From today's online Bangkok Post..
Sim updates needed for 10-digit dialling
SRISAMORN PHOOSUPHANUSORN
"Come and upgrade your mobile Sim card free of charge at your operators' shops nationwide, starting from Sept 1 until Nov 30, or you won't be able to receive incoming calls."
If you haven't already received an SMS such as the one above, you will soon, as mobile-phone operators prepare to shift their customers into the world of 10-digit dialling.
All operators say they're ready to use the 10-digit system by Sept 1, the deadline set by the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC).
But they have expressed doubts over the ability of fixed-line telephone service providers to adapt their switching networks and older technology to face the change.
The switch to 10 digits from nine will require users to add an '8' in the middle of the existing two-digit prefix, followed by the existing seven-digit number, in order to make either a mobile-to-mobile or a mobile-to-fixed-line call. For example, numbers starting with 01, 09 and 02 will become 081, 089 and 082 respectively.
The new system will increase the potential number of telephone numbers from 90 million to 300 million, to meet growth over the next 30 years.
All new mobile subscribers, both prepaid and postpaid, after Sept 1, will automatically be on the 10-digit system with a new type of Sim card.
Everyone else will have to have their numbers and Sim cards adjusted, with a grace period until Nov 30, otherwise they cannot receive calls. The short message service (SMS) system will be fully switched over to 10 digits next March.
Wichien Mektrakarn, executive vice-president for operations of Advanced Info Service, said AIS had seen no problems so far in its trials of 10-digit dialling.
"The actual conversion of new-subscriber numbers to the new format will start from Sept 1, with our existing 17 million subscribers having an additional three months to upgrade their Sim cards at our Telewiz shops and dealers nationwide," he said.
Sunti Medhavikul, chief customer officer of DTAC, said his company's switching software had transferred to the new system since last month, and free Sim card upgrading services will be available at 350 DTAC shops nationwide from Sept 1.
DTAC has also developed applications to allow customers to edit their mobile numbers in the phonebook memory to convert to the new system.
Mr Sunti said the 10-digit system would eliminate a number shortage problem, create fairer competition and benefit overall telecom industry.
The provincial fixed-line operator TT&T, says its switching units are not as old as mobile operators claim, and that there will be no problem converting to the new system.
Pete
Pete