Home > Consultations > Consultation Documents > Availability of Telephone Numbers > Executive Summary

Summary

1.1 It is Ofcom’s duty to ensure that the best use is made of the UK’s telephone numbers and to encourage efficiency in the way that numbers are used. To fulfil this duty, we must ensure that sufficient and appropriate telephone numbers are available to allocate to communications providers so that they can supply communication services to consumers.

1.2 Due to a continued increase in demand for geographic numbers, available number blocks to allocate to communications providers have become scarce in certain areas. To ensure the continued supply of numbers, and thereby support competition, consumer choice and innovation in service provision, we are proposing to implement conservation measures in specific geographic areas to supplement those already in place.

1.3 Geographic number conservation measures extend the life of number blocks in certain areas by reducing the rate at which numbers are allocated and aligning the size of allocation more closely to demand. This is achieved by allocating numbers in blocks of 1,000 (1K) rather than 10,000 (10K) numbers in conservation areas. In this consultation, we propose to give conservation status to a further 96 geographic area codes, in addition to the 169 areas that already have this status.

1.4 The proposals set out in this consultation document are, we consider, required to ensure the ongoing supply of numbers in areas where there is a realistic expectation of number exhaustion within the next five years. The proposals are in line with the policy aims and processes set out in our July 2006 statement Telephone Numbering: Safeguarding the future of numbers. We are not proposing any changes to geographic numbering policy. The conservation measure proposals benefit consumers by ensuring that sufficient and appropriate numbers are available in all areas, thus promoting competition in the provision of communications services. We do not believe there are any harmful effects on consumers as a result of these measures.

Consultation process

1.5 Ofcom publishes the National Telephone Numbering Plan (“the Plan”), which sets out numbers available for allocation and any restrictions on their adoption or use. This includes the designation of conservation areas and the impact of this on number allocation and use. This consultation fulfils certain statutory procedures that we must follow when we propose to make changes to the Plan, including proposals for geographic number conservation.

1.6 We are seeking responses to the specific consultation questions set out in the document and general comments during the one month and one day consultation period, which ends at 5pm on 19 May 2008. The Communications Act 2003 (“the Act”) states that this is the minimum period for consultation on modifications to the Plan. We have decided not to extend the consultation period to 10 weeks as set out in our consultation principles (see Annex A2.5) because the proposals are the continued implementation of existing policy for managing demand for geographic numbers.

• Availability of telephone numbers [pdf]
  Full Print Version

Back to top