Ofcom introduce 116 numbers

Caridades adjudicado 116 números de teléfono europeo en el Reino Unido
Ofcom confirmó hoy las organizaciones que se ejecutará la primera pan -
Europea de 116 números de teléfono de línea telefónica de ayuda en el Reino Unido.
Ofcom asigna cada año a millones de números de teléfono a
los proveedores de comunicaciones para los hogares, empresas y organizaciones a
usar. Ofcom papel es asegurar el mejor uso de los del Reino Unido finita
de recursos número de teléfono.
Las siguientes organizaciones han sido seleccionadas para prestar sus
servicios en estos números 116:
• Personas Desaparecidas usará 116 000 para una línea de ayuda de niños desaparecidos;
• NSPCC usará 116 111 para su servicio Childline, y
• Los samaritanos 116 123 para el uso de un servicio de apoyo emocional.
El Gobierno pidió a Ofcom que decidir cómo estos números deben ser asignados. Ofcom llevó a cabo un proceso de selección, asesorada por grupos de expertos independientes.
Estos nuevos números 116 se ejecutará junto con las tres organizaciones de las líneas de ayuda existentes.
Números 116 permitirá a la persona que viaje por Europa para acceder a los proveedores de servicios similares por llamar a las seis del mismo número de dígitos memorable, haciendo más fácil para los visitantes para encontrar el número correcto cuando necesitan ayuda o consejo.
Las llamadas a estos tres números será de forma gratuita en el Reino Unido, tanto si se hicieron desde un teléfono fijo, móvil o cabina telefónica pública.
Ofcom espera que los números para estar en uso el año que viene.
Director General de Personas Desaparecidas, Martin Houghton-Brown dijo: "Esta es una oportunidad emocionante para la caridad las Personas Desaparecidas, para compartir la Europa gran número de niños desaparecidos. La organización tiene ya 128.000 llamadas cada año y este ha ampliado las oportunidades de contacto nosotros ".
NSPCC Director de líneas de ayuda, Christine Renouf dijo: "Es una excelente noticia que nos han asignado 116 111. Este es un paso positivo para hacer que los niños son conscientes de que hay líneas de ayuda de toda Europa que se puede acceder a través de un número único".
El presidente ejecutivo de samaritanos, Catherine Johnstone dijo: "Damos la bienvenida a 116 123 el número de teléfono que le dará a nadie en la angustia emocional de manera libre, corto y sencillo para llamar a los samaritanos. Creemos que la gente da la oportunidad de hablar puede aliviar los sentimientos de desesperación y de pensamientos suicidas - en última instancia, salvar vidas ".
Política de Ofcom, el director, Daniel Gordon, dijo: "El papel de Ofcom es permitir a estos números para ser lanzados en el Reino Unido para el beneficio de los consumidores. Estos nuevos números 116 que significa que la gente puede llamar a estos servicios dondequiera que se encuentren en Europa".
Los tres números 116 han sido puestos a disposición por la Comisión Europea como parte de su objetivo para determinados servicios de valor social para entrar en contacto con el número memorable mismo en todos los Estados miembros. Más números 116 han sido reservados por la Comisión Europea para los servicios de línea telefónica de ayuda Ofcom recientemente y se consultarán sobre las medidas propuestas para esos números durante los próximos meses.
Esto viene como recordatorio de que no transfronterizos números no geográficos como los números de Europa, como el 116 que no están sujetos a las tarifas de itinerancia se están introduciendo por Ofcome, el Consejo Regulador de números no geográficos. También sería bueno ver a otros servicios públicos que ofrece la misma oportunidad, tales como números de tarjetas bancarias de emergencia para la pérdida / crimen / y los servicios de emergencia, tales como Air ambulancias, etc.

International roaming charges using Dynamic Mobile Least Cost Routing

A recent Ofcom report identified that International roaming charges were reduced on average by 13.6% in the year 2008/2009. This is indeed encouraging news on the face of it but when you consider that international roaming charges start from a very high level then perhaps it less encouraging. Most notably international roaming data charges are the most expensive.
International roaming charges have always been a bone of contention for business and personal users of mobile handsets. No network is immune from what can only be described as legalised extortion.

