Contract numbers

[pp05]

Do mobile networks give new numbers on new lines or do they give recycled ones? If latter, can one ask them to issue a new one?

[Workaholic]

I'm sure they give out new numbers or if they do give out recycled ones, only after a certain period of time so that any of the old user's contacts don't ring you...

[mrbanana]

Orange put the used numbers from cancelled contracts on hold for 6 months then reallocate them.

[Funkstar]

i'm pretty sure that is common practise. There are only so many numbers out there and with something like 30million phones in the UK and people changing their numbers every 6 minths to a year (or more if you are like a couple of people i know) then are will need to re-cycle numbers pretty quickly.

[manwithnoname]

A little off topic
Funskstar - I would have guessed at about 30 million mobile phones in the UK as well, but O2 and Vodofone reckon they have about 16 million each, then add on T-mobile, Orange, '3' ... etc Must be more connections than whole population of the UK

I know a few business users may have a Mobile (for calls) and a blackberry (for email) but it doesn't seem to add up.

[Funkstar]

I just plucked 30million out of this air to be honest, wouldn't surprise me if it is a lot higher

had a quick search about. here is some stats from Oftel:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archi...12mobr0403.htm

QAlthough it's from 2003 it is the most recent on that particular site. According to it 34.5million adults in the UK have mobiles, that is 75% penetration. I'm sure there must be others more reasent information out there, but this internet connection is really slow and painfull.

[pp05]

Mine was a recycled one. I rang up network and they assigned me a new No. Hope this one isn't like former.

[Nick]

There is a finite number of mobile phone numbers in the UK... Want to know how many?

999,999,999 to be precise.

Jeez I hate insomnia.