Which UK Number Range Is Right For Me?

Here is a step by step instruction guide to help one pick the right phone number for a business. Every business needs a good quality telephone number for enquiries and so clients can get in touch. Other businesses trying to sell products and services to your business also need a contact number. Having the right Freephone number can make the sales phone ring, whilst another number can put individuals off calling, perhaps this is deliberate but bad numbers could result in sales to your rivals. Having no number is ridiculous in our humble opinion.

01 and 02 Numbers 
01/02 virtual regional geographic numbers are the right choice if you intend to trade locally. They are recognised nationwide and people are happy to call them. More often than not customers want to do business with a local supplier so regional or city numbers could be the right solution for you if you want to attract a wider marketplace. As cloud 01 or 02 numbers no-one can know these are not the same as any real fixed line 01 or 02 number. Calls usually cost between 1p up to 8p/minute.

0800 Numbers 
As of July 2015 these 0800 Freephone numbers were made free to call from mobile phones and payphones. Everyone loves calling 0800 or 0808 now. Having a 0800 free-phone number is likely to increase the amount of customer enquiries your business will generate. A gold 0800 will offer the best returns. Callers do not have to pay to call. Having a 0800 number gives the customers confidence and so trust is established, however smaller business may find a 0800 number to be costly and would benefit far more from a virtual landline or a 03 number range. Call cost 0p/minute.

0844 Numbers 
0844 numbers are great for getting a free number service or for higher call volumes generating a small revenue too for your business and can be used as a great balanced solution for sales lines or for any technical support service or customer line. At up to 7p/minute these numbers are low call.

0845 Numbers
0845 numbers are similarly a widely trusted national option great again as free number service sometimes with a tiny revenue too for your business and can be used as a great virtual contact number for particular information lines or for any business to business support service or customer line. At up to 7p/minute these numbers are traditionally also known as local call rate numbers.

0870 Numbers 
Most businesses who had a 0870 prior to 2009 have since moved to the 0370 alternative of their 0870 number. Following the 1st July 2015 Ofcom changes the service & access charges applied to all 084 & 0870 numbers means 0870 range from 0p to 13p/minute so could be more or less expensive to call than other ranges depending on particular if the caller is calling from a mobile phone.

0871, 0872 numbers 
0871 numbers have more of a purpose associated with them than 084 options, given that they are more expensive than 084 numbers. As such they are usually used with the sole purpose of generating a call revenue per minute from calls. Ticket or travel lines that have a special high demand can use 0871 where they demand that callers dial the premium rate 087 option. Given that the rate generated can pay a real hourly rate towards paying staffing costs but is not an 09.

09 Premium Rate numbers 
09 Premium rate numbers are revenue generating numbers and can so be used as a great option for technical support solutions. They generate callers’ revenue through providing a telephone advice or technical information service. They are also used for competition where each player contributes towards the prize one caller wins. The numbers are more expensive to call than any others at 50p or £1/minute for the caller so have established a negative caller perception but for the right particular use they can be a perfect and viable easy option. 

0333 and 0300 numbers
These 03’s aren’t as widely recognised (as they have only been around since 2009) but are the non-geographic equivalent of 01 and 02 regional geographic numbers. Calls are charged at local rate even from a mobile and 03’s are also included in many inclusive bundle call packages. These numbers were popular as an alternative to 0800 when 0800 wasn’t free to call from a mobile. However, with the rise in popularity of 0800 over the last 12 months the popularity of 03 is likely to decrease in the coming years. Great to replace phase-out your 0845 get the 0345 or 0370 alternative number to your exact match. 0845 numbers need to be working commercially you’re your organisation otherwise change to the 0345 match by cutting your 8 in half on the side of cars.

If you would like to talk to one of our team to get any point clarifying please do not hesitate to contact us. Call us now for free on 0800 408 0807