UK area code
01278 area code — Bridgwater
01278 is Ofcom’s Bridgwater numbering area, in Somerset, South West England. 103 phone companies hold its 171 allocated number blocks. Its numbers are written like 01278 234 567. The nearest other codes are 01823 Taunton (14 km) and 01458 Glastonbury (19 km).
01278 at a glance
- Ofcom area name
- Bridgwater
- County
- Somerset
- Council area
- Somerset
- Region
- South West England
- Number format
- 01278 234 567 (4+6)
- Local calls
- Full number recommended
- Current code since
- 1995 (previously 0278)
- Allocated blocks
- 171 of 469 (36%) across 103 providers
- Newest block
- 26 January 2026 (1 in the last 12 months)
Sources: Ofcom numbering data (weekly) and area-code list, Ofcom Numbering Plan, ONS geography.
If a 01278 number called you
No clear pattern in reports for these numbers yet. If a call worried you:
- 1
Call back on a number you trust
If a caller says they're your bank, HMRC, a courier or a council, hang up and ring the organisation on the number from its website or your statement, never the number that called you. Caller ID can be faked.
- 2
Forward it to 7726
On a mobile, copy the caller's number from your recent calls and text it to 7726 (it spells SPAM). Scam texts can be forwarded to 7726 as they are. It's free, and your network uses the reports to investigate and block numbers.
- 3
Stop sales calls
Register your landline and mobile free with the Telephone Preference Service (0345 070 0707). Legitimate UK marketers must check it; calls should drop within 28 days. It won't stop scammers.
- 4
If you lost money or shared details
Call your bank on the number on your card (or 159 to reach most UK banks safely), then report it to Report Fraud online or on 0300 123 2040. Report Fraud replaced Action Fraud on 4 December 2025 for England, Wales and Northern Ireland; in Scotland call Police Scotland on 101.
01278 history and number format
Number format: Numbers on 01278 use Ofcom's 4+6 format: the 5-digit code (including the leading 0) followed by a 6-digit local number — written like 01278 234 567.
Before 1995: 01278 took its current form at PhONEday on 16 April 1995, when a "1" was inserted into every UK geographic code — before that the area dialled 0278.
Local dialling: Traditionally not from another 01278 landline, but it now depends on your provider: Ofcom stopped requiring providers to offer local (code-free) dialling on 11 March 2022. Dialling 01278 first always works, and mobiles always need it.
Allocation record: the oldest number block still visible on 01278 was allocated on 15 July 1994, and the most recent on 26 January 2026. 1 block was allocated in the last 12 months — newly-activated ranges with no call history, which is worth knowing when an unfamiliar 01278 number rings (see the weekly numbering changelog for every new allocation.)
Phone companies holding 01278 numbers
Every Ofcom range holder with blocks on 01278, by allocated blocks. The holder is the company Ofcom allocated the block to; a number can since have been ported to another provider (see range holder vs current provider).
| Range holder | Allocated | All blocks | First block | Latest block |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BT | 23 | 23 | 15 July 1994 | 19 September 2023 |
| Vodafone Ltd (C&W) | 15 | 15 | 25 July 2013 | 17 November 2021 |
| GCI Network Solutions Limited | 11 | 11 | 20 April 2017 | 26 February 2024 |
| TalkTalk Communications Limited | 6 | 6 | 7 August 2007 | 26 March 2015 |
| Gamma Telecom Holdings Limited | 3 | 3 | 22 December 2004 | 22 September 2021 |
| Lumen Technologies UK Limited | 3 | 3 | 9 September 1999 | 9 September 1999 |
| Resilient Limited | 3 | 3 | 18 May 2012 | 18 May 2012 |
| Virgin Media Limited | 3 | 3 | 19 December 2017 | 27 June 2022 |
| AQL Wholesale Ltd | 2 | 2 | 21 June 2006 | 11 March 2022 |
| Barritel Limited | 2 | 2 | 8 October 2008 | 23 December 2022 |
| Colt Technology Services | 2 | 2 | 21 April 2015 | 5 August 2020 |
| DRD Communications Limited | 2 | 2 | 5 October 2023 | 23 August 2024 |
| Digital Space Group Limited | 2 | 2 | 30 November 2007 | 15 March 2016 |
| Fuse 2 Communications Ltd | 2 | 2 | 4 July 2017 | 22 January 2024 |
| Six Degrees Technology Group Limited | 2 | 2 | 13 January 2020 | 13 January 2020 |
| Truespeed Communications Ltd | 2 | 2 | 21 May 2019 | 12 October 2022 |
| Voiceflex Limited | 2 | 2 | 27 July 2007 | 6 February 2024 |
| (AQ) LIMITED | 1 | 1 | 19 October 2011 | 19 October 2011 |
| 24 Seven Cloud Communications Ltd | 1 | 1 | 17 January 2020 | 17 January 2020 |
