At the end of November 2004 Southern Telecommunications Company (UTK) intends to switch the city telephone network of Rostov-on-Don to 7-digit telephone numbering.
The company’s 6-digit code pool has become depleted mainly due to the high development of the telecom market and soaring need of the citizens both in fixed-line and mobile telecom services. Further development of the networks of “Rostovelectrosvyaz” and alternative operators providing fixed-line and mobile services in Rostov - on- Don, is hardly possible, as the free numbering resource of the city telephone network makes 58900 numbers. According to preliminary estimation the necessary resource of numbering for the two coming years should exceed 700 000 numbers in order to develop the network of “Rostovelectrosvyaz” and the networks of alternative operators.
The above project has been implemented by the Moscow design institute “Giprosvyaz”. In order to switch the communication network of Rostov – on- Don to 7-digit code a great volume of work should be carried out in certain progression including reconstruction and change of typology of the existing SDH network to integrate the city telephone exchanges into a single fiber-optic network. It is also necessary to reconstruct inter-exchange network in Rostov - on-Don and to build three additional transit exchanges. After that the network will be ready to switching to seven-digit numbering. The project provides for reconstruction of all transportation network. The new ideology of construction of OPTS-based network changes the principles of network construction making it possible not only to switch to another numbering code, but also to create the necessary prerequisites for organizing a network of future generation.
Switching to 7-digit numbering is planned for the night from 27th to 28th of November. Each subscriber has an opportunity to inform his relatives in Russia and abroad about the new phone number beforehand. The numbering will be changed as follows: digit 2 or 3 will be put before an existing six-digit phone number. Zone code remains the same “863”, and then a new 7-digit number should be dialed. Phone numbers of emergency services remain the same.
“Rostovelectrosvyaz” will present information on new phone numbers to its customers together with subscriber’s accounts. Special information bulletins will be also placed in public transport, service and call centers of “Rostovelectrosvyaz” , public call offices.
"Hot lines» will be organized for the population of Rostov-on-Don and the Rostov region. They will be put into service 7 days prior to the date of official switching, that is on 20 November, 2004. "Hot lines» will continue operating after switching. It will be also possible to find out a new phone number through directory enquiry service "09" and phone number 8-189 (for subscribers of the Rostov region). The switching table of telephone numbers will be placed on the corporate site of the branch “Rostovelectrosvyaz” (www.donpac.ru).
|