The 95 dialling, which was introduced for intra-state landline communication, will soon be removed from all landline and Fix wireless operator. However BSNL and Airtel already withdrawn the 95 dialing as the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) is planning to introduce this level for mobile services. In technical terms the first digit of a telephone number is called a level, like 9.
DoT has communicated this decision to fixed-line/landline service providers, like BSNL/MTNL that they must stop the 95 dialling facility. From hereafter, the mobile number will not give away the identity of service providers, which is the case right now, like BSNL numbers start with 94, Tata and Reliance with 92 and 93 respectively.
The DoT has also decided to vacate levels such as 92, 93 and 94, which are currently exclusively available with mobile service providers such as Tata Communications for CDMA, Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communication for CDMA and BSNL, respectively. Now, these numbers will also be available to other mobile service providers in the country.
The Operators need to keep some spare capacity as numbers discontinued by current subscribers cannot be immediately allotted to new subscribers. With the increasing number of mobile users, even the entire level 9 will fall short. So level 8 will also be opened for mobile operators soon. DoT had earlier proposed to start using Level 8 from March, but the implementation has been postponed for some time.
