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Phone users are being asked to say hello to a new set of city telephone numbers.

The 029 22 numbers are being introduced by Ofcom as previous blocks of numbers issued to homes and businesses start running out.

It comes just three years after new businesses began being issued with 029 21 prefixes after Ofcom ran out of the 029 20 numbers introduced as part of the “Big Number Change” of 2000.

Business owners have given the changes a mixed reception.

A spokesman for Ofcom, which allocates the area code numbers to communications providers, said: “The dialling code for Cardiff is actually just 029.

“But because almost all local numbers allocated since the code was introduced in 2000 have started 20, there is a common misconception that the code is 02920.

“As ‘blocks’ of numbers get used up, we will continue to allocate new ones, so you may see different numbers coming after the 029. As this increases, people may become more aware that 029 is the Cardiff code.

“The good news is that, because it’s a short code, 029 will provide plenty of number capacity for the capital well into the future.”

During the 2010 changes, some businesses claimed the changes had led customers to think their companies were not based in Cardiff.

And yesterday, Shane Clark – floor manager and barber at Groom For Men in Cathays, which opened in December 2011 – said: “When we first opened, we had a couple of people ringing up thinking we were outside of Cardiff, but nothing recently.”

Others reported that their businesses had not been affected.

Hannah Bishop from Hannah Emily Bridal in Rhiwbina said she was automatically given an 029 21 number when the business opened in October 2011.

She added: “I haven’t noticed any affect on the business as a result of having the number. As far as I believe no one has ever presumed the business is outside of Cardiff because of the 029 21 number.”

A spokesman for BT said: “Years ago the dialling code for the Cardiff area did change from 01222 to 029 in order to provide more numbers. At first all the numbers ended 20 and as such people incorrectly believed that was the dialling code.

“I wasn’t aware of the 029 22 range but it is not a surprise, the new range will simply have been introduced to provide more numbers, just like when 029 21 was introduced a few years ago.

“And in years to come I’m sure we will see 029 23 and 24 and 25 introduced.”

Numbers with the 029 20 prefix are still available, but as there are so few available, firms are being asked to pay extra for them.

A brief history of Cardiff telephone codes

Those with long memories will remember Cardiff’s area code was 0222 well into the 1990s.

But on April 16, 1995 – on a day dubbed PhONEday – a whole new swathe of area codes were introduced to cope with the UK’s growing population and phone ownership.

Most area codes had an extra ‘1’ added after the initial zero, so Cardiff’s code became 01222.

But just five years later the “Big Number Change” was introduced. Among other changes, it introduced the 020 code for London and the 029 code for Cardiff, as well as introducing sweeping changes to mobile phone numbers.

The change addressed a number of problems with the previous system, although some businesspeople complained about the increased signage and branding cost of switching numbers twice in five years.