New Delhi: Fixed line users will need to dial an entire 10-digit number even for local calls if the recommendation of telecom regulator Trai issued on Thursday is accepted by the government.
The telecom regulator has recommended a new numbering system to end the STD code system for freeing up unused phone numbers. The new number system code would be at a telecom circle or state level.
The regulator has recommended “migration from the existing SDCA-based (STD number based) numbering scheme to an LSA (licenced service area) based 10-digit closed numbering scheme for fixed-line services” to effectively mitigate telecom identifier (TI) resource or the phone number constraints in the long run for fixed-line services with minimal disruption.
A telecom circle or licenced service area (LSA) generally refers to a state-level area or large metropolitan area.
Trai recommended that to implement the LSA-based 10-digit closed numbering scheme for fixed-line service subscribers will have to dial all fixed-line to fixed-line calls using a prefix of ‘0’, followed by the SDCA (Short Distance Charging Area) or STD code and the subscriber’s number.
“Even local calls within the same SDCA are to be dialled using a prefix of ‘0’, followed by the SDCA code and the subscriber number,” the regulator recommended.
According to the recommendation, there should be no change in the existing phone numbers issued to subscribers. Trai said that the Department of Telecom should give six months to telecom operators to implement the new numbering scheme.
For utilising numbers of deactivated, the Trai has recommended that no mobile or fixed-line connections shall be deactivated by the telecom operators until 90 days of the non-usage period expires.
It has suggested that all mobile and fixed-line connections that remain inactive due to non-usage shall be mandatorily deactivated by the TSPs after 365 days post-expiration of 90 days of the nonusage period. Trai recommended that no mobile or fixed-line connections deactivated due to nonusage shall be reused by the service providers until the expiry of a minimum period of 90 days from the date of
deactivation.