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Future of 04 mobile numbers on the line
Lucy Battersby
November 29, 2011
AUSTRALIA could run out of ''04'' mobile numbers by 2017 due to unexpectedly high demand for mobile services, the communications regulator has warned.
However, the industry would be consulted early next year on ways to improve the efficiency of mobile number allocation or the possible introduction of a new mobile range such as 05, 06 or 09.
The potential exhaustion of mobile numbers was just one of many observations and recommendations to come out of a sweeping review of Australia's telephone numbering plan released yesterday by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
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''If [service providers] continue to apply for mobile numbers at the rate experienced over the 18 months to mid-2011, then the current supply of mobile numbers could be exhausted by 2017, 10 years earlier than previously forecast,'' the report found.
There were 100 million numbers available under the 04 range and about 50 per cent had been taken by 2011, according to the manager of the regulatory framework section at the authority, Dominic Byrne.
The shortage had come about because of increasing demand for mobiles and sim-card carrying devices, such as tablets or e-readers, and the fact mobile numbers were quarantined for up to 12 months after customers changed plans or companies. High rates of change in pre-paid services meant large volumes of numbers were in quarantine at any one time, Mr Byrne said. The growth of machine to machine communications was also taking up 04 mobile numbers.
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Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/future-of-04-mobile-numbers-on-the-line-20111128-1o39r.html#ixzz1f7wyUFo0
Lucy Battersby
November 29, 2011
AUSTRALIA could run out of ''04'' mobile numbers by 2017 due to unexpectedly high demand for mobile services, the communications regulator has warned.
However, the industry would be consulted early next year on ways to improve the efficiency of mobile number allocation or the possible introduction of a new mobile range such as 05, 06 or 09.
The potential exhaustion of mobile numbers was just one of many observations and recommendations to come out of a sweeping review of Australia's telephone numbering plan released yesterday by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
Advertisement: Story continues below
''If [service providers] continue to apply for mobile numbers at the rate experienced over the 18 months to mid-2011, then the current supply of mobile numbers could be exhausted by 2017, 10 years earlier than previously forecast,'' the report found.
There were 100 million numbers available under the 04 range and about 50 per cent had been taken by 2011, according to the manager of the regulatory framework section at the authority, Dominic Byrne.
The shortage had come about because of increasing demand for mobiles and sim-card carrying devices, such as tablets or e-readers, and the fact mobile numbers were quarantined for up to 12 months after customers changed plans or companies. High rates of change in pre-paid services meant large volumes of numbers were in quarantine at any one time, Mr Byrne said. The growth of machine to machine communications was also taking up 04 mobile numbers.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/future-of-04-mobile-numbers-on-the-line-20111128-1o39r.html#ixzz1f7wyUFo0
