New numbering scheme Expected in a Month

[Arun 795]

RIM users may have to face a number change soon if DoT approves TRAI's recommendation to use 10 digit numbering system (starting with '9') in a couple of weeks. Reliance is believed to be resisting the move to change the numbering for its six million strong cellular customers.

Read more:

The Times of India

The Statesman

The Telegraph

The Financial Express

The Economic Times

[Deepak 8]

Oh ! I hope the change wont take place

[Arun 795]

TIMES NEWS NETWORK - TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2003

KOLKATA: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) plans to migrate Reliance Infocomm to a full-fledged mobile numbering plan with an exclusive ‘93' access-level in a regime of unified licences and changing interconnection norms.

Once that happens, all Reliance Infocomm numbers will be prefixed with the two-digit ‘93' access-level instead of the plain ‘3'. The length of Reliance Info numbers will also increase from eight digits to 10 digits in line with DoT's national mobile numbering plan.

Till date, Level 9 was reserved only for cellular services. But DoT's decision to reserve a unique second-digit ‘3' besides Level 9 is due to Reliance Infocomm's status of national mobility player with a pan-India 18-circle presence.

Reliance will be able to offer over nine crore mobile connections nationally under the new numbering plan. DoT is likely to issue a formal circular to Reliance Infocomm this week notifying the new numbering plan.

Accordingly, Reliance Info will be the second national telecom player besides BSNL-CellOne with an exclusive two-digit mobile access code. All CellOne numbers are prefixed with Access level ‘94'.

Private cellular numbers, in turn, are prefixed with ‘98'. DoT's decision assumes significance since Reliance Infocomm was opposed to changing its eight-digit numbering plan.

When contacted, top DoT sources told The Economic Times : “Reliance Infocomm has been reluctant to switch over to a mobile numbering plan, but such a situation is unacceptable to the government since the company has earned full-mobility rights in the regime of unified licensing. But we plan to reserve a unique second digit (3) in addition to Level 9 for Reliance since it is a national player. A final decision will be taken this week."

When contacted, Reliance Infocomm officials said: "We are yet to receive an official circular from DoT directing a change in our numbering plan."

Reliance Infocomm had been offered its current Level-3 prefix back in November 2002 just before it launched its then limited mobility services nationally in the capacity of a basic services player. But things have changed ever since Infocomm paid close to Rs 1,600 crore to migrate to a national unified access licence with full-mobility rights.

Incidentally, DoT's decision to reserve Access Level ‘93' for Reliance is in response Trai's recommendation to migrate all CDMA-based full-mobility players to the national mobile numbering plan. Trai also feels such a step will ease computation of Access Deficit Charges (ADC), for which the norms will be notified in the Interconnect Usage Charges (IUC) order due out in Janauary 2004.

The decision to migrate CDMA players to the mobile numbering plan is aimed at exploring the full potential of the Level 9 access level.

"DoT cannot afford to waste a valuable resource when there is adequate capacity to accommodate both GSM and CDMA full-mobility players on Level 9," said a top Telecom Commission source.

However, DoT is unlikely to reserve any other exclusive two-digit access-levels for mobile operators without a national presence.

"Smaller mobility players will be accommodated on the existing ‘98' mobile access code where there is enough spare capacity," DoT sources said.

[Arun 795]

Tuesday, 30 December , 2003

New Delhi: Mobile phones subscribers of Reliance, Tatas and Bharti can expect a change in numbering scheme shortly, as Government is likely to allot 10-digit numbering starting with 93 series to Reliance and 97 series to Tatas.

With this TRAI is also believed to have deferred, yet again, the proposed introduction of the new IUC (Interconnect Usage Charges) regime by at least a month to February from the earlier scheduled date of January 1, 2004.

"The numbering and IUC could be implemented together from February 1, 2004. The new numbering scheme has to be implemented with IUC to enable us to differentiate between fixed and mobile calls to compute the charges," TRAI sources said.

