Personal Numbering
Encyclopedia
Personal numbering is the name for virtual telephone number services in a number of countries including the UK and Spain. Typically the national destination code used for this service is (0)70 service. This service has historically been poorly defined by Oftel
and also Ofcom
. More recently Ofcom has made an in depth study into the service and is now proposing to keep the service and not migrate it to 060.
The 070 service is based on the principle of a flexible virtual telephone number. Depending on the telecommunications service provider
, these numbers are able to be remotely commanded, by Web
, SMS
or IVR to route calls to most international destinations, including mobiles. They are similar to follow-me numbers, but are able to be controlled remotely and push calls to the desired destination. For example, the UK number +44 070-05850-070 is routed to an Inmarsat
number, so that the subscriber can be reached anywhere on Earth just as if he were still in the United Kingdom. For the telephone numbering plan
context of 070 numbers see Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom
.
ran a trial which led, in 1992, to the AT&T EasyReach 700 service of follow-me numbers, on area code 700
in the USA
Numbering plan
.
throughout 1992, Stanford White (of Numbering Viewed Worldwide Ltd) and Will Goodall (of Goodall Personal Numbering Ltd, renamed FleXtel
in 1994) were each licensed by the DTI
(now BERR
) in mid-1993, under section 7 of the Telecommunications Act 1984, to provide telecommunications services.
The UK's first commercial Personal Numbering service was launched by FleXtel in December 1993, by piggy-backing onto the Mercury
One2One
GSM network on the old One2One 09567 range.
(now Ofcom
), reserved the whole of the 070 range exclusively for Personal Numbering, imitating the USA
Area code 700
and ensuring adequate number availability for the future. This regulatory intervention was supported by FleXtel, despite having to migrate its existing customers from the old 079567 to 07010. However, these codes were permitted to operate in parallel for over two years.
's GSM network. BT then entered the market with Flexinumber, followed by Redstone's Callsure service. The Personal Number Company later acquired BT's Flexinumber customer base and BT
withdrew from the Personal Numbering Market.
, Orange and Vodafone
increasing termination rates to premium rate levels, the 070 range has become dogged by scams.
consulted on the introduction of Personal Numbering guidelines and banning end-user
call revenue
share.
Oftel
Oftel has been superseded as the British telecommunications regulator by Ofcom .----The Office of Telecommunications was a department in the United Kingdom government, under civil service control, charged with promoting competition and maintaining the interests of consumers in the UK...
and also Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
. More recently Ofcom has made an in depth study into the service and is now proposing to keep the service and not migrate it to 060.
The 070 service is based on the principle of a flexible virtual telephone number. Depending on the telecommunications service provider
Telecommunications Service Provider
A telecommunications service provider or TSP is a type of communications service provider that has traditionally provided telephone and similar services...
, these numbers are able to be remotely commanded, by Web
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
, SMS
SMS
SMS is a form of text messaging communication on phones and mobile phones. The terms SMS or sms may also refer to:- Computer hardware :...
or IVR to route calls to most international destinations, including mobiles. They are similar to follow-me numbers, but are able to be controlled remotely and push calls to the desired destination. For example, the UK number +44 070-05850-070 is routed to an Inmarsat
Inmarsat
Inmarsat plc is a British satellite telecommunications company, offering global, mobile services. It provides telephony and data services to users worldwide, via portable or mobile terminals which communicate to ground stations through eleven geostationary telecommunications satellites...
number, so that the subscriber can be reached anywhere on Earth just as if he were still in the United Kingdom. For the telephone numbering plan
Telephone numbering plan
A telephone numbering plan is a type of numbering scheme used in telecommunications to allocate telephone numbers to subscribers and to route telephone calls in a telephone network. A closed numbering plan, such as found in North America, imposes a fixed total length to numbers...
context of 070 numbers see Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom
Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom
The UK telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning telephone numbers in the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies...
.
History
In 1991 AT&TAT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
ran a trial which led, in 1992, to the AT&T EasyReach 700 service of follow-me numbers, on area code 700
Area code 700
North American area code 700 of the North American Numbering Plan was introduced in 1983 to allow for presubscribing phone numbers to particular interexchange carriers...
in the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Numbering plan
North American Numbering Plan
The North American Numbering Plan is an integrated telephone numbering plan administered by Neustar which encompasses 24 countries and territories, including the United States and its territories, Canada, Bermuda, and 16 nations of the Caribbean...
.
