Linked numbering scheme

A linked numbering scheme (LNS) is a telephone numbering plan in effect in a service area within which call routing between subscriber lines on adjacent exchanges does not require a dialing code. It is a form of open dialling plan.

The largest linked numbering scheme in the UK is that for the London telephone area, formerly known as the London Director area. Within the area, several million subscribers can call each other by dialing a uniform code. For example, anyone calling from an (020) number can reach Transport for London travel enquiries by dialing 7222 1234.

Smaller schemes apply outside London. Uxbridge, for example, has the subscriber trunk dialing (STD) code 01895. Uxbridge exchange is the parent for Denham, Harefield, Ruislip and West Drayton; anyone connected to any of those exchanges can call any of the others without having to prefix the number with 01895. This is achieved by giving subscriber lines on each exchange different prefix numbers, thus: all numbers are six-figure; Denham numbers start with 83, Harefield with 82, Ruislip with 6 and West Drayton with 4. Uxbridge numbers start with 2 or 81. All calls must have all six digits dialled - even if a subscriber is on Denham exchange and is calling another subscriber on Denham exchange, they must still dial 83xxxx.

Incoming calls from any other exchange for a subscriber on any of the five exchanges must all be prefixed with the same 01895 code.

The terminology linked numbering scheme is not used in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) as all numbers are constructed from a 3-digit area code which covers not one exchange but all or a large part of a state or province, followed by the 7-digit subscriber number, of which the first three digits identify the telephone exchange to which the subscriber loop is connected.

Each area may contain many exchanges in different towns or districts.

A local call in this scheme, standardised for the 1951 introduction of direct-dial long distance calling, was originally dialled as a fixed-length seven-digit number and did not require an area code. In some cases, a local call to a number just across an area code boundary could be seven digits if an exchange code protection scheme prevented the same prefixes being assigned to local numbers in the other area code.

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