mobiles. But they still have their place, for those times when you're caught short without a working mobile phone.
For a visitor from overseas, one big advantage of a payphone is that it's generally cheaper than a mobile for international calls. Payhones are unfortunately a traditional target for vandals and anti-social behaviour, so you'll find that many are dirty and smelly inside, and they may not work at all.
If you're planning to spend a while in the UK, it's worth getting a local SIM card. The UK's mobile industry is fiercely competitive and SIM cards are often given away or sold for £5, which can include credit. This will definitely reduce your bills for phoning home from a mobile phone. Carphone Warehouse also offers a TalkMobile SIM which is free when you put £10 credit onto it and offers cheap calls to the USA and other locations. Be aware that American, Canadian, and Latin American visitors may need to check with their phone's manufacturer or provider if it will work in the UK. The phone will need to be able to work on the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz GSM bands. Lebara is another carrier offering low rates. In fact, it is only 4 pence to call from the UK to the USA or Canada. British SIMs - www.BritishSIMs.com and Cellular Abroad - www.cellularabroad.com - offer this SIM card, as does Amazon. While it is more expensive to purchase it outside the UK, it may be more convenient to have the number as well as the physical product with you prior to your trip.
Do NOT buy SIMs from vending machines at airports etc - they can charge £10 for a SIM card which doesn't have any credit (talk time) on it. SIMS are free or nominal charge from any mobile phone shop.
Other option is to rent a cell phone before your departure, with a local line from the UK, you'll have the benefit of low calling rates, including incoming calls free of charge. You'll find several companies offering this kind of service, be aware of those that use call back since the voice quality is very poor. Some options are www.phonerentalusa.com, www.worldcell.com, and www.planetfone.com. However, cell phones are now so cheap to buy (from about £15 for a basic one) that renting may not be economic. These phones will be locked to a specific carrier. You can use them abroad (if your tariff allows it - some very cheap tariffs are for UK use only) - but you will pay 'roaming' rates for all calls and texts made and received.
You can hand the used phone into almost any charity shop where it will be refurbished or recycled and raise money for the charity.
Phone cards are also offered or given away outside many Tube stations, though be sure to read all the small print. It's usually better value to buy a BT phone card from a newsagent - they may not be the best value available, but you certainly won't get ripped off. The Post Office phonecard is usually reasonably good value. If you make a call with a phonecard from a public payphone your phonecard credit may run out faster than you expect: there is a 37p/minute levy to support the public payphone network.
The UK's emergency numbers are 999 & 112 for fire, police, ambulance, coastguard and mountain rescue. The operator will ask you what service you need then put you through. Calls to both of these numbers are completely free.
To dial to another country from the UK, first dial 00, then the country code + number. Ofcom has a list of country codes in the file at internationalcodes.pdf.
When calling from abroad to the UK, you first dial your international access code. This varies depending which country you are in. For example, it's 011 in Canada, 0011 in Australia, 00 in most of Europe, and 001 in Singapore. Next, dial the country code for the UK (44) and the UK area code and local phone number. Omit the area code leading zero, if one is shown.
Override Providers
One of the cheapest ways to make calls, from any land-line telephone, is to use the override providers. You dial a special phone number (usually an 0845 number) which varies depending on the country you want to call. After a brief introduction message (10 seconds or so) you dial the number you want, starting with 00 and press the # key at the end and they connect you. The fee is simply put onto the phone bill. They charge typically only 1p or 2p a minute to the USA and offer cheap calls to many destinations. A well-known one is PhoneCheap.
00 is the International Access Code to dial out from within the UK, the Republic of Ireland and all other EU countries.
44 is the Country Code for the UK.
353 is the Country Code for the Republic of Ireland.