So as of yesterday 05/06/2017 the 0500 number range no longer exists....

Someone at the BBC needs to update its Radio 5Live Webpage which as of today still shows:
Quote:

Call: 0500 909693

- http://www.bbc.co.uk/5live/help#contact

The new number is of course: 08085 909693

As the number changed in April 2017 it appears this mention has been obviously overlooked.

It is unlikely to be changed unless they are given a nudge.

I get the impression that a few companies have really botched the transition on this.

Some organisations have only published their new numbers in the last couple of weeks, leaving no time for a smooth running down of the old 0500 numbers.

Even NS&I, who have publicised their new 0808 numbers for some time, never got round to putting a warning on their 0500 numbers that it was about to change.

In retrospect, it would probably have been more sensible to stick with the approach used for area code changes in the days of yore: automatic migration of all numbers, with defined parallel running periods and then a final period of "changed number" warnings at network level on the old 0500 range for a year or so. Leaving individual telecoms firms and their customers to make arrangements on a case-by-case basis seems to have been very hit and miss.

I notice a lengthy statement reiterating the 0500 number withdrawal arrangements has appeared at the top of Ofcom's phone numbering page: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/information-for-industry/numbering - covering their backs?

NumberMoose wrote on Jun 14^th, 2017 at 11:06pm:

I get the impression that a few companies have really botched the transition on this. … In retrospect, it would probably have been more sensible to stick with the approach used for area code changes in the days of yore…

We have been standing by to jump on any problems caused by the method of transition and the failure of users to take proper advantage of a three-year period of notice. We even published a news release, which failed to excite any interest.

The Ofcom consultation offered the opportunity for those unhappy with the proposed method of transition to raise objections and suggest alternatives. The final statement implies that any suggestions such as that given here were dismissed without consideration (or that no such suggestions were made).

One is tempted to conclude that the issue was perhaps a matter of little consequence. It would be nice to think that the 070 range will also eventually pass away quietly, and maybe (in due course) 084 and 087!

Ofcom avoided imposing a mandatory migration path because in reality the called party had the choice to move to an 03 number, an 080 number, or some other number range, or simply utilise some other number they already had in operation.

A 'default' migration to the matching 0808 5 number was available, but taking this up involved a change to the running costs incurred by the called party (because calls to 080 numbers are free-to-caller from landlines and from mobiles). This is another reason why Ofcom could not enforce any particular change.

A number of organisations took no action and simply lost their number on 5 June 2017. Some appeared to get a new number in haste. Others appear to still have taken no action. Ofcom has advised that any former user of an 0500 number still has a month to claim the matching 0808 5 number.

There was a three year transition period. In hindsight, this was far too long. It is apparent that a number of organisations decided they could put it off for a couple of years - and then completely forgot about it. This was a fairly minor migration likely involving only a few thousand numbers.

Default migration path wouldn't have precluded a change to another number - companies could just have ignored the new 0808 number and published their preferred alternative.

However, it's a good point about the extra costs potentially nixing a change (would these have been much more than those 0800 and 0808 users faced when "free from mobile" was mandated the other year?)

To be fair, I'm quite pleased Ofcom had the guts to remove 0500 numbers given their pretty firm "no number changes" stance in recent years. Hopefully as you both suggest there actually won't be much fallout and they won't be put off nudging 070 out of existence!