08979 numbers
Inserted network numbers
Numbers starting 089 are reserved for non-public uses, such as routeing calls between telephone companies and around the phone network.
The range of numbers starting with 08979 was introduced during October 2018.
What are 08979 numbers?
08979 numbers are known as 'Inserted Network Numbers for Calling Line Identification' and are not usually made public. They are used mostly to help handle incoming calls from outside the UK.
On occasions UK phone companies may receive incoming calls either without details of the original caller's number, or with unreliable information. In such cases, the phone company in question will label the call with an 08979 number before it is connected to its destination.
The 08979 number should not be passed on to the ultimate recipient of the call by the phone network. However, it will be visible to all phone companies that the call passes through and allow them to trace the origins of the call. This assists companies in tackling problem calls.
Why have I received a call from an 08979 number?
The only circumstances where an 08979 number might be displayed as the number for an incoming call would be:
- Phone companies showing an 08979 network number due to a technical error
- Scammers using a completely fake number that happens to start with the digits 08979
- An incorrect number being displayed due to a bug or misconfiguration (for example, the '1' being accidentally missed out of a number from the 01897 area code)
These circumstances are all very rare.
Further information
The telephone companies responsible for each batch of 08979 numbers are as follows:
| 08979 000000 to 08979 009999 | Gamma Telecom |
| 08979 010000 to 08979 019999 | Simwood |
| 08979 020000 to 08979 029999 | Barritel |
| 08979 030000 to 08979 039999 | Magrathea |
| 08979 040000 to 08979 049999 | LocalPhone |
| 08979 050000 to 08979 059999 | Node4 |
| 08979 060000 to 08979 069999 | Vodafone |
| 08979 070000 to 08979 079999 | AQL Wholesale |
| 08979 080000 to 08979 089999 | Ziron |
| 08979 090000 to 08979 099999 | Virgin Media |
| 08979 100000 to 08979 109999 | Microtalk Europe |
| 08979 110000 to 08979 119999 | Suretec Systems |
| 08979 120000 to 08979 129999 | BT |
| 08979 130000 to 08979 139999 | Voxbone |
| 08979 140000 to 08979 149999 | Sky |
| 08979 150000 to 08979 159999 | TelXL |
| 08979 160000 to 08979 169999 | Citrus Telecommunications |
| 08979 170000 to 08979 179999 | VoiceHost |
| 08979 180000 to 08979 189999 | Content Guru |
| 08979 190000 to 08979 199999 | Colt |
| 08979 200000 to 08979 209999 | TalkTalk |
| 08979 220000 to 08979 229999 | Redwood Technologies |
0899 numbers are also reserved for network-level use.