The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) wants to have new regulations governing the proposed mandatory national 10-digit dialling system published by December, because of a looming shortage of telephone numbers in the country.
”The primary reason for implementing the 10-digit system is a shortage of numbers. In Gauteng central with the 011 dialling code, where about 50% of South Africa’s telecommunications originate and terminate, we are running out of numbers,” said Icasa’s numbering administration manager, Harrish Kasfeepursad, on Wednesday.
Kasfeepursad said it was envisaged that 011 numbers would run out by early next year, with the licensing of the second national operator contributing to this.
He said once the regulations were published and became law, ”three to six months” grace would be given to operators to adjust and prepare.
”One of the major changes the regulations will address, besides introducing the 10-digit system, would be that the international direct dialling code will change from 09 to 00. The other important change would see the number 112 become the national emergency number, accessible anywhere in the country.”
Kasfeepursad said a new code, 010, would be introduced in the Gauteng region as part of an ”area code overlay” that would help augment the 011 code.
”There are about 12-million mobile subscribers, plus another five million fixed line subscribers. So basically, about 70% of people are already using 10-digits when phoning,” he said.
Asked why the regulations, which were first drafted in 1999, took so long to come into fruition, Kasfeepursad said ”telecommunications are changing so quickly… and required radical shifts so that the document is able meet the demands of the telecommunications sector”.
He said the regulations would be sent to Minister of Communications Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri and her state law advisers before it was endorsed and published in the government gazette.
”The regulations will most probably come into effect the first quarter of next year,” said Kasfeepursad.
Kasfeepursad said the cost implications for introducing the 10-digit dialling system would be borne mostly by operators such as Telkom.
Meanwhile, Telkom’s spokesperson Andrew Weldrick said on Wednesday that Telkom have been ”ready for some time” to implement the new regulations.
”We are running both — seven and ten digit — systems in parallel at the moment, which means that one can still dial the existing seven digit number and get to your destination, the same with the 10-digit dialling.”
Weldrick said there were no additional costs involved at present.
”[In future] it won’t impact tariffs at all. Call charges are distance-based, with local call measured within a 50km radius, and a long distance call anywhere greater than 50km”.
Weldrick said once the mandatory 10-digit system kicks in and the ”grace period” expires, the seven-digit system will fall away. – Sapa