It looks as if the debate over the UK’s forthcoming National Code Change may be drawing to a close. As reported briefly, the Office of Telecommunications announced that the change will be delayed by a year to Easter 1995. The time allowed for parallel running of the two numbering schemes will also be lengthened to seven months. At the same time the Telecommunications Managers Association effectively abandoned opposition to the core of the change, which it has consistently opposed. Chairman Nick White said we are forced to accept with much regret that the new scheme will be introduced and I think that the debate has to move on to other areas. The areas in question cover detailed implementation of the numbering change and in particular the way in which five cities will be receiving totally new codes. Bristol, Leeds, Leicester and Sheffield have particular shortages of numbers today and to combat this, acting Director General of Telecommunications Bill Wigglesworth is proposing new codes ranging from 0113 for Leeds to 0117 for Bristol. No one is arguing that the cities need more numbers, however there is a question over parallel running in the regions – one statement from British Telecommunications Plc suggests that there will not be any. Most non-geographical services such as freephone premium rate numbers and the cellular operators will be staying the same for the moment, although there will be exceptions in the radio-paging realm. The Oftel statement suggests that this is mainly to avoid numbering confusion during the period of parallel running. In the longer term, the non-geographic numbers will also be migrating to a 10-digit scheme, although the details have yet to be fixed. Oftel will be issuing a consultation document later in the year, but in the meantime, Wigglesworth says that he shall continue to work with the operators and the TMA and other organisations. A note for trivia buffs, the Oftel document describes Wigglesworth as Director General of Telecommunications, omitting the word acting. Should we read anything into this? No, we just thought it sounded better, says Oftel, although he is expected to be confirmed in the job in due course.
