Market For "Memorable" Phone Numbers?

[EnglishTeacher]

I was just wondering if there is any market for telephone numbers (and if so, which places), please? I am making a career change into a vocational area, so a memorable number is not particularly important to me at this time/in future: "0208-123-0-579" (it is a Skype number that can redirect to other landlines, etc.).

 

[stevelook2]

I know there is a market for ‘gold’ mobile numbers.

They are on eBay all the time, but as ever never look at what people are asking a completed listing search would give a better idea of what they are getting. landlines may be different you would have to check the T&Cs of your agreement on if you are allowed to sell the number on as a single entity rather than a complete business.

I use Voipfone and they offer different tiers of memorable landline numbers starting at £50. One like yours would likely be in that category if not free.

 

[EnglishTeacher]

I know there is a market for ‘gold’ mobile numbers.

They are on eBay all the time, but as ever never look at what people are asking a completed listing search would give a better idea of what they are getting. landlines may be different you would have to check the T&Cs of your agreement on if you are allowed to sell the number on as a single entity rather than a complete business.

I use Voipfone and they offer different tiers of memorable landline numbers starting at £50. One like yours would likely be in that category.

Noted, thank you.

 

[webber]

0208-123-0-579

I don't think that would class as memorable.
See https://www.ttnc.co.uk/phone-numbers/memorable-numbers
I paid low £xxx for some numbers over the years.
I had 07xxx123123 a while ago and now I use 07xxxxx6666 and 0333 444 xxxx

 

[webber]

You can port a landline to a voip provider:
https://help.ttnc.co.uk/docs/porting-a-number-to-ttnc

 

[webber]

your telephone number as it is only allocated to you, you do not own it.

Indeed you don't own it, but that's also the case with domain names or leasehold properties. The moment you stop paying a subscription / renewal / rent, you will loose rights over it.
If I was you, I would immediately try to get the number away from BT and into a Voip provider (TTNC have been around for years and are very good). From then on you can sell / use it as you like.
Complain to Ofcom if they refuse to port the number.

 

[stevelook2]

We use VOIP at work and will eventually port it over - just don't have the time and also can't be bothered at the moment to have the fight, as they will undoubtedly make it difficult again.

Cheers!

If they refuse it would be a clear case for Ofcom to intervene.

I recently moved my memorable number from Virgin to Voipfone, the process was seamless.

Once a number is moved if you were to cancel it the new provider has to return it to the provider who originally had/own the number.

 

[Siusaidh]

Personally I wish, with advancing tech, we could reserve memorable words or phrases as well as numbers. I have strong verbal memory and poor numerical memory. I realise we can 'save' numbers on our phones, and so the cool idea of kind of owning a domain-style phone word is rendered unnecessary, but I'd love my kids to be able to key in 'OurCatJemima' (who no-one else knows was called Jemima) and press 'call'. Or a customer to be granted access to a memorable verbal password, key it in, and get put through to me. I don't see why we need to be limited to numbers. I guess because numbers is the system we have, it's simple, and it works.

I've often day-dreamed about how domain names (or a similar registry system) could be developed for wider use in other walks of life. (And of course, in the day dream, suddenly domain values go up significantly - I bet I'm not the only person who's day-dreamed that.) Probably the risk from advancing tech is in the other direction, with DNS getting superceded by a different access system

I have a number that includes 007 which really helps someone with a weak numerical memory like me, but rather like the 123 mentioned above, on its own I wouldn't think that has much value.

 

[DropCatcher-co-uk]

I paid about £100 for 07xxx 600 900 over 10 years ago. Was happy with the purchase and porting was easy. I would say the market is small because once you obtained one there is little need to go on and purchase more or change it ever.