FAQ

About the site:

  1. What is the MNNC?
  2. What does the MNNC do?
  3. How does the MNNC work?
  4. Why does the MNNC exist?

Site Re-design:

  1. When will the re-designed site be ready?
  2. What features will there be on the new site?
  3. What will be available at the launch?

Using the Search:

  1. Is the MNNC up to date?
  2. Do I have to log in to use the MNNC
  3. Are my numbers used in any way?

Results Questions

  1. Why does the MNNC not give the correct network for my number?
  2. Can I find a person from a mobile number / Can I get trace the caller from a mobile number?
  3. Can I find who sent an abusive / prank text (SMS) message?
  4. Is the number on a contract or is it a Pay-as-you-go/talk phone?
  5. Is this number a personal number or a commercial number?
  6. Can I find out where a mobile phone was bought from?

Other Numbers

  1. I have an old pre-07 mobile number - what would the prefix number be now?
  2. What the deal with the 070/075/076 numbers?
  3. I had this number call me, 05601xxxxxx. What do you make of it?

About the site

  1. What is the MNNC?

    The MNNC stands for the Mobile Number Network Checker.

  2. What does the MNNC do?

    Almost exactly what it says it does. It checks which network a UK mobile number or service (prefixed by 070/075/076/077/078/079) was originally assigned to. This can also work with personal numbering (070) and paging services (076).

  3. How does the MNNC work?

    It works by comparing the first 6 digits (not 5 as most people would think) of a mobile number to its database of stored numbers that then gives back the network that number was originally registered to. This database is built from files offered freely by OfCom. The key file that I use to fill my database can be found at Ofcom Administrered Numbers.

  4. Why does the MNNC exist?

    On 28th April 2001, as part of the National Code and Number Change, all mobile numbers had to start with a standard 07 prefix. Before this it was possible to work out which network a number might have been on. Although numbers can now be transfered from one network provider to another, the MNNC can work out which network the number was originally registered to. This allows you more confidence about ringing numbers on the same network (if you get free calls etc). Recent phone scams also encourage you to ring certain 07 numbers (to then charge you at high costs per minute) — by using the MNNC you could see that this number was not one of the major known-name networks, and so approach ringing the number with extreme caution. As for why I decided to build the MNNC, it was mostly as a practice project, which found a niche on the Internet — there simply was not that many websites that could offer the same service. I continued to develop it in my free time, and add more features.

Site Re-design

  1. When will the re-designed site be ready?

    I’m currently working on it, though getting it all up and running to the level it was may take a while. I can’t guarantee dates.
    The existing search can still be accessed although other areas of the site are not currently working.

  2. What features will there be on the new site?

    The features that are currently planned include:

    • A new layout (see below), though this may well change slightly
    • AJAX results feature for those that support it, standard return of results for those that don’t
    • News/Blog section for the site
    • Changes behind the scenes that basically amount to a complete rewrite
    • Statistics area that includes charts updating in real time
    • A members section, which will include other useful tools.

    Screenshot of the future look of MNNC.net

  3. What will be available at the launch?

    If I can get the search working as before, then I’ll be happy. The other bits can be added in as and when they are done. :o)

Using the Search

  1. Is the MNNC up to date?

    The database table which is used to return the network provider is updated every couple of months. The latest allocation information can be found in the footer of the existing search page, and probably somewhere different in the new site.

  2. Do I have to log in to use the MNNC

    No. Head to the search page, type in your number, and away you go.

  3. Are my numbers used in any way?

    See the data privacy statement for more information (not written yet for the new site). In short, yes, your numbers are used, but ONLY as a way of measuring the usage and popularity of the site. They are NOT used in terms of me ringing you (!), or will ever be passed on to anyone else. The data that is stored is actually just a list of mobile numbers (which anyone can make up) and the network they are linked to (which, again, anyone can find out using the OfCom link above). Your name, email address or other details are not entered anywhere, and so this can not be linked to the mobile phone number you entered.
    Of course, you only need to enter the first 6 digits of any number anyway to get a result.

Results Questions

  1. Why does the MNNC not give the correct network for my number?

    This could be due to three main reasons:

    1. The number you entered has been transferred (ported) from it’s original network. Unfortunately there is no way for me to track every single mobile phone number in the country just on the off-chance that it might have changed networks. There is no publicly available list from which I can access this information.The best that can be given is to return the provider which is registered to a certain block of numbers.
    2. The service provider is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator. An example of this is Virgin Mobile, who do not have their own network and cabling hardware in place, but instead buy minutes of use from a Network Operator (T-Mobile in this case), and sell on to their own customers, usually with added features. (This is similar to the way a car dealership buys cars direct from the manufacturer and sells them on to the customers). As such, the MNNC can only report back the underlying Network Operator, who may not necessarily be the Service Provider.
    3. The number you entered is from a new phone, for which the network provider has only recently been registered to that block of numbers. In other words, the MNNC is not upto date! If that happens, please send me a message and I will get it updated so others do not have the same problem.

