Press Releases

Technological Evolution and the Future Usage of Telephone Numbers

07.10.2014

 

The Romanian Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM) launched a public consultation on the future usage of the telephone numbers, given the technological developments in the field. The authority published a questionnaire aimed at finding the industry’s opinion on issues such as: removing the geographical significance of telephone numbers, the opportunity of dedicating a distinct domain of numbering resources for Machine-to-Machine communications (M2M), respectively - in the long run – unifying the numbers for the provision of services at a fixed location and those for the provision of services at a mobile location.
In the recent years, we witnessed a series of developments in the Romanian electronic communications market, such as the migration of certain networks towards IP technologies or the increased usage of smart mobile terminals for Internet access. In this context, ensuring a higher degree of mobility became a priority in the strategy for the subsequent development of electronic communications services. Softening the restrictions regarding the mobility of certain electronic communications services that accompany the usage conditions of certain numbering resources could thus be required. 
Removing the geographical significance of telephone numbers for services provided at fixed locations could enable the end-users to be assigned any such number format, irrespective of the county where the telephone terminal is installed. For example, telephone numbers starting with 021 or 031, currently destined to the end-users of electronic communications services provided at fixed locations in the municipality of Bucharest and the county of Ilfov, could be assigned to end-users in any other counties or even ported outside the currently designated area. The ANCOM questionnaire includes questions regarding the impact of such a measure on interconnection agreements, on retail tariffs, on the portability process or on access to the single emergency number 112.
Moreover, taking into account the fast development of M2M communications, ANCOM deems useful evaluating the impact which the provision of these services could have on the numbering resources, as well as the opportunity of dedicating specific numbering resources for these services. M2M communications ensure automatic data transmission between various devices or applications, with no or with minimum interaction with the human factor. M2M communications are used in applications for automatic monitoring and measurements (for example, electricity, water or gas), vehicle fleet control, surveillance and security, telemedicine, domestic applications, eCall. So far, the electronic communications providers in Romania have not provided M2M communications by means of specific numbering resources, but the Authority considers the opportunity of opening a new numbering sub-domain dedicated to these services.
Furthermore, in order to elaborate a long-term strategy, the Authority raises the issue of the implications of removing the differences between the telephone numbers for services provided at a mobile location, respectively at a fixed location, which could allow the future porting of numbers between the two types of services. The ANCOM questionnaire aims at identifying the consequences of unifying fixed and mobile numbering on the electronic communications providers, respectively on the end-users, the technical constraints in implementing number portability between the fixed and the mobile networks, the best way of implementing such a step, as well as the timeline of carrying it through.
The Public Consultation Document on the future usage of the telephone numbers, given the technological developments in the field is available, in Romanian, here. The interested persons are invited to send their comments and suggestions, by 21.11.2014, to the ANCOM headquarters in 2 Delea Noua Street, Bucharest 3, directly to the ANCOM Registry Office or by means of the Authority’s regional offices. Comments may also be sent by fax to +40.372.845.402 or by e-mail to consultare@ancom.org.ro.
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