"Telephone numbers are at the heart of a well-functioning
communications industry,” said Ofcom Chief Executive Stephen
Carter. "From 01 to 09 we are proposing a planning framework that
provides clearer consumer information and is future-proofed for
growth."
It has long been recognised that telephone numbers, which
underpin all telecoms services, are a finite resource. But a
growing number of demands are being made upon them.
Competition has resulted in an increasing number of providers,
all demanding new number blocks, while developing technologies such
as internet telephony and changes in demographics mean that there
is a need for increased flexibility.
Ofcom is therefore seeking to adapt its telephone numbering
framework to encourage greater innovation, support the creation of
new services, increase consumer awareness and enhance consumer
protection.
It has six main proposals:
- Create a new countrywide number range – 03 – which would be
charged to the consumer at the same rate as calling a geographic
number. Organisations requiring a national presence would be able
to use this range without charging consumers a premium for
contacting them; and calls to 03 numbers could be included in any
inclusive or low-cost call packages offered by landline or mobile
phone companies.
- Introduce a new consumer protection test to the allocation
system, which would deny numbers to providers who have previously
abused consumer trust and might do so again through their
involvement in telephone scams.
- Introduce a new 06 number range for personalised number
services. Over time this new number range would replace the current
070 personal numbers, and both the old and new numbers would have a
price ceiling. Many consumers confuse 070 numbers with mobile
numbers (which also begin with 07), leading to the potential for
abuse and scams. The use of 06 numbers would remove confusion,
strengthen consumer protection, and allow the 07 number range to be
uniquely identified with mobile services.
- Simplify the structure of the 08 range used for chargeable
services. Ofcom plans to band new numbers by price and type of
service to develop an association in the consumer's mind that the
lower the digit that follows 08 the lower the price in that range.
For example, calls to a number beginning 082 would be charged at a
lower rate than those to a number beginning 089.
- Simplify the structure of 09 premium rate service numbers in a
similar way to 08, by making different groups of 09 numbers
represent different prices and services. This would also enable
consumers to bar specific types of 09 numbers.
- Introduce a new allocation system to avoid changes to
geographic numbers in the future. Ofcom wants to encourage
providers to use the numbers available in blocks already allocated
to them as efficiently as possible and is consulting on principles
for a new administrative pricing system (at a nominal cost). It
also proposes to allocate more numbers in smaller blocks of one
thousand instead of ten thousand, to maximise supply.
Ofcom is seeking comments by 4th May.
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