Lisburn telephone exchange code

The Lisburn telephone exchange code refers to the former 01846 area code, which until the 2000 Big Number Change, served Lisburn, Aghalee, Moira, Hillsborough, Dromore, Maze, Stoneyford and Baillies Mills, all of which are in Northern Ireland, a constituent part of the United Kingdom. This area gained 92 and changed to eight digit numbers, under the new 028 area code.

Before STD

Before STD (Subscriber Trunk Dialling) codes were introduced in Northern Ireland, during the 1960s and 1970s, an operator based system was in operation. Each subscriber had short (usually 3 or 4 digit) number within the local exchange. For example, the post office in Dromore was Dromore 201.[1]

0846 and 08462

When STD was introduced to the area in the early 1970s, the local towns and villages around Lisburn all scrapped their three digit numbers (with the exception of Stoneyford) and added an extra three digits. These towns used 0846 + six digits.

• Moira took 611, therefore Moira 369 became 611369.
• Maze took 621, therefore Maze 249 became 621249.
• Baillies Mills took 638, therefore Baillies Mills 775 became 638775.
• Aghalee took 651, therefore Aghalee 276 became 651276.
• Hillsborough took 682, therefore Hillsborough 477 became 682477.
• Dromore took 692, therefore Dromore 201 became 692201.

Dialling a number any of the aforementioned exchanges, from another area code was achieved by simply using (0846) xxxxxx.

However Lisburn, which already had four and five digit numbers, used the code 084 62.

To call Lisburn 2201/Lisburn 77712 from another area code (outside 0846), one dialled (084 62) 2201/(084 62) 77712.[2]

1989 changes

In 1989, numbers in Lisburn town were adjusted to bring them into line with the surrounding area.

• Four digit numbers gained 66, therefore Lisburn 2201 became 662201
• Five digit numbers, commencing with '7', gained 6, therefore Lisburn 77712 became 677712.
• Five digit numbers, commencing with '8', lost the first digit and gained 60 in its place. Lisburn 81114 became 601114.

This meant that Lisburn town could use the 0846 code.[3]

1993 changes

In 1993, many changes were made throughout the country in preparation for phONE day in 1995. Many of the changes were eliminating 3-digit and 4-digit subscriber numbers in rural exchanges.

The only exchange affected in the 0846 area was Stoneyford. It had 3 and 4 digit numbers and used the area code 084 664.

• Three digit numbers would gain 648, so Stoneyford 299 became 648299.
• Four digit numbers would gain 64, so Stoneyford 8149 became 648149.

Thus, Stoneyford became 0846.

PhONEday

"PhONEday", on 16 April 1995 meant the addition of the number '1' to every area code in the United Kingdom. 0846 therefore became 01846. The subscriber numbers were unchanged.

Big Number Change

The Big Number Change on 22 April 2000 was the introduction of eight-digit local numbers to areas of the country where there was a shortage of numbers under the six-digit/seven-digit system. Belfast's 01232 code was approaching its limit and with unavailability of a 011x area code, the decision was made to change the whole province to 028. Numbers in the 01846 area, which was deemed part of the 'Greater Belfast Area' were given the 92 prefix on the existing number.

• [phone] became [phone]
• [phone] became [phone]
• [phone] became [phone]

Calling within the original 01846 area now meant the inclusion of '92' irrespective of whether the number was your exchange or not. However it did omit the need to include the area code when calling other areas of the province.[4]

Today

Nowadays, with the expansion of the area, more local numbers have been introduced. Here is a list of first 4/5 digits of the local number and area it covers.

• 920x xxxx – Greater Lisburn (Recently introduced)
• 921x xxxx – Greater Lisburn (Recently introduced)
• 925x xxxx – Greater Lisburn (Recently introduced)
• 9261 xxxx – Moira and Upper/Lower Ballinderry
• 9262 1xxx to 9262 2xxx – Mazetown and Long Kesh
• 9262 8xxx to 9262 9xxx – Greater Lisburn
• 9263 0xxx to 9263 7xxx – Greater Lisburn
• 9263 8xxx to 9263 9xxx – Baillies Mills and Temple
• 9264 0xxx to 9264 7xxx – Greater Lisburn
• 9264 8xxx – Stoneyford
• 9265 xxxx – Aghalee, Aghagallon and Gawley's Gate.
• 9266 xxxx – Greater Lisburn
• 9267 xxxx – Greater Lisburn
• 9268 xxxx – Hillsborough, Culcavy and Annahilt
• 9269 xxxx – Dromore

See also

• List of dialling codes in the United Kingdom
• Telecommunications in the United Kingdom
• Telephone numbering plan
• Lisburn City Council
• Big Number Change

References

1. Dromore Leader | accessdate=2007-12-01
2. "Lisburn Borough Guide 1975". Retrieved 1 December 2007.
3. R.B.A.I. School News: Winter 1990 | accessdate=2007-12-01
4. Telephone numbering in the United Kingdom

External links

• UK Numbering Policy section of Ofcom's website
• UK National Telephone Numbering Plan (in PDF format)
• UK Future Numbering Plan from Ofcom's website
• UK phone information - now outdated
• UK phone numbering in the 1960s to 1990s