When contacted Telecom secretary, Vinod Vaish said "We are agreeable to TRAI's proposal for change in numbering and have decided that a 30-day period (starting from January 1) should be given to operators to switch over to the new numbering scheme."

As per the scheme, all full mobility phones including CDMA technology phones will have ten-digit numbers. Department of Telecom has decided to allot 92 series to Bharti, '93' series to Reliance and `97 series to Tatas, while the smaller players would remain in the 98 series, sources added.

Simply speaking, all Reliance Infocomm numbers which go fully mobile, will now be prefixed with 93 instead of 3 and the length of the number will increase from 8 digit to 10 digit.

[JAX 1]

I don't want my number to change or have more digits

[sunil_jok 2]

i dont understand why this is necessary, currently i have a 10 digit no: 484-3108579? why should it be changed.

if the new no is adopted then i will have 12 nos. difficult to remember isnt it? and even if the district code was removed i wont be having 10 digits, only 9....

am i missing something here?

[Arun 795]

currently i have a 10 digit no: 484-3108579? why should it be changed. if the new no is adopted then i will have 12 nos. and even if the district code was removed i wont be having 10 digits, only 9.... am i missing something here?

Your RIM number has only 7 digits now, excluding the STD code. When the new numbering scheme (the number format is 9PXYZaaaaa, where 9 is the full mobility access code and P is mobile operator code, XYZ could be your mobile switching code) comes, then your number will be having 10 digits.

[Chirag 5]

hmm... but its still sick.. meaning, u have WLL Players to have their own access codes like 93(Reliance), 92(bharti WLL), 97(TATA).... and operators like HUTCH who too have huge customer bases to still be along with the small players in the same 98 access code!! thts so stupid...

In Mumbai Orange(HUTCH) finished its numbers from 98200xxxxx to 98209xxxxx and was now given the new numbering system of 98190xxxxx to 98199xxxxx!! initially i thought i am calling a user in Delhi! because of 981xx xxxxx!

Its getting more and more confusing... its better that TRAI finalises this numbering system once and for all so that there is lesser number changes in near future...

am alright with this change only if our nos. become similar to wht other GSM operators are... or like wht BSNL customers' are... It should simply be a 10 digit no. now with no further prefix of STD codes. then if i have to dial a reliance no. in Mumbai (my city) i can dial 93xxx xxxxx and any outstation nos. should be dialled as 093xxx xxxxx

Simply put, life has to be simpler!

Edited May 24, 2004 by Tushar

[Arun 795]

Chirag, it does work like that. Also, for Mumbai subscribers, the numbering scheme will be from 93200 to 93214 series. Similarly, Delhi subscribers will get 93100 to 93114 series. These (200, 214, etc.) are MSC (mobile switching codes) and will vary for every circles.

[Chirag 5]

oh oh.... that means there'll be a lot of change in the mobile no.!! i'll lose this fantastic no. that i have got it changed to!!

[Arun 795]

TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2004]

KOLKATA: Reliance Infocomm has told the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) it will be unable to migrate to a 10-digit national mobile numbering plan in a mere 30 days.

In separate letters to DoT secretary, Vinod Vaish and Trai chairman Pradip Baijal, the company has said “implementing any number change across our networks in such a short span will be an anti-consumer step that will severely disrupt services to our 6.2 million RIM subscribers, resulting in grave financial consequences for the company”.

Reliance Infocomm has till end-January to migrate to a mobile numbering scheme on the `93’ Access Level as per DoT’s diktat. The company feels this would be impossible to achieve since it “involves changing the 8-digit numbers of all its 6.2 million subscribers through a massive database overhaul across 18-circles”. The exercise is also expected to cost Reliance Infocomm over Rs 100 crore.

Infocomm’s decision to buy more time from DoT assumes significance, especially at a stage when BSNL has just opened up Access Level 93 to facilitate the launch of Infocomm’s prepaid service by January 16. When contacted, top DoT circles declined to comment on the issue.

