Digital Select Ltd
Are 01 numbers free to call? Understand UK area codes, call charges and how to use a local business number on your mobile or cloud phone system.
An 01 number is a UK geographic telephone number associated with an area, such as 01603 for Norwich or 01473 for Ipswich. For customers, it offers a familiar way to contact a business. For a business owner, it can provide a consistent contact number even when calls are answered by different people or in different places.
Calls to 01 numbers are often covered by inclusive minutes on mobile and landline plans. They are not universally free: if your plan does not include these calls, or you have used your allowance, your provider’s standard charges apply. Check your tariff before a long call, particularly when calling from abroad.
Check Ofcom’s guide to call costs01 and 02 numbers are geographic: the area code relates to a location. London uses 020, for example. An 03 number is not tied to a particular area and can suit an organisation serving customers nationally. Calls to 03 numbers cost no more than calls to 01 or 02 and count towards relevant inclusive allowances.
Compare business telephone number optionsYes, with a suitable virtual-number or cloud phone service. A plumber working between jobs could publish one local business number and have calls routed to their mobile. An office could send the same number to a shared team, then to voicemail outside opening hours. Ask about forwarding charges, app requirements and what happens when nobody answers before choosing a setup.
See how a cloud phone system worksA virtual geographic number can be answered away from the area, subject to the service provider’s terms. That can help a business manage enquiries from a region it genuinely serves. Use your website to explain your service area clearly; a local number should not imply you have a branch or premises that does not exist.
You may be able to transfer your existing number to a new provider. Before cancelling anything, ask the new provider to check whether the number can be ported and whether other services depend on the existing line. Plan the change around opening hours and test the call routing once the transfer is complete.
Read our number-porting guideStart with where your customers are and how your team works. A Norwich-based firm may want 01603, while a business serving several areas may need separate numbers routed to one team. Decide who answers, what callers hear when you are busy, and how missed calls are followed up. Compare the total monthly cost, including incoming or forwarded calls, rather than the number rental alone.
Explore local business numbersReplace the first zero with +44. For example, 01603 949494 becomes +44 1603 949494. Keep a clickable telephone link on your website so mobile visitors can call without copying the number.
Ofcom’s directory can help you check which area a code belongs to. If you already know the places you serve, tell Digital Select which number you want and how calls should reach your team. We can discuss availability, transferring a number and the call-handling options for your business.
Ask about a local business number