FAQ: Prefix ‘0’ for Landline To Mobile Calls: All You Need To Know
The DoT clarified that the motive behind the move is to free up sufficient numbering resources for future use.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Thursday, 26 November, announced that from 15 January, callers will need to add ‘0’ as a prefix to make calls from landlines to mobile phones.
The DoT clarified that the motive behind the move is to free up sufficient numbering resources for future use.
What does this mean? Why was the move implemented? Read on.
How will users be informed of the changes form 15 January?
The DoT said that suitable announcements may be fed in the fixed line switches to apprise the fixed line subscribers about the requirement of dialing the prefix ‘0’ for all fixed to mobile calls. This announcement should be played whenever a subscriber dials a fixed to mobile call without prefixing ‘0’.
Is there any change in other modes of calling?
The circular issued by the government clarified that there will be no change in the dialing plan from fixed to fixed, mobile to fixed and mobile to mobile calls.
What does the move aim to achieve?
The decision has been taken up in order to ensure adequate numbering resources for fixed line and mobile services. The TRAI had reportedly recommended the move in May this year.
The government circular explained that with the freeing up of sufficient numbering resources, more number of connections can be added in future, which will be beneficial to the mobile customers at large.
“The above changes have been done in order to have minimum inconvenience to the subscribers and freeing up essential numbering resources,” it added.
How will this help the DoT?
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) said the motive behind the move is to free up sufficient numbering resources for future use.
A total of approximately 2,539 million numbering series are expected to be generated because of this.
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