Most of the mobile operators have opposed the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) proposal to move to an 11-digit mobile number regime.

Most of the mobile operators have opposed the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) proposal to move to an 11-digit mobile number regime. Responding to TRAI’s consultation process on this issue, most mobile firms have suggested that the digits reserved for fixed telephony services be opened for mobile telephony. According to them, levels 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, which are reserved for fixed line services, are highly underutilised on account of the decline in fixed line connections in the past few years. Currently, over 90 per cent of the mobile numbers begin with 9, as this level has been completely assigned to mobile telephony. Of late, DoT has also opened up sub-levels 8 and 7 for mobile telephony. However, two operators, Reliance Communications (RCOM) and Tata Teleservices Limited (TTSL), say that in the longer term, the country will have to move to an 11-digit numbering scheme to address the exponential growth in mobile subscribers.