03 numbers are the UK-wide range Ofcom introduced so organisations could have a national presence without charging customers premium rates. The core rule, set by Ofcom: a call to an 03 number must cost no more than a call to an equivalent 01/02 geographic number — and calls to 03 are included in inclusive minutes and bundle allowances on landline and mobile tariffs.
Sources: Ofcom's 03 number range rules and call-costs guide; gov.uk call charges.
What the caller pays
| Caller's tariff | Cost to call 03 |
|---|---|
| Mobile with inclusive minutes | Included — comes out of the bundle |
| Landline with call package | Included in most packages |
| Pay-as-you-go / out of bundle | Geographic rate — same as calling an 01/02 number |
That "included in the bundle" line is the whole trick: for most callers, phoning an 03 number feels free even though you as the business aren't funding every minute.
Why 03 beat 0845
Before 03, the default "national" choice was 084/087 ranges — numbers where the caller pays a service charge on top of the access charge, which became a trust problem and a regulatory headache. Ofcom's answer was 03: no revenue share is permitted on the range, so callers never pay a service charge, and businesses get a number that's comfortable to print on a van, a website or a charity letterhead.
- Trust: callers recognise 03 as "normal rate" — no bill-shock stories
- Bundles: included in most mobile and landline allowances, unlike 084/087
- National identity: one number everywhere, but callers pay local-call rates
- Public-sector friendly: 03 became the standard for councils, NHS services and charities (0344/0343 variants included)
What the business pays
03 numbers carry a monthly rental plus per-minute inbound forwarding, typically cheaper to run than 0800 because there's no freephone premium. DIDcomms' published pricing (checked September 2026):
- UK-wide 03 numbers from £9.97/month inc VAT, with 4,903 available numbers to choose from
- Pay As You Go option: no monthly fee, per-minute billing only
- Every number includes forwarding to 3 destinations, voicemail-to-email, call whisper, business-hours routing, missed-call and spend alerts; auto attendant and call queue on Pay Monthly
03 vs 0800 — which one?
| Situation | Pick |
|---|---|
| You want to remove every barrier to calling (sales, complaints, vulnerable customers) | 0800 |
| You want national presence at everyday running cost | 03 |
| You're replacing an old 0845 number and want callers to trust the change | 03 (or port 0845 and keep routing) |
| You're in the public sector or a charity | 03 (0300 for public bodies) |
Many businesses run both: 03 for the main line, 0800 for the moments where "free" closes the deal.
Getting an 03 number
Choose an available 03 number, set your forwarding destination, and it's active immediately. Like all UK number ranges, 03 numbers can port between providers, and calls can forward to any UK or international destination — which matters as the PSTN switch-off approaches, because a virtual 03 number isn't tied to any physical line.
FAQs
Are 03 numbers free to call?
Why did businesses move from 0845 to 03?
Can an 03 number include revenue share for my business?
How much does an 03 number cost a business?
Can I forward an 03 number to a mobile or abroad?
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