Telephone Numbering: Operators’ business field widens

The shift from eight to nine digits from November 21 is in response to the increase in the number of subscribers.

As telephone users in the country brace up for a change from the current use of eight digit telephone numbers to nine from November 21, 2014, telephone operators are certainly rejoicing over the move as it would widen their business field for better profitability.

Speaking to the press yesterday September 24 while launching the sensitization campaign ahead of the November 21 mutation, Posts and Telecommunications Minister, Jean Pierre Biyiti bi Essam, said the decision to introduce new numbering plan is to meet the needs of the telephone operators who are running out of the numbers attributed to them.

It emerged from the Minister’s press briefing that as from November 21, MTN, Orange and Nexttel numbers will begin with six (6) meanwhile those of CAMTEL will begin with two (2).

While subscribers who will not abide by the prescription of adding the prefix will not succeed in making calls or sending messages, the move in itself will not affect personal information stored in SIM/UIM cards as well as communication airtime. The numbering of internet sticks will also be adjusted depending on the stick a subscriber has.

Minister Biyiti bi Essam noted that the adoption of a specific numbering plan for various services will make it easier to identify the type of services requested. “The new numbering structure of nine digits will enable telephone companies to introduce new services and keep abreast with the rapid technological changes in electronic communications,” he added.

The Minister noted that telephone subscribers do not need to change their SIM/UIM cards, will need to update their contact list manually and do not require any administrative formality or technical input to migrate to the new numbering as it is gratis.

Cameroon’s telecommunications market witnessed the first numbering plan in 2001 when it moved from six to seven digits and in 2007 when the numbering moved to eight digits. Statistics show that with the eight digits, the country counts well over 16 million subscribers.

With an increased clientele, telephone operators could make better returns and contribute better to the telecommunications fund whose content, by law, is used to improve telecommunications infrastructure in the country. A June 2012 Presidential decree prescribes that each telephone operator pays in 3 per cent of its annual business turnover into the fund.