Before STD codes were introduced in Northern Ireland, during the 1960s and 1970s, an operator based system was in operation. Each subscriber had short number within the local exchange. For example, the post office in Dromore was Dromore 201.
0846 and 08462
When STD was introduced to the area in the early 1970s, the local towns and villages around Lisburn all scrapped their three digit numbers and added an extra three digits. These towns used 0846 + six digits.
Moira took 611, therefore Moira 369 became 611369.
Maze took 621, therefore Maze 249 became 621249.
Baillies Mills took 638, therefore Baillies Mills 775 became 638775.
Aghalee took 651, therefore Aghalee 276 became 651276.
Hillsborough took 682, therefore Hillsborough 477 became 682477.
Dromore took 692, therefore Dromore 201 became 692201.
Dialling a number any of the aforementioned exchanges, from another area code was achieved by simply using xxxxxx. However Lisburn, which already had four and five digit numbers, used the code084 62. To call Lisburn 2201/Lisburn 77712 from another area code, one dialled 2201/ 77712.
1989 changes
In 1989, numbers in Lisburn town were adjusted to bring them into line with the surrounding area.
Four digit numbers gained 66, therefore Lisburn 2201 became 662201
Five digit numbers, commencing with '7', gained 6, therefore Lisburn 77712 became 677712.
Five digit numbers, commencing with '8', lost the first digit and gained 60 in its place. Lisburn 81114 became 601114.
This meant that Lisburn town could use the 0846 code.
1993 changes
In 1993, many changes were made throughout the country in preparation for phONE day in 1995. Many of the changes were eliminating 3-digit and 4-digit subscriber numbers in rural exchanges. The only exchange affected in the 0846 area was Stoneyford. It had 3 and 4 digit numbers and used the area code 084 664.
Three digit numbers would gain 648, so Stoneyford 299 became 648299.
Four digit numbers would gain 64, so Stoneyford 8149 became 648149.
Thus, Stoneyford became 0846.
PhONEday
"PhONEday", on 16April 1995 meant the addition of the number '1' to every area code in the United Kingdom. 0846 therefore became 01846. The subscriber numbers were unchanged.
Big Number Change
The Big Number Change on 22 April 2000 was the introduction of eight-digit local numbers to areas of the country where there was a shortage of numbers under the six-digit/seven-digit system. Belfast's 01232 code was approaching its limit and with unavailability of a 011x area code, the decision was made to change the whole province to 028. Numbers in the 01846 area, which was deemed part of the 'Greater Belfast Area' were given the 92 prefix on the existing number.
651276 became 9265 1276
662214 became 9266 2214
648299 became 9264 8299
Calling within the original 01846 area now meant the inclusion of '92' irrespective of whether the number was your exchange or not. However it did omit the need to include the area code when calling other areas of the province.
Today
Nowadays, with the expansion of the area, more local numbers have been introduced. Here is a list of first 4/5 digits of the local number and area it covers.
