STD Code Conundrum

[Dusty Bin]

I work in a retail outlet whose distribution centre is in Larne, Northern Ireland.

The distribution centre's telephone numbers have all been changed this month.

"So what?" you may ask, but not only that, the dialling codes are now no longer 02828 (for Larne, NI), but instead they're 01455, which is Hinckley, Leicestershire.

What's going on? How can they do this for landlines?

[craft1948]

If you were a BT homeworker in the north of England regardless of where your home was your business number was 01977 which I believe was Pontefract (you can do anything with digitally switched networks.)

[Dusty Bin]

Sorry, I don't understand what a digitally switched network is - can you explain more please?

Also why would the company do this?

[ChuckFickens]

I'd say the likely reason is the company has changed over to a single, central phone system in Hinckley with the outreach offices/depots connected to that phone system via a VOIP trunk (i,e. over the internet)

It's how I'd do it anyhow.

[boxtops]

We have a new system on our phones at work where each of us has our own phone number (say, 01227 STD) and wherever we log into the phone system in offices in different towns, our number goes with us. I can be in Ashford and people can reach me on a Canterbury dialling code. Very clever.

[Dusty Bin]

I just didn't know that sort of thing was possible. Fair enough.

Thanks for your answers.

[Dusty Bin]

A little bit of web searching has now shown me that the distribution company has a large site in Lutterworth, near Hinckley, so I suppose that's where their single, central phone system is.

[mike11111]

I can be in Ashford and people can reach me on a Canterbury dialling code. Very clever.
As Ashford is in Kent and not a kick of the arse off Canterbury, I fail to see the cleverness. Long gone are the days when a call would begin, "Hello, can you connect me with WHItehall 1212?"

[ChuckFickens]

So it's Asda then :)