0121 area code
Birmingham
The 0121 area code is for Birmingham and the surrounding area.
Locations using 0121 numbers include:
- Acocks Green
- Ashfield
- Aston Cross
- Beacon
- Bearwood
- Birchfield
- Birmingham
- Blackheath
- Calthorpe
- Castle Bromwich
- Druids Heath
- Edgbaston
- Elmdon
- Erdington
- Fordbridge
- Four Oaks
- Great Barr
- Halesowen
- Harborne
- Highbury
- Hillside
- Kings Norton
- Oldbury
- Rectory
- Rowley Regis
- Rubery
- Selly Oak
- Sheldon
- Shirley
- Smallbrook
- Smethwick
- Solihull
- Springfield
- Stechford
- Stone Cross
- Streetly
- Sutton Coldfield
- Tipton
- Wednesbury
- West Bromwich
- Woodgate
Most numbers using the 0121 area code are normal Birmingham landlines but be aware that, as is the case for all UK area codes, such numbers may also be used for services without any physical link to the area. (More info)
0121 area code information
| Area code: | 0121 |
| Location: | Birmingham |
| Ceremonial county: | West Midlands |
| Local number length: | 7 digits |
| Number format: | 0121 xxx xxxx |
| International number format: | +44 121 xxx xxxx |
| Last code change: | April 1995 (previously 021) |
All numbers starting 0121 are part of the Birmingham area code. This includes 01212 numbers, 01213 numbers, 01214 numbers, 01215 numbers, 01216 numbers, 01217 numbers and all other numbers that start with the digits 0121, regardless of how the number is displayed or what the following digits are.
History of the 0121 area code
The modern system of phone numbering for Birmingham effectively started in 1966 when the area switched to an all-numeric system of seven-digit phone numbers. Birmingham was one of just six cities in the UK thought likely to have sufficient demand to require seven-digit numbers at this time.
Birmingham was allocated the area code of 021 and its phone numbers were originally organised in a distinct pattern:
- Central area: 021 2xx xxxx and 6xx xxxx
- North: 021 3xx xxxx
- East: 021 7xx xxxx
- South: 021 4xx xxxx
- West: 021 5xx xxxx
Within these sectors, individual exchanges had their own distinct identities. For example, Selly Oak telephone exchange used the batch of numbers starting 021 472.
Many more blocks of numbers have been brought into use since and in many cases these do not follow the original patterns. For example, the block of local numbers starting with 250 is for Virgin Media lines and can be used anywhere in the area, not just the original 'Central' area.
The most recent significant change to phone numbers in Birmingham was in 1995, when the 021 area code became 0121 as part of nationwide renumbering. No changes to local numbers were made at this time.