| 8x8 Communications UK Limited | 1 | 1 | 26 March 2012 | 26 March 2012 |
| Adepteo Limited | 1 | 1 | 17 January 2017 | 17 January 2017 |
| Andrews & Arnold (Numbers) Ltd | 1 | 1 | 2 March 2009 | 2 March 2009 |
| Atomstream Limited | 1 | 1 | 25 February 2010 | 25 February 2010 |
| Belgacom International Carrier Services SA | 1 | 1 | 3 October 2019 | 3 October 2019 |
| Bicom Systems EURL | 1 | 1 | 1 March 2012 | 1 March 2012 |
| Bink Networks Ltd | 1 | 1 | 27 March 2023 | 27 March 2023 |
| Buzz Networks Limited | 1 | 1 | 1 March 2010 | 1 March 2010 |
| CFL Communications Ltd | 1 | 1 | 8 July 2009 | 8 July 2009 |
| Ccpro Solutions Limited | 1 | 1 | 19 February 2013 | 19 February 2013 |
| Citrus Telecommunications Ltd | 1 | 1 | 11 April 2006 | 11 April 2006 |
Showing the 30 largest of 103 holders.
Openreach exchanges at Bridgwater
Exchanges Openreach lists at this location in its copper stop-sell programme, with the date new copper orders stop.
- Bridgwater (BNU) WWBWATStop sell 14-Feb-26 · Tranche 19
All number blocks on 01278first 200 of 469, by prefix
| Prefix | Status | Range holder |
|---|---|---|
| +44 127800 | Protected | — |
| +44 127801 | Protected | — |
| +44 127802 | Protected | — |
| +44 127803 | Protected | — |
| +44 127804 | Protected | — |
| +44 127805 | Protected | — |
| +44 127806 | Protected | — |
| +44 127807 | Protected | — |
| +44 127808 | Protected | — |
| +44 127809 | Protected | — |
| +44 127810 | Protected | — |
| +44 127811 | Protected | — |
| +44 127812 | Protected | — |
| +44 127813 | Protected | — |
| +44 127814 | Protected | — |
| +44 127815 | Protected | — |
| +44 127816 | Protected | — |
| +44 127817 | Protected | — |
| +44 127818 | Protected | — |
| +44 127819 | Protected | — |
| +44 127820 | Allocated | TelNG Limited |
| +44 127821 | Allocated | Localphone Limited |
| +44 1278220 | Allocated | Entanet International Ltd |
| +44 1278221 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278222 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278223 | Allocated | Digital Space Group Limited |
| +44 1278224 | Allocated | Digital Space Group Limited |
| +44 1278225 | Allocated | Commi Holdings Limited |
| +44 1278226 | Allocated | Voxbone SA |
| +44 1278227 | Allocated | Net-Work Internet Ltd |
| +44 1278228 | Allocated | Voiceflex Limited |
| +44 1278229 | Allocated | TalkTalk Communications Limited |
| +44 1278230 | Allocated | (AQ) LIMITED |
| +44 1278231 | Quarantined | — |
| +44 1278232 | Allocated | Nodemax Limited |
| +44 1278233 | Allocated | VoIP-Un Limited |
| +44 1278234 | Allocated | Solutios Limited |
| +44 1278235 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278236 | Allocated | Telecom2 Limited |
| +44 1278237 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278238 | Allocated | TalkTalk Communications Limited |
| +44 1278239 | Allocated | Nationwide Telephone Assistance Ltd |
| +44 1278240 | Allocated | Mars Communications Limited |
| +44 1278241 | Allocated | TalkTalk Communications Limited |
| +44 1278242 | Allocated | Barritel Limited |
| +44 1278243 | Allocated | Telecoms World Limited |
| +44 1278244 | Allocated | Andrews & Arnold (Numbers) Ltd |
| +44 1278245 | Allocated | Invade International Ltd |
| +44 1278246 | Quarantined | — |
| +44 1278247 | Allocated | Inet Telecoms Ltd (Voipfone) |
| +44 1278248 | Allocated | CFL Communications Ltd |
| +44 1278249 | Allocated | TeleWare Group Limited |
| +44 1278250 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278251 | Allocated | Nexus Telecommunications Limited |
| +44 1278252 | Allocated | Verizon UK Limited |
| +44 1278253 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278254 | Allocated | Nuso Cloud UK Limited |
| +44 1278255 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278256 | Allocated | TalkTalk Communications Limited |
| +44 1278257 | Allocated | Atomstream Limited |
| +44 1278258 | Allocated | Buzz Networks Limited |
| +44 1278259 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278260 | Allocated | Digitech Solutions Global Limited |
| +44 1278261 | Allocated | Barritel Limited |
| +44 1278262 | Allocated | Windsor Telecom Limited |
| +44 1278263 | Allocated | VoiceHost Limited |
| +44 1278264 | Allocated | Phone Co-Op Numbering Limited |
| +44 1278265 | Allocated | Datazero Ltd |
| +44 1278266 | Allocated | Suretec Systems Ltd |
| +44 1278267 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278268 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278269 | Allocated | Invosys Limited |
| +44 1278270 | Allocated | INTELLIGENT EXCHANGES LIMITED |
| +44 1278271 | Allocated | Hello Telecom (UK) Limited |
