Ringing the changes: do phone numbers still matter? Add to Your Pages
05 January 2019
Britons spend half as much time on the landline but use ten times more mobile data than just six years ago, as new research reveals changing attitudes to the traditional telephone number.
With smartphone ownership increasing, and landline use continuing to fall, Ofcom's latest research suggests remembering phone numbers or even needing to dial them is becoming a thing of the past.
Look who's talking
In recent years, the amount of time we spend talking on the landline has nearly halved, while the amount of mobile data we use has increased almost tenfold.[1]
In 2012, the UK made a total of 103 billion minutes of landline calls, but in 2017 that fell to just 54 billion.
Over the same period, mobile call minutes have increased steadily from 132.1 billion to 148.6 billion, but the average person's monthly mobile data use has soared from 0.2 gigabytes to 1.9 gigabytes.
Reflecting these trends, a new study from Ofcom[2] confirms that younger people prefer to use messaging services, such as WhatsApp, rather than use their phones to talk. As one 18-year-old from Aberdeen told us: Calling someone is a bit daunting. It's much easier and quicker to WhatsApp my friends. If I have to call a company, I'll always try to use webchat if it's available.
By contrast, older people still prefer having a conversation. A 68-year-old participant from Belfast said: I prefer to speak to a person. You can get a better understanding.
When they do ring friends and family, people now rely on contact numbers stored in their phones. A 22-year-old from Belfast admitted: I don't need to remember numbers . It's now common to click on a name or web link on your mobile to call a number, rather than manually dial it.
In the areaThe study also reveals a big difference between older and younger generations in understanding area codes for example, knowing that if someone calls you from a number beginning 01782', they are calling from Stoke-on-Trent.
Younger people generally don't feel strongly about whether area codes represent a particular location. In fact, many don't even know that area codes have geographic significance, often mistaking them for other numbers and associating them with nuisance callers or call centres.
Most older people, on the other hand, recognise what area codes are and trust the codes local to them. They are considered helpful and reassuring when searching for local businesses, and when making and receiving calls. As one 67-year-old from Wrexham put it: It's helpful to know where things are.
What next for phone calls?Changes in technology could revolutionise how phone numbers are used. In the coming years, it will become more common for calls to be made over broadband, rather than traditional telephone lines. Broadband-based call technology does not need area codes to tell it where to send a call, in the same way the traditional phone network does.
As part of the research, people were asked how they would feel about area codes losing their geographic meaning. Some younger people liked the idea of having greater freedom to own a number for life', seeing a number as part of a person's identity. But older people are strongly against losing geographic meaning from area codes.
Liz Greenberg, Head of Numbering at Ofcom, said: Some of us can remember a time when we stored phone numbers in our head, rather than our mobile. But the way we use and feel about telephone numbers is changing.
In the future, as more calls are made over broadband, dialling codes won't need to be fixed to a particular part of the country. So the question is could area codes become a thing of the past?
Ofcom has already begun looking at how UK landline telephone numbers could be managed more effectively in future, including the potential to use blockchain technology . This could make it quicker and easier for landline customers to switch providers while keeping their number, and potentially reduce nuisance calls.
How did area codes come about?There are 1.3 billion landline phone numbers in the UK, of which 400 million are currently allocated to telecoms operators. Ofcom allocates phone numbers, and keeps an eye on how they're used.
When area codes were first created in the 1950s, they had particular significance on a telephone dial. Numbers corresponded to two-letter identifiers, such as AB (22) for Aberdeen. So today, Aberdeen's area code is 01224' (01AB4).
There are 610 area codes in the UK. Due to increased demand for numbers, the numbering system has changed several times over the years. However modern phone keypads still offer clues to how certain area codes first came about.
NOTES TO EDITORS1. Ofcom Communications Market Report, August 2018, Chapter 4.
2. The research was a qualitative study in the form of 14 focus groups and 8 in-depth interviews amongst a cross-section of consumers and businesses across all four UK nations, covering urban, suburban and rural locations.
CONTACTHarry Rippon
harry.rippon@ofcom.org.uk
0300 123 1795
Add to Your Pages
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
03/05/2024
Nielsen said that actors' union SAG-AFTRA has selected Nielsen as its third-party provider of streaming content measurement....
03/05/2024
Cineverse said it has released a public beta version of cineSearch, its artificial intelligence-based system designed to help users find content to watch....
03/05/2024
Court TV said that its series Accomplice to Murder with Vinnie Politan is returning for a second season beginning May 5....
03/05/2024
Paramount Advertising said it is working with Mastercard and research and analytics company EDO to measure the impact of advertising campaigns and improve their...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON The panel The Growth of Local Programming happened at The Busines...
03/05/2024
Katz Media Group said that Craig Broitman will become president of the company, succeeding Leo MacCourtney, who announced that he is retiring effective July 1....
Ringing the changes: do phone numbers still matter? Add to Your Pages 
