30.09.2008
Starting tomorrow, October 1st 2008, the fixed telephony subscribes will be called only by dialling the whole national number, consisting of 10 digits (prefix + local number), for all types of calls – local or national.
Calls to fixed telephone numbers dialled without a prefix will fail. So far, the callers dialling numbers without a prefix have been informed on the new number format, but starting tomorrow, October 1st, callers to old format numbers will be merely prompted with a number unavailability message or will hear the wrong number tone.
Both the single emergency call number – 112 – and mobile telephony numbers remain unchanged.
Moreover, the format of short numbers has also changed to make a clear difference between the numbers for national public interest services and numbers for local public interest services. Short numbers for national public interest services will consist of four digits, the first of which will be 1, followed by the current 3-digit number (e.g. 1958 instead in 958). Numbers for local public interest services will consist of seven digits, including the specific county prefix (e.g. 0232982 instead of 982, in the county of Iasi).
The closing of the National Numbering Plan (PNN) has been a requirement of the European Commission with which Romania must comply. Before the closing of the PNN, the Romanian fixed telephony users used several dialling formats, which generated confusion and favoured the providers that could offer six- and seven-digit numbers, to the disadvantage of the providers whose subscribers dialled the longer, 10-digit number. The closing of the PNN and the enforcement of a single format for all the telephone numbers removes a new barrier to fair competition from the electronic communications market.