01242 Area Code — Cheltenham, Charlton Kings & Bishops Cleeve
01242 is the UK dialling code for Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, also serving Charlton Kings, Bishops Cleeve and Tewkesbury, allocated by Ofcom under the National Telephone Numbering Plan. Our database has tracked 348 distinct 01242 numbers across 575 public lookups.
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Quick facts
Area code
01242
Location
Cheltenham
County
Gloucestershire
Region
South West England
Number type
Geographic landline
Number format
01242 XXX XXX
Operators serving
8+
Call cost
Standard rate
About the 01242 dialling code
01242 is the UK geographic dialling code for Cheltenham, allocated by Ofcom under the National Telephone Numbering Plan. It is used by landlines — and increasingly VoIP lines — registered to the Cheltenham area.
A full Cheltenham number is normally written as 01242 XXXXXX. You can dial the local part on its own from within the same area, or the full number from anywhere in the UK.
Because of UK number portability and internet calling, a 01242 number no longer guarantees the caller is physically in Cheltenham. Fraudsters also "spoof" local codes like 01242 so an unknown call looks like a nearby business or neighbour — so treat an unexpected call on what is actually said, not on the area code alone.
Map of the 01242 dialling area
The marker shows Cheltenham; the shaded circle is an approximate indication of the area the 01242 code serves — exact Ofcom charging-area boundaries are irregular and don't follow a neat radius.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. View larger map
Areas typically served by 01242
Settlements in and around the Cheltenham dialling area that typically use 01242 numbers. Approximate — Ofcom charging-area boundaries don't follow town or county lines exactly, and properties near a boundary may take a neighbouring code.
Calling 01242 from abroad
From outside the UK, dial your international access prefix, then the UK country code 44, then 1242 (the area code without its leading zero) and the local number.
| Calling from | Dial |
|---|---|
| United States & Canada | 011 44 1242 … |
| Europe / most of the world | 00 44 1242 … |
| Australia | 0011 44 1242 … |
| Any mobile phone | +44 1242 … |
History of the 01242 code
The code was 0242 until PhONEday, 16 April 1995, when a "1" was inserted after the leading zero to create 01242.
In the letter-dialling era the code had the mnemonic CH2 — on an old rotary dial, the letters CH (from Cheltenham) sat on the same holes as the digits 242, so subscribers literally dialled the start of the town's name.
Top searched 01242 numbers
These are the 01242 numbers most-looked-up by visitors to our number checker. Click any number to see its full lookup page with risk-level, range holder, and community reports.
| Number | Searches | Last looked up |
|---|---|---|
| 01242 503930 | 39 | 8 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 542693 | 16 | 2 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 800640 | 9 | 2 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 786515 | 8 | 3 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 785506 | 7 | 5 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 503889 | 7 | 5 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 786510 | 6 | 3 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 352479 | 6 | 2 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 785435 | 5 | 11 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 786521 | 5 | 10 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 785505 | 5 | 9 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 503876 | 5 | 4 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 809884 | 5 | 3 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 503881 | 5 | 2 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 503873 | 4 | 11 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 786516 | 4 | 10 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 503879 | 4 | 10 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 785500 | 4 | 9 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 503886 | 4 | 9 Jul 2026 |
| 01242 785510 | 4 | 9 Jul 2026 |
Is a call from 01242 safe?
Most 01242 calls are ordinary local calls from Cheltenham homes and businesses. The main risk to be aware of is "neighbour spoofing", where a scammer fakes a local 01242 prefix so you are more likely to answer. Never share bank details, passwords or one-time security codes with an unexpected caller, even when the number looks local — hang up and call the organisation back on a number you have verified yourself.
To call a 01242 (Cheltenham) number from outside the UK, drop the leading zero and dial +44 1242 followed by the local number.
Operators serving Cheltenham
These UK communications providers have been allocated 01242 number blocks by Ofcom. The number of blocks per operator gives a rough sense of how widely each provider serves this area.
| Provider (Ofcom-allocated) | Allocated blocks |
|---|---|
| BT | 39 |
| Gamma Telecom Holdings Limited | 15 |
| Virgin Media Limited | 8 |
| Vodafone Ltd (C&W) | 7 |
| TalkTalk Communications Limited | 7 |
| Colt Technology Services | 7 |
| Magrathea Telecommunications Limited | 7 |
| GCI Network Solutions Limited | 6 |
Ofcom number ranges on 01242
Ofcom's National Numbering Plan lists 379 number blocks under 01242, of which 209 are allocated to 105 communications providers. The first allocated blocks are shown below — look up any full number with the number checker to see its exact range holder.
| Number block | Status | Range holder (Ofcom-allocated) |
|---|---|---|
0124219… | Allocated | BT |
0124221… | Allocated | BT |
0124222… | Allocated | BT |
0124223… | Allocated | BT |
0124224… | Allocated | BT |
0124225… | Allocated | BT |
0124226… | Allocated | BT |
0124227… | Allocated | BT |
0124228… | Allocated | BT |
0124229… | Allocated | Vodafone Ltd (C&W) |
01242300… | Allocated | TalkTalk Communications Limited |
01242301… | Allocated | Localphone Limited |
Showing 12 of 209 allocated blocks. Source: Ofcom telephone numbering data, updated weekly.
How to block and report 01242 spam calls
Block or report 01242
- You can block 01242 directly from your recent-calls list on iPhone or Android, and forward scam texts free to 7726.
- Scam or fraud calls should be reported to Action Fraud (0300 123 2040) or Police Scotland (101); persistent marketing calls to the ICO / TPS.
Full step-by-step instructions for every phone, network-level blocking and all UK reporting routes are in our guide: How to block and report unwanted calls in the UK.
How to stop unwanted calls for good
Blocking 01242 numbers stops that one number, but determined nuisance callers simply switch numbers. Silencing unknown callers, enabling your network's free spam shield and registering with the TPS cut the volume across the board — our canonical guide walks through each step: How to block and report unwanted calls in the UK.
Frequently asked questions about the 01242 code
Where is the 01242 area code?
The 01242 area code is allocated by Ofcom to Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. It is a geographic UK landline dialling code under the National Telephone Numbering Plan. The surrounding dialling area also takes in Charlton Kings, Bishops Cleeve, Tewkesbury and nearby villages.
Is 01242 always a Cheltenham number?
Numbers with the 01242 prefix were originally allocated by Ofcom to Cheltenham. With UK number portability and VoIP allowing geographic relocation while keeping the same number, the call origin can differ from the original area, but the prefix's official assigned location remains Cheltenham.
How do I block 01242 spam calls?
On iPhone, tap the (i) next to the number in Recents and choose Block this Caller. On Android, long-press the number in Recents and choose Block. To prevent unknown 01242 numbers ringing, enable Settings → Phone → Silence Unknown Callers (iPhone) or your dialler's spam filter (Android). Forward spam texts to 7726 free of charge.
How much does a 01242 call cost?
Calls to UK 01242 geographic numbers are charged at your provider's standard rate and are usually included in inclusive minutes on any modern landline or mobile plan.
Neighbouring dialling codes
Codes covering areas around Cheltenham — useful when a caller is nearby but outside the 01242 boundary.
Living in or moving to Cheltenham?
Our free postcode reports cover house prices, crime, broadband and schools for the districts around Cheltenham.
Check another UK number
Have the full 10- or 11-digit number? The UK Phone Number Checker shows the Ofcom range holder, risk level, and any community reports for that specific number.