Your phone number is safe for now

Telecoms regulator Ofcom has announced there will be no changes to the UK's area codes for now – but premium rate numbers can expect a bit of a shake-up.

The watchdog said it has decided to keep geographically allocated dialling codes the same for the foreseeable future and will be introducing new measures to make sure the UK has enough telephone numbers to go around in the years to come.

Among the measures under consideration is a new system to encourage providers to distribute their allocated blocks of numbers more carefully and to give fixed-line providers fewer numbers in any one allocation.

The watchdog has also mooted the creation of a nationwide 03 number range, which will cost consumers the same as a geographic call.

09 numbers could also be revised to reflect prices, with certain blocks of numbers gradually being allocated to particular services, the regulator said. 07 numbers, used for personalised services, will also be up for a reshuffle and could be converted into 06, to stop consumers confusing them with mobile phone numbers.

Ofcom is also looking to introduce a new system that would effectively ban those providers who have previously been involved in telephone scams from acquiring new numbers.

Ofcom will be consulting on the proposed changes until March.