A recent version of the OFTEL Specified Numbering Scheme (issued 7 June 2000) paves the way for yet another round of number changes, this time affecting the South East and South of England, and the Home Counties (Oxford, Reading and the surrounding area).
It looks as if at least two separate numbering areas are involved, but it is not easy to deduce the precise boundaries between them.
However, no formal announcements have yet been made regarding this renumbering, and OFTEL have indicated that no changes will take place without public consulation, so please do not assume that that renumbering will take place as indicated, or, indeed, at all.
"DE" digits have been designated in the following areas, and the same "DE" digits have been "protected" in adjacent areas):
DE Code Area
20 01342 East Grinstead
21 01825 Uckfield
22 01794 Romsey
23 ? ; 0118 Reading (for 3xx xxxx to move to 23xx xxxx?)
24 01420 Alton
25 01323 Eastbourne
26 01737 Redhill; 01628 Maidenhead
27 01256 Basingstoke
28 ?; 01295 Banbury
29 01444 Haywards Heath; 0118 Reading (for 9xx xxxx to move to 29xx
xxxx?)
30 01227 Canterbury
31 01306 Dorking; 01608 Chipping Norton
32 01730 Petersfield
33 ?
34 01435 Heathfield
35 01329 Fareham
36 01798 Pulborough @
37 (already reserved for Southampton expansion)
38 01895 Uxbridge
39 01932 Weybridge
40 01304 Dover
41 01580 Cranbrook; 01993 Witney
42 ?
43 01732 Sevenoaks
44 01233 Ashford
45 01962 Winchester
46 01489 Fareham
47 ?
48 01795 Sittingbourne
49 01483 Guildford; #
50 ?
51 01303 Folkestone
52 ?; 01869 Bicester
53 01264 Andover
54 ?
55 ?
56 01892 Tunbridge Wells
57 ?
58 ?
59 01243 Chichester; 01635 Newbury
60 01474 Gravesend
61 01883 Caterham
62 ?; 01488 Hungerford
63 01252 Aldershot
64 ?
65 01273 Brighton
66 01372 Esher
67 01959 Westerham
68 ?
69 01293 Crawley
70 01797 Rye; 01844 Thame
71 01983 Isle of Wight
72 01322 Dartford
73 ?
74 ?; 01491 Henley-on-Thames
75 01689 Orpington
76 ?
77 ?
78 ?
79 01425 Burley *; 01280 Buckingham
80 (already in use for Southampton); 01865 Oxford (#)
81 ?
82 01424 Hastings
83 01590 Lymington *; 01344 Bracknell
84 ?
85 ?
86 ?
87 ?
88 01843 Thanet
89 ?
90 01634 Medway; 01908 Milton Keynes
91 01622 Maidstone; 01296 Aylesbury
92 (already in use for Portsmouth); 01784 Staines
93 (already reserved for Portsmouth expansion); 01753 Slough
94 01903 Worthing
95 01276 Camberley; 01235 Abingdon
96 ?; 01367 Faringdon
97 01428 Haslemere *&* 01798 Pulborough @; 01494 High Wycombe
98 01403 Horsham
99 <not available>
@ In this case, it looks if the intention is to combine two adjacent groups (01428 and 01798) on the same DE digits. The DE digits currently "allocated" in each of these groups have been "protected" in the other. However both DE digits "97" and DE digits "36" have been "designated" in 01798.
# DE digits "49" were already designated in 01865 Oxford. This may reflect a change of plan.
* If Bournemouth (DE digits "21" already designated) is *not* part of the "south-east" area, then some other groups listed above (01425 and 01590, for instance) may belong in the same area as Bournemouth.