When contacted, Reliance circles said “any interim move to change the national numbering plan of unified access service licence would be tantamount to pre-empting

Trai’s consultation process on the same issue. In its letters to DoT and Trai chairmen, the company has said: “Since the numbering plan is the most crucial aspect of the unfinished consultation process on unified licensing, DoT and Trai should realise that any interim change in the numbering plan would pre-decide and pre-empt consultation on the most crucial issue”.

Furthermore, a top Reliance Infocomm source said: “Under DoT’s unified access service licence norms the company is mandated to offer both the WLL-M (limited mobility) and full-mobility services, wherein the RIM subscriber has the choice to opt for either service and also switch from limted to full mobility or vice versa.” In this light, Reliance Infocomm has told the DoT and Trai “that existing 8-digit numbering scheme in its earlier capacity of basic service operator is more suitable for the CDMA-based mobility players in the unified licensing regime, especially for computing ADC and IUC charges”.

However, both the DoT and Trai remain unconvinced in this light as they believe “only a migration to a 10-digit mobile numbering scheme would create a level-playing field in the full-mobility space in a regime of unified access licences.

[sunil_jok 2]

hey my old no is 0484-3108579

so would my new no be 933108579

or what?

[Chirag 5]

no... ur no. cannot be that... coz there r tonnes of ppl who might have 3108579 as their no. For example a person in Pune can have 020 - 3108579 as his no. also!! so it will happen as to wht Arun mentioned earlier... check his post at http://www.rimweb.com/forums/index.php?sho...=findpost&p=154

[sunil_jok 2]

i had read that post earlier, but i didnt get an answer as to what kind of no: i would get. just a vague reply. just answer me this.

0484-3108579 what will that no change to when the new no plan takes place

[Chirag 5]

nothings really sure as of now... Or maybe Arun wud be the right person to talk abt this...

[Arun 795]

lol, I'm not the one to decide that ! Only time will tell us what the new number will be.

[niket 0]

check this out

IUC News

[Arun 795]

UNI

The new ten-digit numbering scheme for cellular services has been deferred by a month till March 1, Telecom Secretary Vinod Vaish said today.

''The postponement has been done following requests for more time from BSNL, Tata Teleservices and a few other telecom companies,'' Mr Vaish told UNI.

The Department of Telecom had earlier announced that the numbers of all telecom operators would have ten digits from February 1, with the first two digits enabling the consumers to identify the full mobility status and the service provider.

Since the scheme has to be adopted by all the telecom operators simultaneously, more time is being given so that everyone is taken on board, the Secretary said.

The decision has been taken in consultation with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), he said.

TRAI had earlier announced that it would introduce the new interconnection usage charge (IUC) regime, coinciding with the new numbering scheme from February 1.

However, the regulator would now go ahead with the new IUC regime from tomorrow, though it would now be implemented in stages and the process would be completed by March 31, Mr D P S Seth, senior member of TRAI told UNI.

Official sources had earlier stated that Reliance had been allotted 93 as the first two digits and the Tatas 97.

Bharti was given the '92' series, while the smaller players would remain in the '98' series.

The numbering scheme is a complicated exercise as every operator has to be given an mobile switching centre (MSC) code for each circle.

TRAI had recommended a 10-digit numbering scheme for limited mobility phones going fully mobile.

According to the regulator, based on the principle of level playing field, all fully mobile cellular service, irrespective of technology deployed, should be treated at par as far as numbering scheme was concerned.

Numbering scheme for full mobility provided by the existing basic service operators who had migrated to unified access service licence should be at the same level as that of GSM cellular users, the regulator had recommended.

For CDMA and GSM services, the first number 9 would represent the full mobility access code, the second digit the mobile operator code, followed by MSC codes.