| +44 1278272 | Allocated | Orbtalk Limited |
| +44 1278273 | Allocated | Internexus Networks Limited |
| +44 1278274 | Allocated | Minotaur Telecom Limited |
| +44 1278275 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278276 | Allocated | Invoco Ltd |
| +44 1278277 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278278 | Allocated | Nexbridge Communications Limited |
| +44 1278279 | Allocated | Bicom Systems EURL |
| +44 1278280 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278281 | Allocated | 8x8 Communications UK Limited |
| +44 1278282 | Allocated | Simwood eSMS Limited |
| +44 1278283 | Allocated | ICC Networks Ltd |
| +44 1278284 | Allocated | TalkTalk Communications Limited |
| +44 1278285 | Allocated | IOVOX Limited |
| +44 1278286 | Allocated | Ziron Limited |
| +44 1278287 | Allocated | TalkTalk Communications Limited |
| +44 1278288 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278289 | Allocated | Content Guru Limited |
| +44 1278290 | Allocated | Resilient Limited |
| +44 1278291 | Allocated | Resilient Limited |
| +44 1278292 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278293 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278294 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278295 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278296 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278297 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278298 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278299 | Allocated | Resilient Limited |
| +44 127830 | Allocated | TGL Services (UK) Ltd |
| +44 127831 | Allocated | TTNC Limited |
| +44 127832 | Allocated | Sky UK Limited |
| +44 1278330 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278331 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278332 | Allocated | AQL Wholesale Ltd |
| +44 1278333 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278334 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278335 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278336 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278337 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278338 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278339 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278340 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278341 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278342 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278343 | Allocated | GTT-EMEA LTD |
| +44 1278344 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278345 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278346 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278347 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278348 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278349 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278350 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278351 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278352 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278353 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278354 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278355 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278356 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278357 | Allocated | Spitfire Network Services Limited |
| +44 1278358 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278359 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278360 | Allocated | Vodafone Ltd (C&W) |
| +44 1278361 | Allocated | Vodafone Ltd (C&W) |
| +44 1278362 | Allocated | Vodafone Ltd (C&W) |
| +44 1278363 | Allocated | Vodafone Ltd (C&W) |
| +44 1278364 | Allocated | Vodafone Ltd (C&W) |
| +44 1278365 | Allocated | Vodafone Ltd (C&W) |
| +44 1278366 | Allocated | Vodafone Ltd (C&W) |
| +44 1278367 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278368 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278369 | Protected | — |
| +44 127837 | Protected | — |
| +44 127838 | Allocated | Served Up Limited |
| +44 127839 | Allocated | AQL Wholesale Ltd |
| +44 1278400 | Allocated | GCI Network Solutions Limited |
| +44 1278401 | Allocated | GCI Network Solutions Limited |
| +44 1278402 | Allocated | GCI Network Solutions Limited |
| +44 1278403 | Allocated | GCI Network Solutions Limited |
| +44 1278404 | Allocated | GCI Network Solutions Limited |
| +44 1278405 | Allocated | GCI Network Solutions Limited |
| +44 1278406 | Allocated | GCI Network Solutions Limited |
| +44 1278407 | Allocated | GCI Network Solutions Limited |
| +44 1278408 | Allocated | GCI Network Solutions Limited |
