01242 at a glance
- Type
- Geographic (landline area code)
- Region
- Gloucestershire
- Country
- United Kingdom (+44)
- Number format
- 01242 XXXXXX (area code + 6-digit local number)
- From abroad
- +44 1242
- Cost to call
- Charged as a standard UK landline call; usually included in landline and mobile call bundles.
01242 is the area code for Cheltenham and nearby villages in Gloucestershire. Cheltenham is a Regency spa town known for its racecourse and festivals, and is home to GCHQ, the government intelligence and security agency. Calls from 01242 numbers might come from Cheltenham Borough Council, Cheltenham General Hospital, GP surgeries, schools, the University of Gloucestershire or local businesses. Because geographic numbers are portable and can be used over the internet from anywhere, and because caller ID can be spoofed, an 01242 number should not be your only check on a caller.
Who called me from 01242?
The prefix tells you where the line was originally registered (Cheltenham), but not who is behind it. Numbers can be ported between networks and caller ID can be spoofed, so a familiar code is no guarantee. Search the full number to see its current carrier, line type and whether other people have reported it. Read our UK phone number guide for mobile prefixes, networks and the scams currently doing the rounds.