The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has unveiled guidelines for the provision of fixed line and mobile service numbers as part of the creation of a unified numbering scheme. As part of this, TRAI has proposed to use 11-digit mobile numbers in the country. With this TRAI is trying to get more numbers in the country.
This will change the existing mobile numbers. New mobile numbers will initially be numbered ‘9’ and total 11 digits. The ‘zero’ must be added when calling from fixed lines to mobile. Currently, you need to add only zero for STD calls. But when calling to mobile numbers, you have to add zero.
Fixed line numbers will be moved to a sub level of ‘2’ or ‘4’ – in the past some operators have offered landline connections with numbers like ‘3’, ‘5’ and ‘6’. They are no longer in use today. TRAI has recommended moving these usable fixed line numbers to a sub level of ‘2’ or ‘4’. This will allow mobile operators to use obsolete numbers for future mobile phone connections.The numbers for Internet dongles can be 13 digits. Currently, ten-digit mobile numbers are used on dongles and data cards. The new decision could cover 1000 crore numbers. Currently the proposal has the capacity to contain 700 crore numbers. 70% of it is used.