| +44 1278409 | Allocated | GCI Network Solutions Limited |
| +44 127841 | Allocated | BT |
| +44 127842 | Allocated | BT |
| +44 127843 | Allocated | BT |
| +44 127844 | Allocated | BT |
| +44 127845 | Allocated | BT |
| +44 127846 | Allocated | BT |
| +44 1278470 | Allocated | Vodafone Ltd (C&W) |
| +44 1278471 | Allocated | Vodafone Ltd (C&W) |
| +44 1278472 | Allocated | Vodafone Ltd (C&W) |
| +44 1278473 | Allocated | Vodafone Ltd (C&W) |
| +44 1278474 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278475 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278476 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278477 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278478 | Allocated | Vodafone Ltd (C&W) |
| +44 1278479 | Allocated | Vodafone Ltd (C&W) |
| +44 127848 | Allocated | Vodafone Ltd (C&W) |
| +44 1278490 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278491 | Allocated | DRD Communications Limited |
| +44 1278492 | Allocated | DRD Communications Limited |
| +44 1278493 | Allocated | NFON UK Ltd |
| +44 1278494 | Allocated | IP Voice Networks Ltd |
| +44 1278495 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278496 | Allocated | EVE CONNECT LTD |
| +44 1278497 | Allocated | BT |
| +44 1278498 | Allocated | Zapappi Ltd |
| +44 1278499 | Allocated | Fuse 2 Communications Ltd |
| +44 127850 | Allocated | Vodafone Ltd (C&W) |
| +44 127851 | Allocated | Redcentric Solutions Limited |
| +44 127852 | Protected | — |
| +44 127853 | Allocated | GCI Network Solutions Limited |
| +44 1278540 | Allocated | Linear Telecoms Limited |
| +44 1278541 | Free | — |
| +44 1278542 | Allocated | Number Services Ltd. |
| +44 1278543 | Allocated | I.T Communications Limited |
| +44 1278544 | Allocated | Adepteo Limited |
| +44 1278545 | Free | — |
| +44 1278546 | Allocated | Virgin Media Limited |
| +44 1278547 | Protected | — |
| +44 1278548 | Allocated | Mintaka Limited |
| +44 1278549 | Allocated | 24 Seven Cloud Communications Ltd |
| +44 127855 | Allocated | Gamma Telecom Holdings Limited |
Related lookups
- 01823 Taunton14 km away
- 01458 Glastonbury19 km away
- 01934 Weston-super-Mare24 km away
- 01984 Watchet25 km away
- BT23 allocated blocks on 01278
- Vodafone Ltd (C&W)15 allocated blocks on 01278
- GCI Network Solutions Limited11 allocated blocks on 01278
- All UK towns A–ZDialling codes by town
- More Somerset codesSame region
- All UK area codesBrowse every 01/02 dialling code
- Lookup any UK numberFree reverse phone lookup
- UK area codes explainedCornerstone guide
- 020 London numbers explainedCornerstone guide
- 0330 numbers explainedCornerstone guide
- How Ofcom allocates UK phone numbersCornerstone guide
FAQs about 01278
Where is area code 01278?
01278 is Ofcom's Bridgwater numbering area, in Somerset, South West England. Its exchange town is in Somerset. From abroad, drop the 0 and dial +44 1278.
Do I need to dial 01278 for a local call?
Traditionally not from another 01278 landline, but it now depends on your provider: Ofcom stopped requiring providers to offer local (code-free) dialling on 11 March 2022. Dialling 01278 first always works, and mobiles always need it.
How are 01278 numbers written?
Numbers on 01278 use Ofcom's 4+6 format: the 5-digit code (including the leading 0) followed by a 6-digit local number — written like 01278 234 567. From abroad the leading zero is dropped: +44 1278 then the local number.
What was the 01278 area code before?
01278 took its current form at PhONEday on 16 April 1995, when a "1" was inserted into every UK geographic code — before that the area dialled 0278. Old signage or stationery showing 0278 refers to the same Bridgwater numbers.
Which phone companies hold 01278 numbers?
Ofcom lists 103 providers with allocated blocks on 01278. The largest are BT with 23 of the 171 allocated blocks, Vodafone with 15 of the 171 allocated blocks and GCI Network Solutions Limited with 11 of the 171 allocated blocks. Numbers can be ported, so a number's current provider may differ from the block's holder.
Which area codes are next to 01278?
By distance between exchange towns, the nearest other codes are 01823 Taunton (14 km), 01458 Glastonbury (19 km), 01934 Weston-super-Mare (24 km) and 01984 Watchet (25 km).
How do I report a scam call from a 01278 number?
On a mobile, text the caller's number to 7726 (free). If you lost money or shared details, call your bank and report it to Report Fraud (0300 123 2040), which replaced Action Fraud in December 2025. Unwanted sales calls go to the ICO after registering with the Telephone Preference Service.