How do people answer the phone in Britain?

My British partner answers the phone with the last four digits of his phone number. I'm not hugely comfortable blurting, "5678!" into a telephone. I'm a simple country girl and partial to the classics. Like, "hello."

Thing is, I've never called anybody but him in the UK. But I'm sure a lifetime of watching Masterpiece Theater hasn't exposed me to people blurting numbers into phones.

So...how do people answer the telephone in the UK?

Any British roommates/friends I've had say hello. I have never heard anyone answer it like your partner and frankly, it'd probably freak me out!

Usually by saying 'hello?'

I also have never heard anyone answer the phone just saying numbers.

It's quite common for people to answer the phone with the number like that.  When I was growing up we always used to do that til my dad got paranoid about it for some reason. Now I just say "hello."

If I don't recognize a number on my mobile and it's M-F working hours, I will answer by saying....Hello, This is Karin.  It is because my mobile is paid for by my company and it could be a client or colleague and I just figure it's easier to let them know they got the right number straight away.  

Home phone - I just say hello.  Ask your partner why he says the last 4 digits.  I am really curious.  

When i first moved here (20+ years ago), LOADS of (if not most) people answered the phone with the last 4 digits of their phone number.  I hardly ever hear it anymore.

Remember in All Creatures Great and Small they used to answer the phone 'Darrowby 457' (or whatever the numbers were!).

Home phone - I just say hello.  Ask your partner why he says the last 4 digits.  I am really curious.  

So people know if they got the right number. But he doesn't like to answer with his name, in case it's a sales call or something.

Yup, my in-laws do the numbers thing.  At first, I was thinking 'wtf?' -- but I've got used to it.  Steve answers 'Hello'.

That's wild!  I've never heard anyone answer the phone like that.   

DH usually just says "Good morning/afternoon/evening, Chris speaking."  I usually just say "Hello?" and figure most folks will take it from there. 

My mum has always answered the phone by reciting all 6 digits of our phone number, but the rest of us just say 'Hello?'. I think she does it to confirm the number that the caller has dialled, in case they got the wrong number or something, which can be easily done (when I was younger, my friend's phone number contained exactly the same digits as the local doctor's surgery, but in a different order, so they would often get people calling the wrong number).

when I call some customers at work, I heard the number thing, it caught me off guard at first.
i just say hello....if im in a very shitty mood I say WHAT!?!

Hello or sometimes 'your dime' - that really throws 'em.

It used to be quite common to answer the phone Hillside 376. I don't know any one who answers that way now. It seemed to taper off as the exchanges migrated to the 6 digit format used now.

I've had phones answered in all sorts of ways when calling people. One of my favorites (sarcasm alert) being "Who's that?"
I don't know why, but when people answer the phone in a weird way when I'm expecting a simple "hello", it stuns me into silence for a moment.

I've had phones answered in all sorts of ways when calling people. One of my favorites (sarcasm alert) being "Who's that?"

I hate "Who's that?"   

My inlaws do the four numbers thing.  My husband and I just say "hello?" 

I know someone (in the US) who's father (paranoid musician) used to answer the phone "Identify yourself!".  If the person tried to say "Hello" or "Excuse me, but is..." he would cut them off and repeat "Identify yourself!" If they did not give him a name he would hang up on them. Hello high school dating hell!