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The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has made a pitch for 11-digit mobile numbers, as part of its ‘Unified Numbering Plan’, to ensure adequate numbering resources for mobile and fixed-line numbers in the country. The advice was part of a series of recommendations released by TRAI on Friday.
A consultation paper on a unified numbering plan was issued by TRAI on September 20, 2019, to seek views from stakeholders, followed by an open house discussion on Jan 20 earlier this year. After incorporating views from all the stakeholders, the recommendations were released earlier in the day.
As per the recommendations, ‘0’ must be prefixed when dialling a mobile number from the landline. “All the fixed subscribers will be provided with ‘0’ prefixing facility,” as per the press release issued by TRAI.
The TRAI’s recommendations said that a time of one month will be provided to all telecom service providers (TSP) to implement the service.
However, no change in the dialling plan is recommended when it comes to making calls from mobile to mobile, mobile to fixed and fixed to fixed.
Among other recommendations, the TRAI has suggested that mobile numbers associated exclusively with dongles should have 13 digits, instead of the existing 10-digit scheme.
