You two...
...are complete numpties.

Aberdeen may be (01224) 666666 (a 5 digit dialling code)
but Leeds is (0114) 5555555 (a 4 digit dialling code)
and London is (020) 77777777 (a 3 digit dialling code)

The dialing code is whatever number of digits you do NOT have to dial if you are in the area you are calling from.

If you are in Leeds, you don't have to dial the 0114 before another Leeds number. However in London you can only drop the 020 at the beginning - the rest you have to dial. If you have an 020 7 number (inner London), you still start a local call with a 7 (or an 8, for outer London).

This isn't about fucking around with the brackets because Londoners are poncey, it's about how the telephone system works. The bigger the city, the fewer digits it has as a dialing code, because it needs more possible numbers for all the people in the area.

If it bothers you that Londoners think that people in the rest of the country are thick, then don't give them ammunition!
(annexed, Tue 21 Oct 2008, 14:21, 2 replies)

Numpty?
That's as maybe, but it doesn't alter the fact that you must dial 02072 from outside London in order to reach a number in 'inner' London.

As for what you must dial from within London, I struggle to care.
(Dr. Scambolic, Tue 21 Oct 2008, 15:00, closed)

You are so wrong.
Go away and read this before coming back.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_telephone_code_misconceptions
( cupboardy, Tue 21 Oct 2008, 17:53, closed)

*Rolls eyes*
Please look here.

And here.
(Dr. Scambolic, Tue 21 Oct 2008, 22:09, closed)

Yes, numpty
I'm afraid you don't seem to understand the concept of a dialling code - which was the theme of the original post after all.

Let's try moving up a level. Do you accept that the international dialling code for the UK is 0044? Yes? Splendid. Do you have to dial 0044 to call a number within the UK? No. You are in the UK, therefore it is unnecesary.

Now let us try it again. The London dialling code is 020. Do you have to dial 020 to call a number within London? No.

And finally. If you have a phone number starting 02072 (using your example) do you have to dial 02072 to call within your area? YES. The 7 and 2 are put of the phone number, not part of the dialling code. You have to start, 72xxxxxx. To hammer the point home, say you live in Leeds and your phone number starts 011457. You still have to start calls to numbers that begin with 57 with the 57 because the dial code is 0114.

Go read cupboardy's wikipedia link again. Consider the fact that a whole page exists on the subject of misconceptions means that misconceptions are quite common. Especially common for people who live outside of London. Do you live outside of London? Is it just possible that this misconception might apply to you? Answer: Yes. You're a numpty.
(annexed, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 13:48, closed)

There's no such thing as "inner" or "outer" London as far as the numbers are concerned
Numbers beginning with "8" can also be located in central London.

If my number is (020) 8123 4567 - then you have no idea where I am located: Central or Greater London. The 020 simply tells you that it is London.. full stop.
(EuroSong I love horse meat: best of all the animals, Tue 21 Oct 2008, 20:51, closed)

Yes, there is
You CAN have an 020 7 or 020 8 number anywhere in London, however the overwhelming majority of 020 7 numbers are inner London, and 020 8 numbers outer London.

When they changed the 01 prefix to 071 and 081, the 071 numbers were for inner London, and the 081 for outer London. What your definition of inner and outer is doesn't really matter - there was a rough cutoff point (around the boundary of London transport Zones 2/3) where you went from 071 to 081. When it changed to 020 this pattern was continued.
(annexed, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 13:33, closed)