UK area code
01686 area code — Newtown
01686 is Ofcom’s Newtown numbering area, covering Llanidloes and Newtown, in Powys, Wales. 85 phone companies hold its 156 allocated number blocks. Its numbers are written like 01686 234 567. The nearest other codes are 01650 Cemmaes Road (24 km) and 01597 Llandrindod Wells (25 km).
01686 at a glance
- Ofcom area name
- Newtown
- Places on this code
- Llanidloes 016862 016863 016864 016867
- Newtown 016865 016866 016868 016869
- Council area
- Powys
- Country
- Wales
- Number format
- 01686 234 567 (4+6)
- Local calls
- Full number recommended
- Current code since
- 1995 (previously 0686)
- Allocated blocks
- 156 of 532 (29%) across 85 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 01686 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.
01686 history and number format
Number format: Numbers on 01686 use Ofcom's 4+6 format: the 5-digit code (including the leading 0) followed by a 6-digit local number — written like 01686 234 567.
Before 1995: 01686 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 0686.
Local dialling: Traditionally not from another 01686 landline, but it now depends on your provider: Ofcom stopped requiring providers to offer local (code-free) dialling on 11 March 2022. Dialling 01686 first always works, and mobiles always need it.
Allocation record: the oldest number block still visible on 01686 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 01686 number rings (see the weekly numbering changelog for every new allocation.)
Phone companies holding 01686 numbers
Every Ofcom range holder with blocks on 01686, 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 | 14 | 14 | 15 July 1994 | 11 December 1995 |
| Gamma Telecom Holdings Limited | 6 | 6 | 7 October 2008 | 15 November 2012 |
| Magrathea Telecommunications Limited | 6 | 6 | 24 September 2004 | 17 November 2011 |
| TalkTalk Communications Limited | 4 | 4 | 28 September 2007 | 12 February 2013 |
| Sky UK Limited | 3 | 3 | 1 July 2013 | 24 December 2015 |
| Vodafone Ltd (C&W) | 3 | 3 | 6 September 2013 | 16 November 2021 |
| 24 Seven Cloud Communications Ltd | 2 | 2 | 17 January 2020 | 17 January 2020 |
| 8x8 Communications UK Limited | 2 | 2 | 5 April 2012 | 5 April 2012 |
| AQL Wholesale Ltd | 2 | 2 | 4 August 2006 | 21 December 2007 |
| Adepteo Limited | 2 | 2 | 19 October 2016 | 19 October 2016 |
| Atomstream Limited | 2 | 2 | 29 March 2010 | 29 March 2010 |
| Barritel Limited | 2 | 2 | 27 June 2007 | 3 August 2011 |
| Belgacom International Carrier Services SA | 2 | 2 | 6 February 2020 | 9 April 2020 |
| Bicom Systems EURL | 2 | 2 | 1 March 2012 | 1 March 2012 |
| Bink Networks Ltd | 2 | 2 | 3 April 2023 | 11 April 2023 |
| Dial 9 Communications Limited | 2 | 2 | 8 January 2020 | 8 January 2020 |
| Digital Space Group Limited | 2 | 2 | 16 May 2008 | 15 March 2016 |
| Fuse 2 Communications Ltd | 2 | 2 | 3 July 2017 | 6 May 2021 |
| GCI Network Solutions Limited | 2 | 2 | 26 April 2017 | 20 December 2023 |
| I.T Communications Limited | 2 | 2 | 12 June 2017 | 5 September 2019 |
| ICUK Computing Services Limited | 2 | 2 | 12 August 2019 | 5 June 2020 |
| IOVOX Limited | 2 | 2 | 4 July 2012 | 22 August 2013 |
| IP Voice Networks Ltd | 2 | 2 | 20 September 2017 | 20 September 2017 |
| Inet Telecoms Ltd (Voipfone) | 2 | 2 | 17 October 2011 | 30 January 2015 |
| Internexus Networks Limited | 2 | 2 | 22 November 2011 | 22 November 2011 |
| KCOM Group Ltd | 2 | 2 | 8 September 2022 | 8 September 2022 |
| Kalnet4U Ltd | 2 | 2 | 30 May 2013 | 21 March 2016 |
| Linear Telecoms Limited | 2 | 2 | 14 October 2010 | 14 October 2010 |
| Localphone Limited | 2 | 2 | 10 May 2007 | 10 May 2007 |
| Minotaur Telecom Limited | 2 | 2 | 5 February 2013 | 5 February 2013 |
Showing the 30 largest of 85 holders.
