021 Numbering Areas – Transition to Seven Digits

Cork, Coachford, Midleton, and Kinsale ______

Document No. ODTR 99/39 June 1999

Oifig an Stiúrthóra Rialála Teileachumarsáide Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation Abbey Court, Irish Life Centre, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1. Telephone +353-1-804 9600 Fax +353-1-804 9680 Web:www.odtr.ie 2

Contents

1. Introduction 3

2. Background 3

3. Two-Phase Transition 3

4. Timing of Events 3

5. Status Tables 4

5.1 021 Areas, Pre-September 1998 5 5.2 021 Areas, September 1998 to December 1998 7 5.3 021 Areas, December 1998 to July 1999 10 5.4 021 Areas, July 1999 to February 2000 14 5.5 021 Areas, February 2000 to July 2000 18 5.6 021 Areas, July 2000 to February 2001 23 5.7 021 Areas, From February 2001 28

021 Numbering Areas – Transition to 7-digits 3

1. Introduction

The following document sets out a plan for transition to seven digit numbering in the 021 numbering areas – Cork, Coachford, Midleton, and Kinsale. It aims to provide clarity in relation to the timing of events during the transition, and to identify the status of each block in the 021 numbering area at each stage of the transition.

2. Background

In July of 1998, the Director published Decision Notice D2/98, "Numbering in Ireland for the 21st Century". That Decision Notice presented the outcome of a public consultation on numbering, including its related programme of actions. It also took account of the decision to bring forward the date for full telecommunications liberalisation in Ireland to 1st December 1998.

Under regulation 13(3) of the Interconnection regulations1, the Director is required to ensure that adequate numbers and numbering ranges are available in the numbering scheme. This must include provision for growth of existing services, and the introduction of new services and service providers. These issue was addressed in the 1998 consultation on numbering, and following that consultation, the Director decided that it would be necessary to increase the length of telephone numbers in certain areas to ensure adequate capacity is available.

The 021 numbering areas presented particular difficulties, as the capacity of numbers available for expansion was limited, and it was necessary to implement the number changes in two phases.

3. Two-Phase Transition

The first phase effected numbers in the Cork area beginning with the digits 40, and all numbers in the Coachford area. Parallel working for these numbers was introduced on 1st September 1998, and the old numbers will change over to recorded announcements on 20th July 1999.

In the second Phase, the remaining numbers in the Cork area, and the numbers in Midleton and Kinsale will be changed. Parallel working for these numbers will be introduced no later than February 2000, and this will continue until July 2000, when the old numbers will change over to recorded announcements.

4. Timing of Events

Decision Notice D2/98 specified the prefixes that would be used to expand the six-digit numbers to seven digits. It also specified the sequencing of the change, and gave a

1 European Communities Interconnection in Telecommunications Regulations (15 of 1998)

021 Numbering Areas – Transition to 7-digits 4 headline timetable of events. The following tables specify the sequence of events in greater detail.

Phase Event Time

Phase I Introduction of parallel 1st September 1998 operation Phase I Issue of 021 Directory Early July 1999 Phase I Switchover to recorded Week of 20th July 1999 announcements Phase I Withdrawal of recorded Not before November 1999 announcements

Phase Event Time

Phase II Introduction of parallel No later than February 2000. For the 43 operation XXXX block, Phase I will need to be completed before then Phase II Issue of 021 Directory Early July 2000 Phase II Switchover to recorded Week of 20th July 2000 announcements Phase II Withdrawal of recorded Not before November 2000 announcements

5. Status Tables

The following tables specify the status of each numbering block at each stage throughout the number change. They also provide information regarding the prefix that will be used for each block, and the dates applicable.

The tables are set-out in seven different sections, showing each stage from before the commencement of the number change in 1998, through to completion in 2001. All new allocations made up to the time of issue of this document (June 1999) have been included for clarity.

Throughout the tables, where the status of a numbering block is changed from one stage to the next, then that number block is highlighted in bold at the stage where the change occurs, e.g. in table 4.2 the block 240 is shown in bold as it has been introduced in parallel with 40.

For clarity, some number blocks that are planned to be used for new allocations in each of the numbering areas have been shown in italic. Some blocks have also been underlined in tables 4.3 and 4.4 . These blocks will be used to prefix six-digit blocks in Phase II.

021 Numbering Areas – Transition to 7-digits 5

5.1 021 Areas, Pre-September 1998

All existing allocations are six-digits.