Safeguarding the Future of Telephone Numbers
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Telephone Numbering Safeguarding the future of numbers Including a Notification of modifications to General Condition 17 and the National Telephone Numbering Plan Statement Publication date: 27 July 2006 Safeguarding the future of numbers Implementing some of the decisions set out in this statement requires further consultation as part of the process for making changes to the National Telephone Numbering Plan and to numbering application forms. Annexes 2-8 of this statement comprise the consultation process on these changes. The closing date for consultation responses has been extended by one week to 14 September 2006. Safeguarding the future of numbers Contents Section Page 1 Summary 3 2 Introduction 15 3 Strategic framework for numbering policy 17 4 Meeting demand for geographic numbers 28 5 Transparency for non-geographic numbering 55 6 Mobile and personal numbers 82 7 Implementing changes to the Numbering Plan 99 Annex Page 1 Impact Assessments 105 2 Proposed changes to the National Telephone Numbering Plan and changes to Numbering Application Forms 113 3 Notifications of modifications to the National Telephone Numbering Plan 127 4 Notification of proposals under section 49(4) of the Act 147 5 Responding to this consultation 165 6 Ofcom’s consultation principles 168 7 Consultation response cover sheet 169 8 Consultation questions 171 9 Glossary 172 2 Safeguarding the future of numbers Section 1 1 Summary The purpose of this document 1.1 This document sets out Ofcom’s strategic decisions about how telephone numbers will be managed over the next five to ten years. It follows a consultation process between February and May this year, in which we received over 220 responses1. In this document, we describe our general strategic framework and some specific steps that we are taking now. 1.2 Telephone numbers are a critical national resource, for consumers, businesses and the delivery of key public services. They must be managed effectively, so that they are available when needed, do not have to be changed, and mean something to those who call them. This is Ofcom’s responsibility. This document describes how Ofcom intends to achieve these objectives in the future by managing telephone numbers, to give the maximum benefit to consumers. 1.3 It is important to stress that Ofcom does not intend to change the geographic telephone numbers traditionally used by most households and businesses. We do not think that this is needed, mainly because of changes we are making to how we manage the allocation and use of telephone numbers. 1.4 We have decided to simplify the non-geographic numbers currently beginning with ‘08’ and ‘09’ that are used by certain businesses and public services. This should make consumers more confident in using such numbers. We are also giving public services and private companies more choice of numbers, enabling them to reflect their customers’ willingness and ability to call different numbers. We have tried to limit any disruption caused by these changes. 1.5 The long-term plan for telephone numbering which we set out in this document is based on a set of strategic principles that we will take account of for all numbering policy decisions. These principles are designed to ensure that our numbering decisions always consider the interests of consumers and businesses. Consumers do not generally care about the more technical aspects of numbering policy, but they do care about the continuity of their own number, and they do want to be able to dial other numbers with confidence. 1.6 Ofcom has examined current concerns about telephone numbers - about their availability, their transparency to consumers, and the potential for consumer abuses associated with some number ranges. We will take various actions, within our new strategic framework, to address those concerns and so benefit consumers: • using a consumer protection test when allocating telephone numbers, which should permit us to cut off the supply of telephone numbers to those communications providers that persistently and/or seriously abuse consumers; • avoiding number changes, by changing how we allocate geographic numbers (numbers starting with ‘01’ or ‘02’) so they can be used more efficiently by the growing number of communications providers that want these numbers; 1 The consultation document is at http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/numberingreview/ 3 Safeguarding the future of numbers • allocating a new type of number – starting with ‘03’ - for those businesses, public services and voluntary services who want a common national number, but who do not wish to charge consumers a premium for contacting them. Consumers will pay the same amount for these calls as they would for calling a geographic number; • simplifying the meaning of those 08 and 09 numbers which are used to provide various services to consumers, so that consumers can better understand the price that they are paying and the service that they are receiving. We will achieve this over a period of time, by ensuring that new 08 and 09 numbers are allocated in a way that does not change the meanings of these numbers to consumers. We propose to protect the strong existing brand of ‘Freephone’ services on ‘0800’ (and ‘0808’); • protecting against abuse of existing ‘personal numbering’ services by applying a ceiling to call prices for all calls, whether from fixed lines, mobiles or payphones. Calls costing more than this will require a free announcement to the caller before the call begins. We will also remove the potential for consumer abuses that arises from confusion with mobile numbers, by ending the use of ‘070’ for personal numbers within three years. At that point, ‘07’ numbers will essentially be for mobile services, acknowledging the strong current consumer recognition of 07 as mobile numbers. By the end of 2007 we will review what genuine personal numbering services exist, and may at that point enable them to be provided on numbers starting with ‘06’. The 06 numbers will also be reserved for potential use for ‘individual numbers’, for direct allocation to consumers (as technology allows); and • promoting efficiency through the use of market-based incentives, such as charging communications providers for the numbers that they receive. This will be done in circumstances where it adds value to solving problems and does so in an effective and streamlined way compared with regulatory rules and processes. 1.7 These decisions together implement the strategic principles we have developed. Some proposals will be phased in, to minimise the costs involved for providers and, ultimately, for consumers. But over time, these measures as a whole should produce a plan for UK telephone numbers which gives numbers clear and enduring meanings for consumers, which increases trust in certain number ranges, and which makes enough numbers available for current and future services. 1.8 As a result of these decisions the National Telephone Numbering Plan (‘the Numbering Plan’) will look like Figure 1.1 by the end of 2006. We have already had some feedback on the icons and descriptions we might use from consumer focus groups during the consultation period, and we will consider further in the next few months how and when to inform consumers of these changes and best use these images to raise consumer awareness. 4 Safeguarding the future of numbers Figure 1.1 The new National Telephone Numbering Plan Numbers starting: Purpose: Area codes UK-wide numbers For future use Reserved for personalised numbers Mobile numbers Freephone Business rate services Premium rate services 5 Safeguarding the future of numbers Numbering principles 1.9 In this document we present principles that we will consistently take account of when looking at numbering policy issues. These principles are intended to promote the interests of citizens and consumers, by ensuring that: • the numbers consumers want are available when they are needed; • the numbers consumers currently used are not changed if this is avoidable; • the meaning which numbers provide to consumers is protected; • number allocation processes support competition and innovation; and • consumers are not avoidably exposed to abuse. 1.10 This approach recognises that consumer interests are, in general, best served by promoting effective competition. How telephone numbers are provided is important for how service providers are able to compete. However, our approach also recognises the direct consumer interests concerning number misuse, and the broader citizen interest associated with continuity and availability of certain numbers. The background to this review 1.11 This review was driven both by current concerns about numbering and a need to consider potentially major changes in the future. Twelve years after the management of numbering transferred from BT to the regulator, we wanted to address the current concerns, and to do so as part of a strategic framework that will also make sense in the future as technology and consumer behaviour evolve. 1.12 Ofcom must ensure that enough numbers continue to be available to consumers, so that they can benefit from the services which numbers support. We must also ensure continued trust in the meaning provided by numbers, so that consumers can use them with confidence. Over recent years these objectives have been threatened: • availability is threatened by number shortages in some geographic areas, notably due to many new market competitors. There are also expected shortages for some of the non-geographic numbers beginning with 08 and 09, for which the usual response of opening extra number ranges could increase consumer confusion; and • consumer confidence is threatened by confusion about the prices and services associated with certain numbers. This has been a particular concern for services beginning with 08 and 09 numbers. Consumer confidence is also threatened by the misuse by some providers of certain types of numbers, which tends to bring all services offered on such numbers into disrepute.