All number blocks on 01686first 200 of 532, by prefix
| Prefix | Status | Range holder |
|---|---|---|
| +44 168600 | Protected | — |
| +44 168601 | Protected | — |
| +44 168602 | Protected | — |
| +44 168603 | Protected | — |
| +44 168604 | Protected | — |
| +44 168605 | Protected | — |
| +44 168606 | Protected | — |
| +44 168607 | Protected | — |
| +44 168608 | Protected | — |
| +44 168609 | Protected | — |
| +44 168610 | Protected | — |
| +44 168611 | Protected | — |
| +44 168612 | Protected | — |
| +44 168613 | Protected | — |
| +44 168614 | Protected | — |
| +44 168615 | Protected | — |
| +44 168616 | Protected | — |
| +44 168617 | Protected | — |
| +44 168618 | Protected | — |
| +44 168619 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686200 | Allocated | Localphone Limited |
| +44 1686201 | Allocated | Voiceflex Limited |
| +44 1686202 | Allocated | Barritel Limited |
| +44 1686203 | Allocated | (AQ) LIMITED |
| +44 1686204 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686205 | Allocated | TalkTalk Communications Limited |
| +44 1686206 | Allocated | VoIP-Un Limited |
| +44 1686207 | Allocated | AQL Wholesale Ltd |
| +44 1686208 | Allocated | Digital Space Group Limited |
| +44 1686209 | Allocated | Nationwide Telephone Assistance Ltd |
| +44 1686210 | Allocated | Telecom2 Limited |
| +44 1686211 | Allocated | Digital Space Group Limited |
| +44 1686212 | Allocated | Voxbone SA |
| +44 1686213 | Allocated | Gamma Telecom Holdings Limited |
| +44 1686214 | Allocated | Served Up Limited |
| +44 1686215 | Allocated | Solutios Limited |
| +44 1686216 | Quarantined | — |
| +44 1686217 | Allocated | Telecoms World Limited |
| +44 1686218 | Quarantined | — |
| +44 1686219 | Allocated | CFL Communications Ltd |
| +44 1686220 | Allocated | Invade International Ltd |
| +44 1686221 | Allocated | Nexus Telecommunications Limited |
| +44 1686222 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686223 | Allocated | Atomstream Limited |
| +44 1686224 | Allocated | Suretec Systems Ltd |
| +44 1686225 | Allocated | Calltracks Limited |
| +44 1686226 | Allocated | Telappliant Limited |
| +44 1686227 | Allocated | Windsor Telecom Limited |
| +44 1686228 | Allocated | Invosys Limited |
| +44 1686229 | Allocated | INTELLIGENT EXCHANGES LIMITED |
| +44 1686230 | Allocated | Nexbridge Communications Limited |
| +44 1686231 | Allocated | Convergence Group (wireless) Networks Limited |
| +44 1686232 | Allocated | YayYay Limited |
| +44 1686233 | Allocated | TalkTalk Communications Limited |
| +44 1686234 | Allocated | Internexus Networks Limited |
| +44 1686235 | Allocated | Bicom Systems EURL |
| +44 1686236 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686237 | Allocated | Inet Telecoms Ltd (Voipfone) |
| +44 1686238 | Allocated | Invoco Ltd |
| +44 1686239 | Allocated | 8x8 Communications UK Limited |
| +44 1686240 | Allocated | ICC Networks Ltd |
| +44 1686241 | Allocated | Ziron Limited |
| +44 1686242 | Allocated | IOVOX Limited |
| +44 1686243 | Allocated | Content Guru Limited |
| +44 1686244 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686245 | Allocated | Sky UK Limited |
| +44 1686246 | Allocated | Minotaur Telecom Limited |
| +44 1686247 | Allocated | Media Hawk Ltd |
| +44 1686248 | Allocated | Simwood eSMS Limited |
| +44 1686249 | Allocated | Kalnet4U Ltd |
| +44 1686250 | Allocated | VOXYONDER NETWORK SERVICES UK LTD |
| +44 1686251 | Allocated | Adepteo Limited |
| +44 1686252 | Allocated | Colt Technology Services |
| +44 1686253 | Allocated | Orbtalk Limited |
| +44 1686254 | Allocated | Zapappi Ltd |
| +44 1686255 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686256 | Allocated | Number Services Ltd. |
| +44 1686257 | Allocated | Dial 9 Communications Limited |
| +44 1686258 | Allocated | Fuse 2 Communications Ltd |
| +44 1686259 | Allocated | IP Voice Networks Ltd |
| +44 1686260 | Allocated | EVE CONNECT LTD |
| +44 1686261 | Allocated | ICUK Computing Services Limited |
| +44 1686262 | Allocated | 24 Seven Cloud Communications Ltd |
| +44 1686263 | Allocated | I.T Communications Limited |
| +44 1686264 | Allocated | Belgacom International Carrier Services SA |
| +44 1686265 | Free | — |
| +44 1686266 | Allocated | KCOM Group Ltd |
| +44 1686267 | Free | — |
| +44 1686268 | Free | — |
| +44 1686269 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686270 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686271 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686272 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686273 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686274 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686275 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686276 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686277 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686278 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686279 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686280 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686281 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686282 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686283 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686284 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686285 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686286 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686287 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686288 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686289 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686290 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686291 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686292 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686293 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686294 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686295 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686296 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686297 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686298 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686299 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686300 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686301 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686302 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686303 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686304 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686305 