Early Days
After protracted lobbying of OftelOftel
Oftel has been superseded as the British telecommunications regulator by Ofcom .----The Office of Telecommunications was a department in the United Kingdom government, under civil service control, charged with promoting competition and maintaining the interests of consumers in the UK...
throughout 1992, Stanford White (of Numbering Viewed Worldwide Ltd) and Will Goodall (of Goodall Personal Numbering Ltd, renamed FleXtel
Flextel
FleXtel is a British company that pioneered the use of personal numbering in telecommunications in the United Kingdom.-Company history:In 1991 AT&T ran a trial which lead in 1992 to the AT&T EasyReach 700 service of follow-me numbers, on area code 700 in the USA Numbering plan.Stanford White – a...
in 1994) were each licensed by the DTI
DTI
DTI may refer to:*Debt-to-income ratio*Deep trench isolation*Defense Technology Institute, the Thai defense technology public organisation*Department of Trade and Industry, a government department in several countries*Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad...
(now BERR
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform was a United Kingdom government department. The department was created on 28 June 2007 on the disbanding of the Department of Trade and Industry , and was itself disbanded on 6 June 2009 on the creation of the Department for Business,...
) in mid-1993, under section 7 of the Telecommunications Act 1984, to provide telecommunications services.
The UK's first commercial Personal Numbering service was launched by FleXtel in December 1993, by piggy-backing onto the Mercury
Mercury Communications
Mercury Communications was a national telephone company in the United Kingdom. The company was formed in 1981 as a subsidiary of Cable & Wireless to challenge the monopoly of British Telecom which was privatised in 1984...
One2One
T-Mobile
T-Mobile International AG is a German-based holding company for Deutsche Telekom AG's various mobile communications subsidiaries outside Germany. Based in Bonn, Germany, its subsidiaries operate GSM and UMTS-based cellular networks in Europe, the United States, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
GSM network on the old One2One 09567 range.
070 Introduction
In 1995 the UK telecoms regulator, OftelOftel
Oftel has been superseded as the British telecommunications regulator by Ofcom .----The Office of Telecommunications was a department in the United Kingdom government, under civil service control, charged with promoting competition and maintaining the interests of consumers in the UK...
(now Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
), reserved the whole of the 070 range exclusively for Personal Numbering, imitating the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Area code 700
Area code 700
North American area code 700 of the North American Numbering Plan was introduced in 1983 to allow for presubscribing phone numbers to particular interexchange carriers...
and ensuring adequate number availability for the future. This regulatory intervention was supported by FleXtel, despite having to migrate its existing customers from the old 079567 to 07010. However, these codes were permitted to operate in parallel for over two years.
070 Early Competition
FleXtel was the first to launch, closely followed by the Personal Number Company (now PNC Telecom ), initially run using VodafoneVodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
's GSM network. BT then entered the market with Flexinumber, followed by Redstone's Callsure service. The Personal Number Company later acquired BT's Flexinumber customer base and BT
BT Group
BT Group plc is a global telecommunications services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the largest telecommunications services companies in the world and has operations in more than 170 countries. Through its BT Global Services division it is a major supplier of...
withdrew from the Personal Numbering Market.
Increasing Termination Rate
Due to changes in the market in the mid '90s, largely driven by RedstoneRedstone
-Military:* Redstone , a U.S. missile* USNS Redstone , , a Vanguard Class Range Instrumentation Ship* Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, a U.S...
, Orange and Vodafone
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
increasing termination rates to premium rate levels, the 070 range has become dogged by scams.
Oftel's Response
In 2001 OftelOftel
Oftel has been superseded as the British telecommunications regulator by Ofcom .----The Office of Telecommunications was a department in the United Kingdom government, under civil service control, charged with promoting competition and maintaining the interests of consumers in the UK...
consulted on the introduction of Personal Numbering guidelines and banning end-user
End-user
Economics and commerce define an end user as the person who uses a product. The end user or consumer may differ from the person who purchases the product...
call revenue
Revenue
In business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
share.
Ofcom's Response
Although Ofcom has recently acknowledged that Personal Numbering delivers a valuable service to specialist applications, it continues to receive a bad press due to weak enforcement and very poor price transparency for call origination. These issues continue to challenge Ofcom in both the 070 and 08x ranges and the situation is an ongoing balance between tactical enforcement and strategic regulation.See also
- Follow-me, the same concept for PBXs
- Virtual telephone number Click here for more info
- Universal Personal TelecommunicationsUniversal Personal TelecommunicationsUniversal personal telecommunications is a special segment of the international telephone number space which has been set aside for universal personal telephone numbers. This service has been allocated country code +878. UPT numbers differ significantly from Personal Numbers which are embedded as...