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Thread: C&W and Digicel number ranges

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    Default C&W and Digicel number ranges

    Here in Barbados Digicel numbers have always begin with 26x-xxxx. ANd C&W was always anything from 23x-xxxx to 25x-xxxx. Which meant that we all knew whether we were calling a Digicel or C&W phone and hence whether it was cheaper or more expensive to make that call from your Digi or CW phone respectively.

    NOW it seems like Digicel has run out of 26x-xxxx and has now moved backwards to 25x-xxxx. Now this would not be a big deal if there weren't already some C&W call numbers already beginning with this prefix. Why didn't they just move up to 27x-xxxx???

    Now when someone gives me a number, instead of automatically knowing whose carrier they are with, i have ask. And not only that but apparently i will now need to remember which carrier each person in my phone book uses due to this ambiguity or not end up with either a higher phone bill than or run out of money faster than i expected as i thought it was a number from my carrier but it turned out not to be.

    At least At&t was smart. All their numbers begin with the prefix 82x-xxxx. VERY far from the 2xx-xxxx ranges C&W and Digi using hence making things easier to distinguish and At&t also has tons of room to add numbers without confusing their subscribers..

    THIS SUCKS!
    "It is better to have tried and failed than to never have tried at all."

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    Default Re: C&W and Digicel number ranges

    Same thing here in Jam. Cable and Wireless used to be 9xxxxxx,8xxxxxx, 7xxxxxxx. Now they're at 3xxxxxx and 4xxxxxxx and some digicel numbers are now 8xxxxxxx.....lol! Normal Digi's were 3xxxxxx and 4xxxxxxx!

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    Default Re: C&W and Digicel number ranges

    But why would they do that when they are so many number ranges out there that they could have used? To confuse us?
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    Default Re: C&W and Digicel number ranges

    In Jamaica the assignment of telephone numbers is controlled by the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) and they have stated that their policy is to assign number ranges based on a system that they have setup. This has basically meant that there is no longer a specific number range, say 8xx-xxx, that is assigned to a single provider. They have said that doing this could cause wastage of a number range which is a scarce commodity within a given area code.
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    Default Re: C&W and Digicel number ranges

    Quote Originally Posted by Chris
    In Jamaica the assignment of telephone numbers is controlled by the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR)
    I think I read somewhere that the OUR's rationale for this, apart from not wasting number ranges was that the eventual aim is to have mobile number portability. This would make provider specific ranges obsolete anyway.

    I say good luck to them getting C&W & Digicel to ever agree to that
    Last edited by pradere; Apr 10, 2005 at 02:31 PM.

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    Default Re: C&W and Digicel number ranges

    Quote Originally Posted by pradere
    I think I read somewhere that the OUR's rationale for this, apart from not wasting number ranges was that the eventual aim is to have mobile number portability. This would make provider specific ranges obsolete anyway.

    I say good luck to them getting C&W & Digicel to ever agree to that
    LOl...not even them customers can agree....lol....oh well!

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    Default Re: C&W and Digicel number ranges

    Number portability? NEVER GONNA HAPPEN.
    "It is better to have tried and failed than to never have tried at all."

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    Quote Originally Posted by digimar
    Here in Barbados Digicel numbers have always begin with 26x-xxxx. ANd C&W was always anything from 23x-xxxx to 25x-xxxx. Which meant that we all knew whether we were calling a Digicel or C&W phone and hence whether it was cheaper or more expensive to make that call from your Digi or CW phone respectively.

    NOW it seems like Digicel has run out of 26x-xxxx and has now moved backwards to 25x-xxxx. Now this would not be a big deal if there weren't already some C&W call numbers already beginning with this prefix. Why didn't they just move up to 27x-xxxx???

    Now when someone gives me a number, instead of automatically knowing whose carrier they are with, i have ask. And not only that but apparently i will now need to remember which carrier each person in my phone book uses due to this ambiguity or not end up with either a higher phone bill than or run out of money faster than i expected as i thought it was a number from my carrier but it turned out not to be.

    At least At&t was smart. All their numbers begin with the prefix 82x-xxxx. VERY far from the 2xx-xxxx ranges C&W and Digi using hence making things easier to distinguish and At&t also has tons of room to add numbers without confusing their subscribers..

    THIS SUCKS!

    I may be wrong but I don't think that C&W, Digicel, AT&T, etc chose their own numbers freely. They are assigned by the telecom regulators.

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    In the US number portability was dictated to the providers by the relevant Federal agency. I suspect that for number portability to become a reality in Jamaica the Govt will have to dictate it to the providers. Then again, until the rate structures are unified they can't reasonably dictate number portability ... so yeah, number portability is a far way off
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris
    In the US number portability was dictated to the providers by the relevant Federal agency. I suspect that for number portability to become a reality in Jamaica the Govt will have to dictate it to the providers. Then again, until the rate structures are unified they can't reasonably dictate number portability ... so yeah, number portability is a far way off
    It would take a regulator with teeth to introduce mobile number portability.
    I am not proposing number portability as used in the US where numbers can be land or mobile and completely indistinguishable. I said mobile number portability between wireless providers.
    The rate structures do not need to be unified for this to happen. In other countries (Not the US) where mobile number portability operates mobile networks still charge different termination rates from each other (and higher than landline). It's all about charging calls by what network they terminate on, not what leading digits they are. I'm not sure about the actual mechanics of how this works, all I know is that it does, hence I have a Vodafone number on T-mobile for four years now and when I move to another network I'll take it with me.
    Of course this wouldn't have been in place had the networks been left to their own devices. Regulator pressure and clauses being written into licences brought it about.

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