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Number::Phone::UK(3pm) User Contributed Perl Documentation Number::Phone::UK(3pm)

NAME

Number::Phone::UK - UK-specific methods for Number::Phone

SYNOPSIS

    use Number::Phone;

    $daves_phone = Number::Phone->new('+44 1234 567890');

DATABASE

Number::Phone::UK uses a large database, access via Number::Phone::UK::Data. This database lives in a file, and normally only the little bits of it that you access will ever get loaded into memory. This means, however, that creating Number::Phone::UK objects almost always involves disk access and so is slow compared to data for some other countries. There are two ways to avoid this slowness.

First, if you don't need all the functionality you can use Number::Phone::Lib.

Second, if you can accept slow startup - eg when your server starts - then you can call "Number::Phone::UK::Data-"slurp()> from your code, which will pull the entire database into memory. This will take a few minutes, and on a 64-bit machine will consume of the order of 200MB of memory.

The database uses DBM::Deep. This apparently has some problems if you connect to it, "fork()", and then try to access the database from multiple processes. We attempt to work around this by re-connecting to the database after forking. This is, of course, not a problem if you "slurp()" the database before forking.

METHODS

The following methods from Number::Phone are overridden:
new
The constructor, you should never have to call this yourself. To create an object the canonical incantation is "Number::Phone-"new('+44 ...')>.
is_valid
The number is valid within the national numbering scheme. It may or may not yet be allocated, or it may be reserved. Any number which returns true for any of the following methods will also be valid.
is_allocated
The number has been allocated to a telco for use. It may or may not yet be in use or may be reserved.
is_drama
The number is intended for use in fiction. OFCOM has allocated numerous small ranges for this purpose. These numbers will not be allocated to real customers. See <http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/telecoms/numbering/guidance-tele-no/numbers-for-drama> for the authoritative source.
is_geographic
The number refers to a geographic area.
is_fixed_line
The number, when in use, can only refer to a fixed line.

(we can't tell whether a number is a fixed line, but we can tell that some are *not*).

is_mobile
The number, when in use, can only refer to a mobile phone.
is_pager
The number, when in use, can only refer to a pager.
is_tollfree
Callers will not be charged for calls to this number under normal circumstances.
is_specialrate
The number, when in use, attracts special rates. For instance, national dialling at local rates, or premium rates for services.
is_adult
The number, when in use, goes to a service of an adult nature, such as porn.
is_personal
The number, when in use, goes to an individual person.
is_corporate
The number, when in use, goes to a business.
is_ipphone
The number, when in use, is terminated using VoIP.
is_network_service
The number is some kind of network service such as a human operator, directory enquiries, emergency services etc
country_code
Returns 44.
regulator
Returns informational text.
areacode
Return the area code - if applicable - for the number. If not applicable, returns undef.
areaname
Return the area name - if applicable - for the number, or undef.
location
For geographic numbers, this returns the location of the exchange to which that number is assigned, if available. Otherwise returns undef.
subscriber
Return the subscriber part of the number
operator
Return the name of the telco operating this number, in an appropriate character set and with optional details such as their web site or phone number.
format
Return a sanely formatted version of the number, complete with IDD code, eg for the UK number (0208) 771-2924 it would return +44 20 8771 2924.
intra_country_dial_to
Within the UK numbering plan you can *always* dial 0xxxx xxxxxx for intra-country calls. In most places the leading 0$areacode is optional but in some it is required (see <http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/dial-the-code/>) and over time this will apply to more areas.
country
If the number is_international, return the two-letter ISO country code.

NYI

LIMITATIONS/BUGS/FEEDBACK

The results are only as up-to-date as the data included from OFCOM's official documentation of number range allocations.

No attempt is made to deal with number portability.

Please report bugs at <https://github.com/DrHyde/perl-modules-Number-Phone/issues>, including, if possible, a test case.

I welcome feedback from users.

LICENCE

You may use, modify and distribute this software under the same terms as perl itself.

AUTHOR

David Cantrell <david@cantrell.org.uk>

Copyright 2012

2018-12-16 perl v5.28.1