There is a technology now available that can reduce these charges by up to 90% (100% if you are simply dialling back to the office). This technology is undoubtedly used by the network operators themselves to transit calls and this is now available to small and large companies alike.

This cost saving feature is Dynamic Mobile Least Cost Routing (Dynamic Mobile LCR). If you are a business traveler, it will save you money by choosing the least costly route according to tariffs and roaming charges.

The LCR feature minimizes mobile roaming expenses by having call setups routed through the least costly path. The LCR logic is based on current call tariffs managed in the server. Using call tariffs, the server determines the most cost-efficient break-out for each call. The server also generates dial plans, which are distributed to mobile devices running the mobile client.

The LCR feature is transparent for end-users and works from any mobile network. There is also support for WiFi and Dual Mode terminals.

This technology is great for global manufacturers, international law firms, shipping brokers, etc.

Key Benefits

Mobilizing your workforce increases business visibility and capabilities. Ensure that everyone is connected wherever your business takes them with the following benefits:
• Mobility without loss of functionality
• Over the Air Configuration (OTA) provisioning for easy deployment and administration
• Easy-to-use GUI
• Makes business-class telephony features visible to users
• WiFi and GSM handover (bidirectional)
• Least cost routing of calls
• Corporate directory search
• Presence setting and viewing
• Shared call logs between devices
• Shared contact lists between devices

GUI

The interface is streamlined for mobile use with a search and dial field and a large area for your contact list/buddy list. When a directory search is performed, this area is updated with the results. When a call is made, the display area is divided into two sections. The left side displays a name or phone number and the call duration, and the right side is for call buttons for business-class telephony features, such as hold, retrieve, transfer, conference, record call, etc.

03 Numbers – Clarity or Confusion?

03 Numbers were introduced by Ofcom in March 2007 after a lengthy consultation process.
However, the uptake on these numbers has been slower than anticipated as a result of a number of events that have occurred in the telecoms market. Here we examine the changes and highlight why we believe that the regulating boy, Ofcom, should highlight more effectively the benefits of these numbers.
The basic objective of 03 Numbers is to smooth the path towards allowing companies and organisations to migrate away from revenue sharing 08 numbers which the public have taken exception to.
03 Numbers – Clarity or Confusion? are tagged to the price that a consume pays for 01 & 02 numbers. Therefore, if they get these numbers free as part of an inclusive call package then the price of the call will effectively also be free. This applies to all communication modes, i.e. mobiles and payphones.

The problem, of course, is that no sooner has the regulating body introduced them that the dominant force in the UK telecoms market i.e. British Telecom promptly included all 0870 and 0845 numbers with in their inclusive call time package known as Anytime plan (January 2009). Clearly, they were not free as there were package fees and maximum limits on the number of free calls.

The implication of this is that as a result of some 08 calls being free then clearly the idea that 03 Numbers are also free creates some confusion in the market. 03 numbers can deliver all of the same benefits as with Intelligent Network based Non Geographic numbers (NGN).

The problem also comes with the fact that organisations who use the numbers are also expected to pay for the numbers as with 0800 numbers and because the market for these number is not mature enough to create effective competition, then organisations are slowly to adopt these numbers but are definitely looking at them and there are some early adopters of the numbers as well such as olic forces.

What does confuse is whether these numbers would be chargeable in the even that 01 & 02 numbers are charged for as with ‘out-of-bundle’ minutes – i.e. are then the 03 numbers chargeable – only time will tell.

These numbers are really designed for assisting marginalised sectors of society such as the elderly or the poor and also towards helping those companies who want to retain the Non Geographic Number presence but want to be seen as customer friendly and focussed.

03 Numbers have been adopted by organisations, but most operations have moved to revenue sharing 08 numbers such as 0844 and 0871 which means that the objective of giving choice to the consumer has not really been met.
It’s a bit of a half way house in which consumers are now also confused along with the organisation’s that are supposed to adopt these numbers. It’s developed into a market place in which the consumer is almost dictating to the organisations as to which numbers they should choose.