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New VoIP Numbering |
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Written by Adam Gosling
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Friday, 16 December 2005 |
The The Australian Communications and Media Authority is proposing changes to the Telecommunications Numbering Plan to accommodate voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services.
The plan would see the introduction of a new service definition, ‘emerging communications service’, to accommodate VoIP and other emerging services.
The number range would be (0550) whether the service was “fixed, somewhat nomadic or wholly nomadic”. The numbers allocated would have no geographic significance.
However, geographic-based numbers will also continue to be made available for VoIP services that are a close substitute for a traditional phone service and meet the requirements for a local service.
ACMA is also proposing to provide guidelines to assist carriage service providers in selecting the correct service type for their VoIP service.
ACMA is seeking submissions on the proposed changes to the Numbering Plan.
‘The emergence of VoIP services is a significant development in the telecommunications industry,’ said Lyn Maddock, Acting ACMA Chair. ‘The new service type ACMA is proposing will be subject to less regulatory controls than traditional services and will provide greater flexibility for carriage service providers. These changes are designed to facilitate the development of the VoIP industry.
‘While ACMA will support and facilitate consumer awareness about differences between emerging services and traditional telephone services, the primary responsibility lies with service providers to clearly explain the features of the services they offer.’
Introduction of the new service type will have implications for customer equipment and dialling. Business telephone systems such as PABXs and Commander systems may require reprogramming to enable calls to be made on the new number range, and telephone users using the new numbers will be unfamiliar with them.
Copies of the proposed changes to the Telecommunications Numbering Plan may be obtained at ACMA’s web site or by calling (03) 9963 6872.
Written submissions must be lodged with the ACMA by no later than 14 February 2006.
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