0121 is the geographical code for Birmingham city in England. Did Birmingham always have this area code? What if we call a local number in the city without dialing this area code will our calls still be entertained? And how can we get our own numbers similar to this?
This guide aims to answer all these questions in the following sections.
Part 1: What is 0121 Area Code?
0121 is the telephone area code for the UK’s second largest city, Birmingham. This historic city is situated in the West Midlands region in England.
Birmingham has some revolution-era landmarks that pronounce this city as a manufacturing powerhouse in the 18th century. It has a population around 1.08 million people and it’s known for its art galleries, cafes and infrastructure.
The 0121 area code is a 4-digit geographical location code used for telecommunication in Birmingham. This area code is being used in dialing more than 520,000 numbers in the Birmingham vicinity.
If you are trying a local number in Birmingham you will have to add this area code (0121) otherwise your call won’t connect. But in case you are present in the Birmingham city, you won’t need any area code to reach out to any nearby phone numbers.
Other than Birmingham, there are some nearby suburbs which use the 0121 area code. These localities include:
- Altrincham
- Ashton-under-Lyne
- Bolton
- Bramhall
- Bury
- Chadderton
- Cheadle
- Cheadle Hulme
- Denton
- Droylsden
- Dukinfield
- Eccles
- Failsworth
- Gatley
- Hale (Trafford)
- Hattersley
- Hazel Grove
- Heywood
- Hollinfare
- Hyde (Tameside)
- Irlam
- Lees
- Liverpool
- Marple
- Middleton (Rochdale)
- Northwich
- Oldam
- Partington
- Radcliffe
- Rhodes
- Romiley
- Royton
- Sale
- Salford
- Shaw (Oldham)
- Stalybridge
- Stockport
- Stretford
- Swinton
- Uppermill
- Urmston
- Walkden
- Whitefield
- Wilmslow
- Worsley
Before the PHONEday, 16th April 1995, the area code for Birmingham was 021. Back then vintage rotary dial phones were used, and area codes were assigned as a combination of alphabet and number.
So, the area code for Birmingham was actually B1 which when dialed on the rotary phones became 021.
But in 1995, it was brought into consideration that if this remained the area code sequence, the country would soon face the shortage of new alphabets and numbers to contain the increasing traffic in telecommunication.
Consequently, it was decided to change all area codes in the country from 3-digit to 4-digits. This increased the numbering sequence by 10 folds and hence area code of Birmingham became 0121 from 021.
Part 2: Dialing 0121 Area Code in the UK and From Abroad
Area codes help network servers in narrowing the circle on the surrounding of the town or place you are trying to reach. They basically separate different geographical boundaries and hence assist you in accessing the desired number faster.
Without area codes, you would have to spend hours in the network provider office to get the match of the number you want to call out of million users.
To avoid this inconvenience, correct dial formats have been devised. If you follow them correctly there are fewer chances that the network will drop your call midway. Those correct formats are:
- If you are reaching out to a local number in Birmingham from the same city, the format of the call would be only the local number. i.e. XXX XXXX.
- If you are calling Birmingham number from any other city, the format would be city code with local number i.e. 0121 XXX XXXX
- If you are trying to access a local number in Birmingham from outside UK, the correct format would be:
-
- Dialing the international access code i.e. 00.
- Next, enter the country code for the UK i.e. 44.
- Follow this by Birmingham area code i.e. 121. Note there is no need to enter the trunk code “0” in the international calls.
- Finally, dial your desired local number i.e. XXX XXXX. Your internationally dialed Birmingham number will look like this 00 44 121 XXX XXXX.
Part 3: How Much Does Calling 0121 Area Code Cost?
No one can be sure enough to tell you how much your next call to your friend is going to cost but after studying prominent trends in the network cost graphs, we are now able to tell that landlines are cheaper than mobile phones.
Landline call charges vary between 5p-20p per minute depending upon if you call in peak or off peak hours. While a mobile phone will get you something between 30p-50p per minute regardless of the time of the day you call.
Conclusion
To sum, the confusion in area codes can be avoided if you thoroughly understand these simple formatting rules. We hope to have addressed all your questions regarding 0121 area code. If you have any further queries, you can check our website to get more info.
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