  2. Can I find a person from a mobile number / Can I get trace the caller from a mobile number?

    Unfortunately not. As many mobiles now are bought under Pay-As-You-Go schemes, these do not require any registration of name, address etc. Even the service providers, and mobile manufacturers have no idea who owns which mobile / mobile number.One idea might be to search Google for that number - you never know, they may have it on a personal page somewhere. Alternatively, see the answer to the question immediately below.

  3. Can I find who sent an abusive / prank text (SMS) message?

    As for receiving prank texts, there’s little that legally can be done. The police are limited in their powers — just because Mr./Ms. Evil owns the phone the text messages came from, doesn’t mean they actually sent them. Keeping your phone switched off when there’s a chance your partner might read the prank texts will at least not have the effect they were intended to.You may be able to ring your service provider, and ask them to block the number the texts are coming from - although this works for voice calls, it may be able to work for texts as well. BT landlines can generally dial 1477 (Automatic Call Trace). As I understand it, this flags up the previously last call to BT — I doubt whether it would work on mobiles though as I’ve never used it, but it’s worth knowing.

    Update: I have since received the following from “ged”:

    Just to let you know I work for a major phone company, and we can’t do this, it’s not possible to block where a text message comes from, it’s also not possible to do it with single numbers calling, a block can only be placed for all incoming numbers and texts. Just thought you should know.

    Have you tried ringing the number from which these texts come from, from a phone that isn’t yours (or at least using 141 or turning off caller-id sending on your phone)? Maybe go to a local phone box, as these rarely have the caller-id blocked, and if Mr./Ms. Evil sees it as a local number, rather than yours, or a blocked number, they may answer it less suspiciously. Maybe put on a different voice (or get a friend), and ask to speak to “Dave” / “Sarah”, when they say that there’s no Dave / Sarah there, innocently ask “Who am I speaking to then?” — if done correctly, more often than not this will be enough to at least get a first name. If you’re unsure, you could try this all on a friend first. Remember to end the call as if you still had called a wrong number so as not to let on that you know who they are!

  4. Is the number on a contract or is it a Pay-as-you-go/talk phone?

    I’m afraid I don’t know. The information is simply not available outside of the respective networks operators’ systems.

  5. Is this number a personal number or a commercial number?

    Again, I just don’t know. Try ringing it and find out. Imagine if this data was freely available!

  6. Can I find out where a mobile phone was bought from?

    I’m afraid not. The distribution of IMEI numbers on phones is not available to those not working in the various service provider/The Link/Carphone Warehouse/etc shops. Perhaps you could try ringing up who you think sold the phone, and see if they have a record of the IMEI number (which they take note of at point of sale, at least for contract phones).

Other Numbers

  1. I have an old pre-07 mobile number - what would the prefix number be now?

    Old mobile numbers starting 03 or 04 would now be 077. 05, 06 or 08 are now 078 numbers, and 09 numbers are now 079 numbers.

  2. What the deal with the 070/075/076 numbers?

    070 is currently the prefix for personal numbers. These are a single number that the owner can give out and the owner then decides where that number forwards to (might be a mobile if they’re out, or a landline if they’re in). However in 2008, this is proposed to be changed to 06 numbers, so that only mobile numbers are kept on the 07 range. Furthermore, OfCom issue the following notice:

    Personal Numbering Service: from 1 September 2007, calls to these numbers that are charged in excess of either 20p per minute or a fixed fee of 20p per call, inclusive (in either case) of value added tax, must be notified to callers at the start of the call before any call charges start to apply, by means of a free-to-caller pre-call announcement which at least states the maximum charge that could be incurred for a call to a personal number by a Customer of the Originating Communications Provider

    Numbers in the block 075 are normal mobile numbers, starting in May 2007 - it seems that the 077/078/079 range is being used up and not recycled well. 071-074 are also for future mobile services.
    076 numbers are for pagers, although 07624 covers pagers and mobile numbers in the Isle of Man.

  3. I had this number call me, 05601xxxxxx. What do you make of it?

    A quick Google throws up that this 056 is the new “area”? code for VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol - using your computer to make a phone call). It may be possible to fake such numbers, but I’ve got no experience of this - it may have been a mistake on his part (I’m sure making a call accidentally would be far easier when using a PC than using a traditional handset). OfCom officially term 056 numbers as being a Location Independent Electronic Communications Service number.