OUR invites consultations on 10-digit dialling
Published:Friday | July 12, 2013 | 12:00 AM
Switch to be costly to telecoms, businesses
The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), close to running out of telephone numbers, is considering adding a second area code, but taking that route means local phone numbers, and dialling, will increase from seven to 10 digits.
The OUR has already applied to the North American Numbering Plan Administration for a second area code to augment its supply of 876-numbers. It has now released a 40-page consultation document called 'NPA Relief Planning', inviting discussions on the implications of 10-digit dialling.
Comments to the OUR are due by August 19.
"Any of the several alternative methods of NPA Relief will result in actual number changes and/or changes in the representation of existing numbers — for example, from a seven-digit to a 10-digit format in equipment and devices or on signage," said the OUR document.
"To be sure, the OUR is cognisant of the fact that the cost of number changes to customers can be substantial; but the cost of running out of numbers is considerably higher."
For telecoms, it means a reconfiguration of their systems to ensure that the networks can distinguish the codes and correctly route calls to the right parties.
LIME Jamaica also expects the process to be costly but Regional Regulatory Adviser Charles Douglas said the company "is not averse to a new area code" and would be a willing participant in the consultations.
Jamaica was assigned the '876' code in June 1996 with activation in May 1, 1997, according to the OUR. Jamaica was assigned eight million numbers, according to previous information from the OUR, which is responsible for their allocation.
The regulator says the remaining numbers in its inventory will soon be exhausted, based on the rapid growth of cell phone subscribers beyond 100 per cent of the population.
Insufficient inventory
"While the fixed-line telecoms market has declined over the years, the largely unexpected growth in the mobile market, since 2001, has consumed upwards of 4.3 million numbers," said OUR.
"As at December 31, 2009, a total of 6.25 million fixed-line and mobile numbers had been assigned to telecommunications carriers and service providers, and the available supply of numbers, for all practical purposes, was considered insufficient to satisfy the carriers' growth forecasts for the ensuing five years".
The potential demands from new market entrants, it added, "signalled the exhausting of NPA 876."
The OUR first revealed its plans for a new area code in 2009, and again incorporated it its Business Plan and Budget of 2012. It has offered no timeline for implementation.
However, Douglas said the consultations would offer a better read on the schedule.
"From the process, we will be able to effectively assess the timeline for implementation," he told the Financial Gleaner.
In the meantime, LIME is assessing what changes to the network are required and the potential costs involved.
The changes will also be costly to corporate phone customers, according to the OUR, which said the impact of adopting the 10-digit dialling would require: revision of printed materials, including stationery, business cards, labels and bills; reprogramming of PBXs, cellular phones, modems, speed call lists, alarm company automatic diallers, other automatic diallers, and more; and updating of telephone directory listings.
Douglas said it is unlikely that mobile-phone customers will have to replace their SIM cards.