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686306 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686307 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686308 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686309 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686310 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686311 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686312 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686313 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686314 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686315 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686316 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686317 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686318 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686319 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686320 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686321 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686322 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686323 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686324 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686325 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686326 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686327 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686328 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686329 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686330 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686331 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686332 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686333 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686334 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686335 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686336 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686337 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686338 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686339 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686340 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686341 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686342 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686343 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686344 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686345 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686346 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686347 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686348 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686349 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686350 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686351 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686352 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686353 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686354 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686355 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686356 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686357 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686358 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686359 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686360 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686361 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686362 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686363 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686364 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686365 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686366 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686367 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686368 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686369 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686370 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686371 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686372 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686373 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686374 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686375 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686376 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686377 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686378 | Protected | — |
| +44 1686379 | Protected | — |
Related lookups
- 01650 Cemmaes Road24 km away
- 01597 Llandrindod Wells25 km away
- 01654 Machynlleth27 km away
- 01982 Builth Wells35 km away
- BT14 allocated blocks on 01686
- Gamma Telecom Holdings Limited6 allocated blocks on 01686
- Magrathea Telecommunications Limited6 allocated blocks on 01686
- All UK towns A–ZDialling codes by town
- More Wales 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 01686
Where is area code 01686?
01686 is Ofcom's Newtown numbering area, in Powys, Wales. Its exchange towns are in Powys. From abroad, drop the 0 and dial +44 1686.
Which places use the 01686 code?
Ofcom splits 01686 into 2 areas by the first digit of the local number: Llanidloes (016862, 016863, 016864, 016867); Newtown (016865, 016866, 016868, 016869).
Do I need to dial 01686 for a local call?
Traditionally not from another 01686 landline, but it now depends on your provider: Ofcom stopped requiring providers to offer local (code-free) dialling on 11 March 2022. Dialling 01686 first always works, and mobiles always need it.
How are 01686 numbers written?
Numbers on 01686 use Ofcom's 4+6 format: the 5-digit code (including the leading 0) followed by a 6-digit local number — written like 01686 234 567. From abroad the leading zero is dropped: +44 1686 then the local number.
What was the 01686 area code before?
01686 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 0686. Old signage or stationery showing 0686 refers to the same Newtown numbers.
Which phone companies hold 01686 numbers?
Ofcom lists 85 providers with allocated blocks on 01686. The largest are BT with 14 of the 156 allocated blocks, Gamma Telecom Holdings Limited with 6 of the 156 allocated blocks and Magrathea Telecommunications Limited with 6 of the 156 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 01686?
By distance between exchange towns, the nearest other codes are 01650 Cemmaes Road (24 km), 01597 Llandrindod Wells (25 km), 01654 Machynlleth (27 km) and 01982 Builth Wells (35 km).
How do I report a scam call from a 01686 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.