Govt Mulling Common Fixed, Mobile Phone Numbers

Tokyo, Sept. 27 (Jiji Press)–A study group of Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on Tuesday began discussions on possible introduction of common phone numbers for fixed-line and mobile services.

The ministry expects common phone numbers to promote mobile- fixed convergent services that enable subscribers indoors to use mobile phones as fixed phones.

NTT Communications Corp. and NTT DoCoMo Inc. have launched the new services this month, and KDDI Corp. and Vodafone K.K. are considering following NTT’s lead.

Currently, a fixed phone number starts with an area code, such as 03 for the city of Tokyo. Nongeographical prefixes are assigned to mobile phones, such as 090 and 080.

The mobile phone number system is expected to be adopted for new common numbers to allow mobile phones to be used as fixed phones anywhere in Japan.

The group will draw up a report by March with an eye on launching a common number service as early as fiscal 2007.END