Ofcom has started a second consultation on the future of telephone
numbers as the PSTN/ISDN evolves into all VoIP over the next five
years. Ofcom proposes that operators will no longer need to offer
local dialling without an area code, as already happens for mobiles
and some cities. Revenue sharing will be banned on geographic and 03
numbers. Existing loose rules on telephone numbers been allocated
geographically will remain, out of area numbers will still be allowed
for businesses, but Ofcom does not plan to issue detailed guidelines
on what area code is applicable for each post code, the industry will
choose.