Mobile Numbers to start with 8 and have 11 digits soon
It seems that every Indian is trying to grab a mobile phone leading to a humongous requirement of new mobile numbers. Mobile numbers starting with 9 have come to an end and DoT has given permission to telecom companies to allocate new numbers starting with 8. According to TRAI, India has 415 million cellular subscribers at the end of May 2009 compared to 277 million a year ago, a whooping growth of 50 percent.
Since mobile numbers starting with 9 are coming to an end TRAI has allowed operators to allocate numbers starting with 8 which means addition of around 380 million new numbers if the number of digits are still kept to 10. It is also excepted that DoT will increase the number of digits in a mobile number to 11 which will add substantial numbers for disposal. DoT has also ordered the stopping of the usage of 95 in STD and trunk calls, which has freed around 10 crore numbers half of which will be allocated to the operators and rest will be reserved by DoT.
How will it impact operators:
1. Operators will be able to add new users without any number crunch.
2. Operators will be able to open a new stream of revenue as VIP numbers have always been in the limelight and people are willing to pay a good amount for them.
Various operators have already been selling VIP numbers for a huge sum. Tata Indicom hosts a site named Ichoose where users can bid for a mobile number .
3. Operators may have to invest in new hardware as some telecom systems have been hardcoded for 10 digit number system which may bring some huge costs specially for the operators who have just joined the telecom revolution.
Users of course, will only benefit from it. It will also benefit the telecom industry in the long run, since more people can apply for a connection without being overly affected by the number crunch.
Since mobile numbers starting with 9 are coming to an end TRAI has allowed operators to allocate numbers starting with 8 which means addition of around 380 million new numbers if the number of digits are still kept to 10. It is also excepted that DoT will increase the number of digits in a mobile number to 11 which will add substantial numbers for disposal. DoT has also ordered the stopping of the usage of 95 in STD and trunk calls, which has freed around 10 crore numbers half of which will be allocated to the operators and rest will be reserved by DoT.
How will it impact operators:
1. Operators will be able to add new users without any number crunch.
2. Operators will be able to open a new stream of revenue as VIP numbers have always been in the limelight and people are willing to pay a good amount for them.
Various operators have already been selling VIP numbers for a huge sum. Tata Indicom hosts a site named Ichoose where users can bid for a mobile number .
3. Operators may have to invest in new hardware as some telecom systems have been hardcoded for 10 digit number system which may bring some huge costs specially for the operators who have just joined the telecom revolution.
Users of course, will only benefit from it. It will also benefit the telecom industry in the long run, since more people can apply for a connection without being overly affected by the number crunch.
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