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Glossary · Numbering

Non-geographic number (03, 08)

In one sentence

A non-geographic number is a number not linked to any area, such as UK 03, 084 or 087 numbers. 03 numbers cost the same as a local call; 084 and 087 add a service charge set by the business.

Also known as : non-geographic number · non-geographic numbers · 03 number · 03 numbers · 0300 number · 0330 number · 0333 number · 0345 number · 0844 number · 0845 number · 0870 number

What is a non-geographic number?

A non-geographic number identifies a business or service rather than a place. In the UK that covers several ranges with very different costs for callers:

  • 03 numbers (0300, 0330, 0333, 0345…): charged exactly like a call to an 01 or 02 number and included in inclusive minutes. 0300 is reserved for public bodies and charities.
  • 084 and 087 numbers: the caller pays their provider’s access charge plus a service charge set by the business.
  • 09 numbers: premium-rate services, regulated separately.
  • 0800 and 0808: freephone, free to call from landlines and mobiles.

Ireland uses its own ranges, with 1800 freephone and 0818 numbers charged as standard national calls, after ComReg withdrew the old 1850 and 1890 ranges.

How it works

  1. The business picks a range for the cost model it wants: national rate, service charge or free.
  2. The provider allocates the number and points it at a destination, typically a phone system or an IVR.
  3. The business publishes the number with its service charge where one applies, for example “Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge”.
  4. Callers dial the number from anywhere in the country; the routing never depends on where the team sits.

There is no line behind a non-geographic number: it always points to another number or platform, which makes moving offices or teams invisible to callers.

Example

A home insurance broker with offices in Swindon and Glasgow publishes a single 0345 number on its website and policy documents. Calls run through a two-option menu and into a shared call queue served by both offices. When Glasgow closes at 5 pm, the queue simply stops offering calls there. Customers pay the same as a local call, and the broker meets the rule that after-sales lines must not cost more than basic rate.

What it means for your business

Before choosing a range, check three things. Is the line for existing customers? If so, stick to 03 or a geographic number. Do callers ring from abroad, where some UK non-geographic numbers can’t be reached? And does a service charge actually help you, or does it put callers off? For most small firms an 03 number gives the national image without the cost objection.

To see which numbers we can provide in the UK and elsewhere, visit global numbering or contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Is an 03 number free to call?

Not free, but it costs the same as calling an 01 or 02 number and is included in most landline and mobile inclusive minutes. Freephone numbers are the 0800 and 0808 ranges.

Can I use an 0845 or 0870 number for customer service?

Not for existing customers calling about a purchase or contract. Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations, those helplines must not cost more than a basic-rate call, which is why many firms moved to 03 numbers.

How is the cost of an 084 or 087 call worked out?

Since 2015 it has two parts: an access charge set by the caller's own phone company, and a service charge set by the business, which must be shown next to the number.

Related terms

  • Freephone number (0800)

    A freephone number is a number that is free for the caller, such as 0800 and 0808 in the UK or 1800 in Ireland. The business pays for the call, so it suits helplines and campaigns where cost could put callers off.

  • Geographic number

    A geographic number is a landline number whose area code points to a place, such as 020 for London or 01 for Dublin. It signals a local presence and is charged as a standard national call.

  • Virtual phone number

    A virtual phone number is a real phone number with no physical line behind it: calls are routed over the internet to a mobile app, a softphone or a phone system, wherever you are.

  • IVR (interactive voice response)

    IVR (interactive voice response) is the automated phone menu that greets callers and routes them based on the keys they press, such as “press 1 for sales, press 2 for support”.

  • Call queue

    A call queue holds incoming callers when every agent is busy and connects them in order of arrival as soon as someone is free, playing music and announcements while they wait.

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