020 8 London Numbers

Why an 020 8 number helps your business

An 020 8 number is the familiar number of outer London. It grew out of the old 0181 code, which covered the boroughs and suburbs around the centre, from Croydon and Bromley in the south to Enfield and Harrow in the north. For people who live there, an 020 8 number reads as local: a business that is part of the community rather than a distant head office.

That local feel matters when someone is choosing a plumber, a tutor or a removals firm. A number that looks close to home can help reassure them before they call. With a virtual 020 8 number you get that local identity without needing premises in the area, and calls reach you wherever you are working that day.

About 020 8 numbers

London's area code is 020, and the 8 is the first digit of the eight-digit local number. An 020 8 number is written 020 8xxx xxxx, although many people search for "0208 numbers". In 2000, when London moved to the single 020 code, numbers on the old 0181 code became 020 8 numbers. Because 020 8 shares the same area code as the rest of London, it costs callers the same as any London landline, and calls are usually included in UK landline and mobile plans.

From a London landline, callers can dial just the eight-digit local number. From abroad, they dial +44 20 8xxx xxxx, leaving out the first 0.

Who uses 020 8 numbers

Trades and home services

Builders, electricians, plumbers, cleaners and gardeners who work across the outer boroughs put an 020 8 number on vans, flyers and online listings. Calls can go straight to a mobile, so new jobs are not missed while you are on site.

Local shops, clinics and tutors

Dentists, beauty salons, driving instructors, tutors and independent retailers use an 020 8 number so the neighbourhood they serve sees a local number it recognises.

Firms serving the suburbs from elsewhere

If your team is based outside London but looks after customers in the outer boroughs, an 020 8 number lets you present a local face in those areas without opening a branch.

How your 020 8 number works

Calls to your 020 8 number are diverted to any UK landline, any UK mobile or Alphatalk's cloud phone system. That suits busy trades: send calls to your mobile while you are out on jobs, then switch them to the office or a colleague in a few clicks in myAlphaTalk, our customer portal. Time-of-day routing can send evening calls to voicemail, and voicemail messages can be emailed to you so you can reply when you are free. Call statistics show when customers ring, which helps you plan your week. Every number costs £4.99 a month with 1,000 free UK minutes, and Standard numbers have no setup fee.