The 01202 area code: Bournemouth

01202 is the UK dialling code for Bournemouth, in Dorset. It is a geographic landline code, so calling it costs the same as any other UK landline number and is usually included in call allowances.

Built from Ofcom numbering data, last refreshed 2026-07-24.

01202 at a glance

Area
Bournemouth, Dorset, England
Number format
(01202) XXX XXX, 6-digit local numbers; the full code must be dialled even for local calls
Calling from abroad
+44 1202 then the local number, dropping the first 0
Call cost
Standard UK landline rate, usually included in call allowances

Where 01202 reaches

The 01202 code serves Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Ferndown, Wimborne Minster and the surrounding area.

Bournemouth had a built-up area population of around 196,500 at the 2021 census, within the roughly 400,000 strong Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area.

In 2012 the 01202 area became the first in the UK where the full code must be dialled even for local calls, a change made to free up new local numbers beginning with 0 or 1.

On the old letter dial B gave 2 and O gave 0, following the standard scheme where a town's first two letters set the digits of its code, which is how BOurnemouth came to be 0202, now 01202.

Getting calls from a 01202 number?

01202 is a legitimate geographic code, so most calls from it are ordinary: local businesses, surgeries, schools, councils and households in the Bournemouth area. Two things are worth knowing before you call back.

First, caller display can be faked. Scammers spoof real UK area codes to look local, so a 01202 number on your screen is not proof the call came from Bournemouth. Second, the safe habit is simple: if a caller you were not expecting asks for personal or payment details, hang up and ring the organisation back on a number you found independently.

Checking a full number rather than just the code? Try our free UK phone number checker, which identifies the area and original provider of any UK number from Ofcom data.

Who issues 01202 numbers?

Ofcom allocates 01202 numbers to communications providers in blocks. These providers currently hold the most number blocks in the Bournemouth area:

  • BT - 92 number blocks
  • Gamma Telecom Holdings Limited - 65 number blocks
  • Sky UK Limited - 37 number blocks
  • TalkTalk Communications Limited - 25 number blocks
  • Colt Technology Services - 13 number blocks

367 blocks allocated in total. The provider a number was first issued to is not necessarily who serves it today, because numbers move between providers when ported.

Get a 01202 number for your business

A Bournemouth number makes your business local to the people searching for it, wherever you actually answer the phone. ONSIM supplies 01202 numbers two ways: a virtual number that diverts to any phone from £5 a month, or on a Landline SIM from £10 a month so your mobile rings and dials as the 01202 number, with call recording available for regulated trades.

Already have a 01202 number? You can bring it with you. Porting in is included on Landline SIM plans, or a one-off £20 + VAT on Virtual Landline.

Get a quote Virtual landline → Landline SIM →

Not sure which number type fits? Two minutes with the business number chooser will tell you.

01202 area code questions

Where is the 01202 area code?

01202 is the dialling code for Bournemouth, in Dorset, England. It serves Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Ferndown, Wimborne Minster and the surrounding area. The code and the areas it serves are set by Ofcom, the UK communications regulator.

How much does it cost to call a 01202 number?

01202 numbers are standard UK geographic landline numbers, charged at the same rate as any other 01 or 02 number. Most mobile and landline tariffs include them in inclusive minutes, so the call usually costs nothing extra. From abroad, dial +44 1202 followed by the local number, charged at your provider's international rate to the UK.

Why am I getting calls from a 01202 number?

Most calls from 01202 numbers are exactly what they look like: a business, GP surgery, school or household in the Bournemouth area. But caller display can be faked, a practice called spoofing, so an unexpected call showing 01202 is not proof the caller is really local. If a caller asks for personal or payment details, hang up and call the organisation back on a number you found yourself, for example from its website or a bill.

Can I get a 01202 number for my business?

Yes. You do not need an office in Bournemouth or a phone line from the dominant local provider. ONSIM can supply a 01202 number that diverts to any phone from £5 a month, or put it on a business SIM so your mobile makes and receives calls as the 01202 number. Existing 01202 numbers can be ported in: porting is included on Landline SIM plans, or a one-off £20 + VAT on Virtual Landline.

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