- Prefix
0131 4- Area
- Edinburgh
- Number type
- Geographic landline (01/02)
- Format
0131 4XX XXXX- From abroad
+44 131 4XX XXXX- Ofcom blocks in range
- 100
- Blocks in service
- 40
- Range holders
- 8
What are 0131 4XX XXXX numbers?
Any UK number matching 0131 4XX XXXX sits in the
0131 dialling code for Edinburgh.
Ofcom hands these numbers to communications providers in blocks; this range
contains 100 blocks, of which
40 are allocated and usable. Calls from these
numbers are typically homes and businesses in the Edinburgh area — or
organisations elsewhere that keep a local 0131 presence using
VoIP.
0131 496 0000 falls in this range and is reserved by Ofcom for TV and radio dramas — it can never connect to a real subscriber, which is why we use it as the live example above.
Who holds 0131 4… number ranges?
| Range holder (allocated by Ofcom) | Number blocks | Example range |
|---|---|---|
| BT | 20 | 0131 440 XXXX |
| Vodafone Ltd (C&W) | 8 | 0131 459 XXXX |
| Virgin Media Limited | 7 | 0131 462 XXXX |
| Colt Technology Services | 1 | 0131 460 XXXX |
| Digital Space Group Limited | 1 | 0131 461 XXXX |
| GCI Network Solutions Limited | 1 | 0131 457 XXXX |
| Localphone Limited | 1 | 0131 471 XXXX |
| Lumen Technologies UK Limited | 1 | 0131 464 XXXX |
Ofcom’s data shows the provider each number range was originally allocated to — not who holds an individual number today. Numbers are frequently moved (ported) between providers, and no public database reveals the person or business behind a specific number, so treat any service that claims to with suspicion.
Not every block in this range is in service: of the 100 blocks Ofcom lists, 55 are protected (reserved by Ofcom and not in use) and 5 are free/unallocated. A call appearing to come from an unallocated block is a strong sign of a spoofed number.
Is a call from a 0131 4… number safe?
A local-looking number is never proof of who is calling: fraudsters spoof 0131 caller IDs so their calls look like they come from Edinburgh (‘neighbour spoofing’). If an unexpected caller asks for personal, banking or one-time-code details, hang up and ring the organisation back on a number you find independently. To put a name to a caller, see who called me?; to report one, see how to report a scam number.
Check a specific 0131 4XX XXXX number
Paste any full number into the checker above (or on the main phone number checker) to see its exact range holder and allocation status from this week’s Ofcom data.
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