Three Generations of Wylex Consumer Boards.

[JohnW2]

When it was a 3-digit exchange yes, but after conversion to 6-digit numbering, the whole range of 730xxx numbers would have become available for allocation, less a handful for things like engineering test numbers, telephones in the exchange itself, etc.

Good point - I hadn't thought of that ... so I was not as wrong as was suggested

However, keep in mind that although there might be only about 300 houses in the village itself, the exchange will serve places in the surrounding countryside as well, possibly for several miles in all directions. Sometimes an exchange in one village also serves all the homes in another nearby, smaller village too.

Yes, I'd overlooked that as well. AFAIAA, there is only one other (larger) village (the immediately adjacent one) which has similar numbers, but they do, indeed, share the 730xxx and 738xxx ones with our village (as well as also having 733xxx).

And that presumes this is a BT/OpenReach-only village (regardless of who you pay as your service provider). If you have other companies serving the area (e.g. broadband cable, Virgin etc.) then the 738xxx numbers may belong to them.

No 'cable' in this village - only BT copper When I moved here, there were two (probably long-established) phone lines, both with 730xxx numbers. I had two additional ones installed, and they both got 738xxx numbers.

Kind Regards, John

 

[333rocky333]

you have 4 phonelines john

 

[PBC_1966]

AFAIAA, there is only one other (larger) village (the immediately adjacent one) which has similar numbers, but they do, indeed, share the 730xxx and 738xxx ones with our village (as well as also having 733xxx).

So if that's larger, that will account for a good few hundred numbers. Then add in the surrounding area, and you'll soon start getting through them.

 

[Lectrician]

Long before ADSL, ISDN was sold and targeted at homes and businesses under the names Home Highway and Business Highway. These would consume 3 numbers per line. Two "analogue" numbers and a digital number. While ISDN in its naked form is still widely used, the Home Highway and Business Highway products have been retired.

 

[JohnW2]

you have 4 phonelines john

I did - now only 3 - regular domestic phone, a phone in my office and a fax line. having to keep the latter one is a pain, because its virtually never used - I haven't sent a fax for years, and virtually never receive any. However, an awful lot of people know my 'fax number' and, once ever few months, I will therefore receive a fax.

Once upon a time my mother lived in a corner of the house and had a phone of her own - hence the 4th line originally.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

So if that's larger, that will account for a good few hundred numbers. Then add in the surrounding area, and you'll soon start getting through them.

Indeed - as I said, I had totally overlooked that.

Kind Regards, John

 

[AndyPRK]

I'm not surprised your village ran out of numbers

Isn't your line rental rather expensive!

 

[JohnW2]

I'm not surprised your village ran out of numbers Isn't your line rental rather expensive!

Having to pay rental for the fax line is, as I said, a pain, since it's virtually not needed - but a well-known law says that I would miss an important incoming fax the day after I got rid of it, no matter how much I tried to 'inform' people! However, that aside, having one domestic line and one business line surely must be very common in these days of widespread 'home offices'?

Kind Regards, John

 

[Lectrician]

Change it to a VoIP line. Around £8 per month. You can port your existing number, or numbers.

One line, one broadband, two VoIP lines.

Most VoIP services can also email you your voicemails.

I use Team Partners Telecom for mine. They supply VoIP phones, or you can interface them to most PBXs.

 

[AndyPRK]

Are they all with BT ?

I would have thought most people only have a business line only. Using their mobile for personal calls.

A lot of people don't want a landline at all! Only broadband

 

[333rocky333]

years ago, firm I worked for used to advertise one phone number but used to add that they had 10 lines or something, how did that work

 

[Lectrician]

Most businesses with a phone system will have nmultiple lines.

Standard analogue lines can have as many "auxiliary" lines as you want, when the first is engaged, the second rings.

These days, it's more common to see ISDN lines, ISDN 2e providing two channels (lines), multiple ISDN lines for further pairs of lines. ISDN 30 provides 30 lines, although you can pay per channel, so perhaps just 16 or so. ISDN can have one primary number, and then unlimited DDI numbers. DDI numbers are routed by your phone system for specific purposes (depts, extensions etc).

ISDN 2e is supplied over a standard pair, one pair per line (which gives two speech channels). So 4 pairs would be 8 lines. ISDN 30 is typically provided over fibre, not be confused with fibre broadband. ISDN interfaces to your PBX with a cat5 type connector, both for the 2 channel or 30 channel. 30 lines over a single cat5.

 

[333rocky333]

it was an old london number ending 1717, though I recall im sure, I used to get through bypassing the reception by ringing 1718 instead, so would them 10 lines have been numbers 1717 up to 1727

 

[JohnW2]

Are they all with BT ?

Yes.

I would have thought most people only have a business line only. Using their mobile for personal calls. A lot of people don't want a landline at all! Only broadband

You might think so, and it is certainly true that a substantial proportion of 'personal calls' use mobiles, but I cannot actually think of anyone in my social circles or family who does not have a domestic landline. Although, as you imply, this is probably primarily for their broadband, many/most of them seem to also use the landline for a lot of 'personal calls' - maybe it's an age/generation thing Mind you, the iffiness of mobile signals in my area means that I really need a landline!

Ironically, I don't need any sort of telephone line for my broadband, which comes to me 'through the air', rather than down any wire or cable

Kind Regards, John

 

[Lectrician]

If you had a single number and a group of auxiliary lines with it, they would all be a single number. Prior to ISDN, large businesses may have say 10 lines on one number, then a group of lines, each with its own number. The phone system would route the lines to where you wanted them.

These days, DDIs play a huge part. Sold in sequential banks of ten, or individually. You can usually bring a load of random analogue line numbers over to DDI numbers on an ISDN line. A single two channel ISDN line typically costs twice that of a standard line, but you can add a many numbers as you like to it for around a pound each.