01685 Area Code — Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare & Tredegar
01685 is the UK dialling code for Merthyr Tydfil in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, also serving Aberdare, Tredegar and Mountain Ash, allocated by Ofcom under the National Telephone Numbering Plan. Our database has tracked 252 distinct 01685 numbers across 282 public lookups.
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Quick facts
Area code
01685
Location
Merthyr Tydfil
County
Merthyr Tydfil County Borough
Region
Wales
Number type
Geographic landline
Number format
01685 XXX XXX
Operators serving
8+
Call cost
Standard rate
About the 01685 dialling code
01685 is the UK geographic dialling code for Merthyr Tydfil, allocated by Ofcom under the National Telephone Numbering Plan. It is used by landlines — and increasingly VoIP lines — registered to the Merthyr Tydfil area.
A full Merthyr Tydfil number is normally written as 01685 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 01685 number no longer guarantees the caller is physically in Merthyr Tydfil. Fraudsters also "spoof" local codes like 01685 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 01685 dialling area
The marker shows Merthyr Tydfil; the shaded circle is an approximate indication of the area the 01685 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 01685
Settlements in and around the Merthyr Tydfil dialling area that typically use 01685 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 01685 from abroad
From outside the UK, dial your international access prefix, then the UK country code 44, then 1685 (the area code without its leading zero) and the local number.
| Calling from | Dial |
|---|---|
| United States & Canada | 011 44 1685 … |
| Europe / most of the world | 00 44 1685 … |
| Australia | 0011 44 1685 … |
| Any mobile phone | +44 1685 … |
History of the 01685 code
The code was 0685 until PhONEday, 16 April 1995, when a "1" was inserted after the leading zero to create 01685.
Top searched 01685 numbers
These are the 01685 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 01685 726000 | 4 | 5 Jul 2026 |
| 01685 701330 | 4 | 2 Jul 2026 |
| 01685 352787 | 3 | 5 Jul 2026 |
| 01685 709634 | 3 | 1 Jul 2026 |
| 01685 732132 | 2 | 9 Jul 2026 |
| 01685 646164 | 2 | 7 Jul 2026 |
| 01685 897544 | 2 | 7 Jul 2026 |
| 01685 646167 | 2 | 7 Jul 2026 |
| 01685 646168 | 2 | 6 Jul 2026 |
| 01685 897290 | 2 | 5 Jul 2026 |
| 01685 378404 | 2 | 4 Jul 2026 |
| 01685 708553 | 2 | 2 Jul 2026 |
| 01685 848440 | 2 | 28 Jun 2026 |
| 01685 354645 | 2 | 28 Jun 2026 |
| 01685 352820 | 2 | 27 Jun 2026 |
| 01685 811525 | 2 | 27 Jun 2026 |
| 01685 726031 | 2 | 26 Jun 2026 |
| 01685 646130 | 2 | 26 Jun 2026 |
| 01685 455135 | 2 | 19 Jun 2026 |
| 01685 728804 | 2 | 17 Jun 2026 |
Is a call from 01685 safe?
Most 01685 calls are ordinary local calls from Merthyr Tydfil homes and businesses. The main risk to be aware of is "neighbour spoofing", where a scammer fakes a local 01685 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 01685 (Merthyr Tydfil) number from outside the UK, drop the leading zero and dial +44 1685 followed by the local number.
Operators serving Merthyr Tydfil
These UK communications providers have been allocated 01685 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 |
|---|---|
| GCI Network Solutions Limited | 11 |
| BT | 11 |
| 1XXXX | 10 |
| Virgin Media Limited | 8 |
| TalkTalk Communications Limited | 6 |
| Digital Space Group Limited | 3 |
| Sky UK Limited | 2 |
| Lumen Technologies UK Limited | 2 |
Ofcom number ranges on 01685
Ofcom's National Numbering Plan lists 397 number blocks under 01685, of which 132 are allocated to 94 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) |
|---|---|---|
0168521… | Allocated | TelNG Limited |
0168522… | Allocated | TTNC Limited |
0168523… | Allocated | Barritel Limited |
0168524… | Allocated | Voiceflex Limited |
01685252… | Allocated | Adepteo Limited |
01685253… | Allocated | Entanet International Ltd |
01685254… | Allocated | Zapappi Ltd |
01685255… | Allocated | I.T Communications Limited |
01685256… | Allocated | IP Voice Networks Ltd |
01685257… | Allocated | Dial 9 Communications Limited |
01685258… | Allocated | 24 Seven Cloud Communications Ltd |
01685259… | Allocated | Fuse 2 Communications Ltd |
Showing 12 of 132 allocated blocks. Source: Ofcom telephone numbering data, updated weekly.
How to block and report 01685 spam calls
Block or report 01685
- You can block 01685 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 01685 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 01685 code
Where is the 01685 area code?
The 01685 area code is allocated by Ofcom to Merthyr Tydfil in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, United Kingdom. It is a geographic UK landline dialling code under the National Telephone Numbering Plan. The surrounding dialling area also takes in Aberdare, Tredegar, Mountain Ash and nearby villages.
Is 01685 always a Merthyr Tydfil number?
Numbers with the 01685 prefix were originally allocated by Ofcom to Merthyr Tydfil. 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 Merthyr Tydfil.
How do I block 01685 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 01685 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 01685 call cost?
Calls to UK 01685 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 Merthyr Tydfil — useful when a caller is nearby but outside the 01685 boundary.
Living in or moving to Merthyr Tydfil?
Our free postcode reports cover house prices, crime, broadband and schools for the districts around Merthyr Tydfil.
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.