All phone numbers to have 10 digits

ALL phone numbers will have 10 digits under the government’s National Numbering Plan (NNP) which is expected to be implemented in this fiscal year. Presently, mobile phones have 10-digit numbers while fixed line and limited mobility services such as the one provided by United Telecom Limited (UTL) have nine-digit phone numbers including the area code. “This is a move to standardize the numbering of telephone services,” said Min Prasad Aryal, deputy director at the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA). “This will increase the capacity of operators to distribute more telephone lines.” Nepal Telecom (NT) has been given the operator codes 4, 5 and 6 allowing it to distribute 30 million lines. Ncell’s operator codes are 0 and 1 permitting it to distribute a maximum of 20 million lines. “Standardization will enable operators to distribute 200 million lines,’ said Aryal. “The operators have been given single-digit operator codes, and standardization will allow them to get double-digit operator codes which will enable them to distribute more telephone lines.” A study carried out by a team led by Gyanendra Man Baidhya, telecom expert on national numbering, had recommended to the NTA to implement a new numbering system with 10-digit numbers. Meanwhile, the new system will also pave the way for new operators to get operator codes for mobile services in a standardized way. Nepal’s six telecom companies—Ncell, NT, Smart Telecom, UTL, Nepal Satellite Telecom and CG Communications—can potentially serve more than 50 million subscribers under the existing numbering system. “After full implementation of the NNP, there will be a number capacity for over 200 million potential users, which means we will not run out of phone numbers for the next 30 years,” said an NTA official. The new numbering plan will also set aside operator codes for new mobile operators like Smart Telecom, which is preparing to start nationwide mobile service after obtaining a unified telecom licence. Based on the government’s plan to allow small operators to provide mobile services, UTL has been eyeing a unified licence The study report, which was submitted to the NTA recently, has also urged the government to charge a certain fee from operators for each phone number they maintain in their system. Pursuant to the report’s recommendations, the NTA is preparing to carry out a study and fix the charges for phone lines after separating them into commercial and non-commercial. Aryal said that the idea was to best utilise scarce numbering and discourage operators from hoarding numbers. Bangladesh and Pakistan have been charging per subscriber fees from their operators annually. The NTA said it would start collecting feedback on the NNP to finalise it and ask the board for its approval. The NTA Confronted by a swelling number of operators and demand for telephone lines, the NTA had been planning to implement the new national numbering system for the last two years. NTA officials said there would be some major changes to normal landlines and short codes provided for commercial purposes.