The 028 area code: Northern Ireland
028 is the UK dialling code for Northern Ireland, in Covers all six counties of Northern Ireland. 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.
028 at a glance
- Area
- Northern Ireland, Covers all six counties of Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland
- Number format
- (028) XXXX XXXX, 8-digit local numbers
- Calling from abroad
- +44 28 then the local number, dropping the first 0
- Call cost
- Standard UK landline rate, usually included in call allowances
Ofcom lists this code area under several local names: Ballycastle, Martinstown, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Larne, Kilrea, Newry, Armagh, Portadown, Banbridge, Rostrevor, Kircubbin, Newcastle (Co. Down), Downpatrick, Enniskillen, Lisnaskea, Kesh, Coleraine, Londonderry, Limavady, Magherafelt, Carrickmore, Newtownstewart, Omagh, Ballygawley, Cookstown, Dungannon, Fivemiletown, Belfast, Bangor (Co. Down), Lisburn, Ballyclare, Antrim, Saintfield.
Where 028 reaches
The 028 code serves Belfast, Derry, Lisburn, Newry, Ballymena and the surrounding area.
Northern Ireland has a population of around 1.9 million, with Belfast, its largest city, at around 345,000 (2021 census).
In the Big Number Change on 22 April 2000, all of Northern Ireland's separate codes, including Belfast 01232 and Londonderry 01504, were unified into the single 028 code with 8-digit local numbers. Old local numbers were mapped into the new scheme, so Belfast numbers now begin 90 and Derry numbers begin 71. New-format numbers ran in parallel with the old ones from June 1999.
Getting calls from a 028 number?
028 is a legitimate geographic code, so most calls from it are ordinary: local businesses, surgeries, schools, councils and households in the Northern Ireland 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 028 number on your screen is not proof the call came from Northern Ireland. 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.
Prefixes such as 02890 (Belfast) or 02871 (Derry) are often written as if they were codes, but the code is 028 for the whole of Northern Ireland and the following digits are part of the 8-digit local number.
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 028 numbers?
Ofcom allocates 028 numbers to communications providers in blocks. These providers currently hold the most number blocks in the Northern Ireland area:
- BT - 342 number blocks
- GCI Network Solutions Limited - 320 number blocks
- Digital Space Group Limited - 71 number blocks
- Fuse 2 Communications Ltd - 52 number blocks
- TalkTalk Communications Limited - 44 number blocks
3332 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 028 number for your business
A Northern Ireland number makes your business local to the people searching for it, wherever you actually answer the phone. ONSIM supplies 028 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 028 number, with call recording available for regulated trades.
Already have a 028 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.
028 area code questions
Where is the 028 area code?
028 is the dialling code for Northern Ireland, in Covers all six counties of Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland. It serves Belfast, Derry, Lisburn, Newry, Ballymena 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 028 number?
028 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 28 followed by the local number, charged at your provider's international rate to the UK.
Why am I getting calls from a 028 number?
Most calls from 028 numbers are exactly what they look like: a business, GP surgery, school or household in the Northern Ireland area. But caller display can be faked, a practice called spoofing, so an unexpected call showing 028 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 028 number for my business?
Yes. You do not need an office in Northern Ireland or a phone line from the dominant local provider. ONSIM can supply a 028 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 028 number. Existing 028 numbers can be ported in: porting is included on Landline SIM plans, or a one-off £20 + VAT on Virtual Landline.