PTI

Telecom tariffs across all types of services may undergo a change in the coming days with implementation of new inter-operator settlement of charges interconnect usage charge from midnight today. New IUC regime will come into effect from midnight. However with regard to change in numbers by hitherto limited mobile operators now converted into unified service providers like Reliance and Tatas will happen gradually by March, Mr D P S Seth, member, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India told PTI.

The TRAI has specified IUC charges payable between two operators for usage of network, and it is up to the service providers to work out the tariffs based on margins.

As of now, none of the operators have announced new tariffs under IUC regime but industry sources indicated that additional burden on service providers, in terms of access deficit charge to be paid by them to incumbent the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, could be passed on to subscribers.

Earlier the private telecom operators cellular and unified had raised concerns over BSNLs approach of calculating inter-operator charges saying they (BSNL) have been using different pulse rate for making payments to other operators and separate pulse rate for taking payments on the basis of IUC.

[Chirag 5]

Has someone got insider info whether how the new numbering scheme is taking shape? Is it now freezed for the March 1 deadline?

[niket 0]

No news about that

my current no is 8 digit and 2 digit of STD number so i first think that that 2 digit may replaced by '93' but now i am affraid that total No. may change.. so sady thing.

[AmanJ 1]

no thats not possible as there are several no. with sane no.'ing pattern loke delhi and mumbai have 8 digit no. so the no wld be 93abxxxxxx where ab is city code and rest is ur no

Edited May 24, 2004 by Tushar

[niket 0]

no thats not possible as there are several no. with sane no.'ing pattern loke delhi and mumbai have 8 digit no. so the no wld be 93abxxxxxx where xy is city code and rest is ur no

I may loose my Lucky No.

[sharad 0]

Here's one more thing related to number change guys....

Its for sure that number change will create a bit problem for all of us. but there one more hidden problem. As we know reliance has a unified licence and not circle licence just like other GSM operators. This unified licence abilises a caller to call a reliance subscriber in a neighbouring telecom circle (with in 50 kms) by adding 95+std code+reliance number.

Now after mar 1 reliance cust will have 10 digit number and that can be dialled from that telecom circle only and not from the neighbouring telecom circle (within 50 kms) by adding 95. it means that caller has to make a std call. To understand better, consider this example....

Ghaziabad is a part of delhi telecom circle and meerut is a part of west UP telecom circle. but ghaziabad and Meerut are just 45 kilometers apart. A caller from Meerut can access a reliance subscriber of ghaziabad by diling 95-120-reliance number. Now after the 10 digit scheme, this wont be possible. A caller from Meerut has to make a std call to talk to ghaziabad reliance customer. This is just a example and all the telecom circles in the country will face this....

sharad

[Chirag 5]

i just want to add on to this... or maybe someone shud throw more light on this..

If say, I am customer frm Pune, my telecom circle is entire maharashtra(Except Mumbai). So now with the new numbering scheme i shud be able to make calls to another city in Maharashtra, say Nashik without adding '0' to the new 10 digit no. coz its the same telecom circle. Thats the practice followed by IDEA cellular in Mah, i know.

Incase, dialling a '0' is mandatory, still the call shall be charged local since its the same home circle. For this, just ur STD should be activated. And for activating STD, i guess, we dont have to pay anything extra.. right?

As far as in my case, Mumbai goes, as sharad pointed out, Mumbai - Kalyan -Vasai are considered to be one circle... So calls within this circle should be allowed without dialling a '0'...

And sharad, the reliance website clearly mentions that a resident of Meerut has Ghaziabad within 50 kms so i am sure Reliance will take care of the charges within the 50 km radius...

[sharad 0]

Yes Chirag, I do agree with you. A landline caller will be able to access a reliance csutomer of his telecom circle, without dialing zero.

I feel that picture will only get clear once the new number scheme come into effect. I also think that after 10 digit number some sms sites may start offering sms to reliance phones.

Just for info:--- For sending sms to GSM, I am using www.happytexting.com its extremely fast, reliable and free.