056 at a glance
- Type
- Corporate / VoIP
- Country
- United Kingdom (+44)
- Number format
- 056 XXXX XXXX
- From abroad
- +44 56
- Cost to call
- Charges vary by provider; 056 numbers may cost more than a landline call and are not always included in bundles.
056 numbers are allocated by Ofcom for location-independent electronic communications services, which in practice means internet phone services that are not tied to a fixed address. They were intended to give VoIP users a number that does not suggest a particular town. Today many VoIP providers issue ordinary geographic numbers instead, so 056 numbers are relatively rare. A call from an 056 number is likely to come from someone using an internet phone account, which could be a small business, a home user or a call centre anywhere. As the number is not linked to a place and caller ID can be spoofed, it gives little information about who is calling.
Treat unexpected calls from 056 numbers with caution, especially if the caller asks for money, personal information or access to your computer.
Who called me from 056?
The prefix tells you what kind of number it is (voip / location-independent (056)), 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.