Issued by the Oftel Numbering Unit
50 Ludgate Hill, London, EC4M 7JJ
Enquiries - Telephone: 0171 634 8758; Fax: 0171 634
8784
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
June 1997
Numbering Bulletins are published by the Oftel Numbering Unit .
The full listing of the Numbering Scheme can also be downloaded from this site.
The information may also be found in a readily accessible form on
the following Warwick University pages:
http://www.warwick.ac.uk/search/Phones/Oftel_cl.html
http://www.warwick.ac.uk/cgi-bin-Phones/nng,
Numbering Conventions
Revised Numbering Conventions were issued in April. These supercede
those previously issued in 1994. The Numbering Conventions are published on Oftel's
Internet pages or may be obtained as hard copy from Oftel's Library.
Recovery of Reserved Blocks following the Annual Audit
Operators have been advised that 01 blocks previously shown as
Reserved are being made Free unless application is made for their allocation or
justification is provided for their continued reservation. The Numbering Conventions now
limit new 01 Reservations to three months, after which time they will be automatically
returned to Free.
02 Code Changes
A Framework document on the 02 changes is being circulated to the
industry. A briefing meeting for operators is to be held by Oftel during July.
05 Corporate Numbering Range
The consultative document on the 05 proposals is currently being
prepared by Oftel's Technical Branch. Oftel expects to publish the document during July.
New Freephone Range - 080 8
At its meeting on 9 June 1997, the Numbering Advisory Group (NAG)
agreed to the opening of new Freephone capacity in the 080 range for new Freephone
allocations to operators - 080 8.
The arrangements contained in the Numbering Conventions relating to
applications, reservations and allocations of numbering capacity will apply to the 080 8
range.
In accordance with Numbering Convention B8.2 number blocks in the
080 8 Code will be allocated (reserved) to operators in multiples of 10,000 numbers and
the number length will be 10 digits (11 dialled digits) unless otherwise agreed as defined
under Numbering Convention B8.4.
In order for Oftel to exercise good husbandry of the supply of
numbers, capacity in the 080 8 range will be made available to operators progressively in
units of 1,000,000 numbers starting with 080 81. Further units of 1,000,000 numbers (ie
080 82, 080 83 etc) will be made available as demand arises. This will generally occur
when 80% of the capacity already available in the range has been allocated to operators.
Applications from operators for new capacity in the 080 8 range may
be made from 1 July 1997 and applications for specific blocks will be considered on a
'first come, first served' basis.
Capacity allocated to operators in the 080 8 range may be
sub-allocated by them and used in accordance with the arrangements described in Numbering
Conventions B8.
No provision is made to prevent numbers similar to those already
existing in other Codes (eg 0500, 0800) occurring in the 080 8 range. There is no
provision in the Numbering Conventions for the allocation of a number, or numbers, in one
range to confer a right to allocation of the same, or similar, numbers in other ranges.
090 Premium-Rate Range
Discussions between industry, ICSTIS and Oftel over the 090
substructure and migration are continuing. A view from ICSTIS is now expected by the end
of June. Oftel would therefore hope to publish details in the next Bulletin. Operators
seeking allocations ahead of the determination of the 090 sub-structure should apply for
089X capacity.
99X Blocks in '7-Digit' and New '02-Code' Areas -
Misdialing to the Emergency Services
Oftel's Numbering Unit will no longer be issuing Geographic number
blocks in '7-digit' non-conservation areas with CD digits '99' ie 01XX 99X. Also,
for all of the new 02 Geographic code areas Oftel will not issue BC '99X' blocks ie 02X
99XX.
The reason for this is that in many private systems it is common
practice to dial a '9' in order to obtain an outside line. When someone is at home and
they wish to make a call, they may forget not to dial the '9'. This may result in
misdialing to the emergency services for local numbers starting 99X, potentially blocking
real emergency calls. Operators should avoid applying for such number blocks.
We have asked operators, who currently have allocations of such
number blocks, not to allocate any further numbers to customers. Oftel will provide
additional number blocks to compensate for loss in numbering capacity.
Changes to the Scheme
The code 01956 is now shown as Unused in the Scheme. Other
codes, in all ranges, previously shown as Protected to April 1997 (2 years after PhONEday)
have had their Status and/ or Date changed, either to make them Free, or to continue
protection in order to minimise the risks of mis-dialling. These amendments are included
under 'Other Changes' for each section.
Other changes to the Scheme in April and May 1997 are summarised
below.
Area Numbering Range Allocations 141
Reservations 7
Other Changes 539
Mobiles Numbering Range Allocations 10
Reservations 0
Other Changes 662
Personal Numbering Range Allocations 11
Reservations 1
Other Changes 1188
Special Services Numbering Range Allocations 24
Reservations 10
Other Changes 1697
Access Codes Allocations 7
Reservations 1
Other Changes 2
Total Number of Changes 4300
