Hundreds of Cardiff workers are ringing the changes in the UK directory enquiries shake-up.

BT's �280m 192 near-monopoly has been dismantled after telecoms regulator Oftel opened up the service to competing companies.

US-owned The Number is one of 10 firms launching a host of new services, each using six-digit numbers with a 118 prefix.

Some new numbers

BT: 118 500 British Gas: 118 511, 118 411 Orange: 118 000 One Tel: 118 111 and 118 211 Opal Telecom: 118 114 Telegate: 118 866 The Number UK Ltd: 118 118

The Number employs 180 staff and has promised up to 700 jobs will be created at its Cardiff Gate premises, on the outskirts of the capital.

It will also offer an enhanced Yellow Pages-style directory for services in particular locations.

BT played down the loss of its 192 monopoly and will also offer a similar directory using elements from its Scoot acquisition.

Owned by INFONXX, The Number, already manages 200 million US calls annually and employs about 3,000 worldwide.

It bought the "golden" 118-118 number - said to be the most memorable - for a reported �2m.

Cost of one-minute enquiry

One Tel: 35p Conduit: 48p BT: 55p British Gas: 55p Telegate: 55p The Number UK Ltd: 58p

It estimates the repeated number will save �40m and is investing �30m in its Cardiff facility, which will later become a headquarters for the UK and Europe.

Business director Nick Hole said: "Consumers are going to have the possibility of higher-quality services.

"They can certainly be vaguer than they were before.

"You could call up and ask for a pizza delivery firm in the Cardiff Bay area rather than having to give a specific name and address."

Directories at firms like The Number have the UK covered, however, and not just south east Wales, where it looks like becoming a jewel in the region's call centre crown.

The sector already employs 24,000 in Wales, with 48% of those jobs in Cardiff, according to the Cardiff and Newport Call Centre Initiative.

Services are entering a new era

With its data directory roots, The Number also looks ready for the expected growth in internet-based call centres.

Mr Hole said: "We are one of an unusual breed - a profitable, stable, growing telecoms company.

"We have over 10 years experience in this field and we are here for the long-term."

BT is scrapping its fixed 40p charge for the service and replacing it with a time-based one, although it does not expect the calls to cost more than 40p.

The firms offering them include BT, British Gas, One Tel and Orange. Others are expected to follow in the New Year.

192, which receives an estimated 600 million calls each year, will be phased out by August 2003.