The 01588 area code: Bishops Castle
01588 is the UK dialling code for Bishops Castle. 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.
01588 at a glance
- Area
- Bishops Castle
- Number format
- (01588) XXX XXX, usually 6-digit local numbers
- Calling from abroad
- +44 1588 then the local number, dropping the first 0
- Call cost
- Standard UK landline rate, usually included in call allowances
Getting calls from a 01588 number?
01588 is a legitimate geographic code, so most calls from it are ordinary: local businesses, surgeries, schools, councils and households in the Bishops Castle 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 01588 number on your screen is not proof the call came from Bishops Castle. 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 01588 numbers?
Ofcom allocates 01588 numbers to communications providers in blocks. These providers currently hold the most number blocks in the Bishops Castle area:
- BT - 7 number blocks
- TalkTalk Communications Limited - 2 number blocks
- Digital Space Group Limited - 2 number blocks
- Fuse 2 Communications Ltd - 2 number blocks
- Six Degrees Technology Group Limited - 2 number blocks
93 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 01588 number for your business
A Bishops Castle number makes your business local to the people searching for it, wherever you actually answer the phone. ONSIM supplies 01588 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 01588 number, with call recording available for regulated trades.
Already have a 01588 number? You can bring it with you. Porting in is included on Landline SIM plans, or a one-off £20 + VAT on Virtual Landline.
Not sure which number type fits? Two minutes with the business number chooser will tell you.
01588 area code questions
Where is the 01588 area code?
01588 is the dialling code for Bishops Castle. The code and the areas it serves are set by Ofcom, the UK communications regulator.
How much does it cost to call a 01588 number?
01588 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 1588 followed by the local number, charged at your provider's international rate to the UK.
Why am I getting calls from a 01588 number?
Most calls from 01588 numbers are exactly what they look like: a business, GP surgery, school or household in the Bishops Castle area. But caller display can be faked, a practice called spoofing, so an unexpected call showing 01588 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 01588 number for my business?
Yes. You do not need an office in Bishops Castle or a phone line from the dominant local provider. ONSIM can supply a 01588 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 01588 number. Existing 01588 numbers can be ported in: porting is included on Landline SIM plans, or a one-off £20 + VAT on Virtual Landline.