New Delhi, Oct. 9: The phone numbers of Tata Indicom and AirTel fixed-line telephones are set to change from next week. The department of telecommunications (DoT) has issued four additional number series to the two operators.
The existing Tata Indicom numbers start with 55, 56, 57,58 and 59. This will change to 60 to 69. AirTel’s fixed-line numbers that start with 50 to 54 will change to 60 to 69.
A senior DoT official said, “This is to help the operators and consumers have a series of numbers starting with an identifiable digit across the country. Currently, there are a few discrepancies like the two operators having the same series in different states.”
“Operators have been asked to implement the numbers before October 15 in 50 per cent of their service areas and cover the rest in a grace period of six months,” the official said.
However, Tata Indicom, which is in the midst of a controversy pertaining to its Walky, has drawn up plans to use this opportunity to convert all its Walky phones into full mobile phones. The company is also expected to rename this service as Walky10.
Bowing to the directive from the Telecom regulatory Authority of India (Trai) and Telecom Dispute Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to treat Walky as a limited mobile service, the operator is now planning to convert these phones to full mobile phones.
Tata Indicom sources said, “We will have to pay access deficit charge (ADC) as a limited or full mobile phone. And we have been given six months to change the Walky numbers to differentiate them from the fixed wire-line numbers. Since we have to change the number series, most likely we will change the Walky phone number series to 93 followed by eight digit from 55xxx.”
Notice to Bharti
The DoT has issued a show cause notice to Bharti Infotel for violating ISP licence and asked it to explain why a penalty should not be levied, adds PTI.
As a preliminary action, the DoT has sent a notice, levying and recovering Rs 10.10 crore, besides asking the private service provider to submit an additional performance bank guarantee of Rs 3.6 crore.
