The U.K. Office of Communications unveiled plans (http://xrl.us/bnhbcq) to promote...
The U.K. Office of Communications unveiled plans (http://xrl.us/bnhbcq) to promote more-efficient use of increasingly scarce geographic fixed-line phone numbers and ensure there are enough for the future. In the U.K., such numbers begin with 01 and 02. While the total…
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quantity of geographic numbers held by communications providers (CPs) exceeds likely demand from end users, individual providers occasionally need new allocations, it said. Ofcom’s demand forecast shows that unless it acts now, there could be shortages of geographic numbers in some area codes, it said. That’s no direct risk to availability of numbers for consumers, but could deny local consumers the full benefits of competition because new CPs wouldn’t be able to enter the market, and some established providers might not be able to expand their services in the affected area codes, it said. Last September the regulator decided that where four-digit area codes need more local numbers, it will increase the supply of numbers by closing local dialing, it said. That means that fixed-line phone users in those areas must dial the area code when making local calls, it said. The change allows Ofcom to release new numbers without requiring changes to existing numbers, it said. But actions to increase the supply of numbers in an area code inevitably leads to some costs and disruption to consumers, CPs and Ofcom, it said. Its latest statement considers how to encourage CPs to make more-efficient use of the existing supply of numbers to reduce or avoid the need for changes, it said. It has now decided to introduce number charging in a pilot test covering 30 area codes with the fewest number blocks remaining for allocation; and to make 100 blocks of 100 numbers available to allocate to providers in each of the 11 areas with five-digit area codes, it said. The pilot will launch April 1, it said. Separately, Ofcom is also reviewing its administrative processes for allocating geographic numbers and will publish a consultation on several proposals later this year, it said.