13 digit mobile numbers in India from July 1
NEW DELHI: If you've been reading reports about your mobile number having 13 digits (from 10 digits currently) from July 1 and have been feeling perplexed, relax! Your mobile number will continue to have 10 digits. Certain sections of the media seem to have misinterpreted a DoT (Department of Telecommunication) order for machine to machine or M2M numbers.
M2M numbers are the ones that are used for SIMs in devices like swipe machines, cars, electricity meters etc. Officials from Bharti Airtel--India's largest telecom service provider, Reliance Jio and telecom industry body COAI (Cellular Operators Association of India) confirmed to TOI that the mobile numbers we have and use remain unaffected by this development.
Earlier this month, the DoT had issued a directive to telecom operators mentioning the implementation of 13-digit numbering scheme for M2M communication.
"Migration of existing l0-digit M2M numbers to 13 digits will start latest by October 1, 2018 and shall be completed by December 31, 2018," the DoT order stated. All new M2M mobile connections will be allocated l3-digit numbers from July 1, 2018, it added.
The DoT has also asked the service providers to "ensure that their network elements including IT and other relevant systems are aligned with 13-digit numbering for M2M SIMs before July 1, 2018.
