Mobile numbers will remain 10 digits, BSNL clarifies after reports about longer numbers
The instructions to lengthen the numbers apply only for machine-to-machine communication, not for regular users.
Customer mobile numbers will remain 10 digits long, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited clarified on Twitter after reports surfaced on Wednesday that cellphone numbers may soon become 13 digits long.
BSNL said its instructions about the 13-digit number only applied to numbers used by machines to communicate with other machines – or M2M.
There is no change in mobile numbering plan which remains 10 digit. #BSNL preparing for machine to machine (m2m) communication where in 13 digit numbering scheme shall be used to connect billions of machines.
— BSNL India (@BSNLCorporate) February 21, 2018
The confusion that it applies to all users may have arisen as the Department of Telecommunications instructions to telecom operators, and a letter from BSNL earlier this month to its suppliers, did not expand M2M, The Hindu reported.
According to the Department of Telecommunications’ instructions, all telecom operators need to start using the 13-digit mobile numbers for existing Machine-to-Machine communication from October 18, The Indian Express reported.
Here’s an explainer on the telecom department’s directive: