Telecommunications Numbering Plan Variation 2005 (No. 1)

Administered by Department of Communications and the Arts

Legislation au F2005L00879 Not in force Legislative Instrument

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EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Issued by the authority of the Australian Communications Authority

Telecommunications Act 1997

Telecommunications Numbering Plan Variation 2005 (No. 1)

Statutory basis

Subsection 455 of the Telecommunications Act 1997 (the Act) provides that the Australian Communications Authority (ACA) must, by written instrument, make a plan for the numbering of carriage services to the public in Australia and the use of numbers in connection with the supply of such services. This instrument is the Telecommunications Numbering Plan 1997 (the Plan).

Purpose

The purpose of this amendment is to specify additional geographic numbers for use in 13 areas running short of numbers.

Background

Geographic numbers are used in connection with the supply of local services. The ACA allocates geographic numbers to carriage service providers (CSPs), which then issue numbers to telephone users who have requested access to local services.

The rules governing the allocation and use of numbers, including geographic numbers, are set out in the Plan, in particular Part 1 of Chapter 3, and Schedules 2 and 3. The Plan specifies geographic numbers for use in specific areas only with the result that geographic numbers associated with areas with sufficient capacity for many years to come cannot be moved to address shortages in other areas.

The relationship between geographic numbers and specific areas serves two purposes. Firstly, the relationship facilitates call routing and delivery, and supports the untimed local call arrangements set out in Part 4 of the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1997 (the TCPSS Act).

Secondly, telephone users can utilise the geographic information in the numbers to determine the general location of a number and whether a call is likely to be a local or long distance call. For example, numbers commencing with (03) 9 are specified for use in Melbourne, and a call from a Sydney (02) 9 number to a Melbourne (03) 9 number may be charged at long distance rates.

The numbers specified in Schedules 2 and 3 of the Plan for thirteen different areas have run short and many will run out shortly. When numbers run out, the ACA cannot allocate numbers until the Plan is amended to specify new number ranges. Competition generally, including recent allocations for the provision of local services by Voice over Internet Protocol providers, has impacted on the availability of geographic numbers. The thirteen areas running short of numbers and supplemented in this amendment are:

regional areas of NSW using the (02) 63, (02) 67, (02) 68 and (02) 69 prefixes;
regional areas of Victoria using the (02) 54 prefixes;
the South East sector and outer metropolitan areas of Brisbane using numbers commencing with (07) 34, (07) 328, (07) 338, (07) 388, (07) 320, (07) 330 and (07) 380;
regional areas of Queensland using the (07) 49 and (07) 54 prefixes;
regional West Australian areas using the (08) 98 prefix;
regional South Australian areas using the (08) 85 and (08) 86 prefixes; and
outer metropolitan areas of Melbourne using the (03) 87 and (03) 97 prefixes.

Consultation

Subsection 460(3) of the Act requires that the public be consulted about any variations to the Plan, if the ACA is of the opinion that:

the variation will affect a number issued to a customer; or

it is in the public interest to consult.

Given the nature of the amendment, the ACA released an exposure draft of the amendment for public comment over a period of 90 days between 8 November 2004 and 4 February 2005. The public exposure of the draft prompted one submission from Optus.

As part of its ongoing management of telephone numbers, the ACA also sought the views of the Numbering Advisory Committee (NAC), the ACA’s advisory committee on numbering matters. The NAC is made up of industry, consumer and business representatives.

Details of this consultation are included in the Regulatory Impact Statement associated with this variation.

Details of Amendment

Section 1 provides that the amendment may be cited as the Telecommunications Numbering Plan Amendment 2005 (No. xx).

Section 2 provides that the amendment commences on the date of its notification in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette.

Section 3 specifies that the Telecommunications Numbering Plan 1997 is amended as set out in the first schedule.

Schedule 1 Amendments

Item 1 sets out a change to Schedule 2 of the Plan. The change inserts the four new prefixes (02) 53, (02) 57, (02) 58 and (02) 59 after the prefix (02) 49. Blocks of numbers in these ranges will be available for allocation to carriage service providers for the continued growth of telephone services in areas currently using the prefixes (02) 63, (02) 67, (02) 68 and (02) 69 respectively.

Item 2 sets out an amendment to Schedule 2 of the Plan. The change is the replacement of the reference to Coonambie with Coonamble.

Item 3 sets out a change to Schedule 2 of the Plan. The change inserts the new prefix (03) 44 before the prefix (03) 50. Blocks of numbers commencing with (03) 44 will be available for allocation to carriage service providers for the continued growth of telephone services in areas currently using the (03) 54 prefix.

Item 4 sets out a change to Schedule 2 of the Plan. The change inserts the new prefix (07) 48 before the prefix (07) 47. Blocks of numbers commencing with (07) 48 will be available for allocation to carriage service providers for the continued growth of telephone services in areas currently using the (07) 49 prefix.

Item 5 sets out a change to Schedule 2 of the Plan. The change inserts the new prefix (07) 53 after the prefix (07) 49. Blocks of numbers commencing with (07) 53 will be available for allocation to carriage service providers for the continued growth of telephone services in areas currently using the (07) 54 prefix.

Item 6 sets out a change to Schedule 2 of the Plan. The change replaces the existing specification of (08) 6 for Perth with the identification of the prefixes (08) 61, (08) 62, (08) 63, (08) 64 and (08) 65 for use in Perth. The change then inserts the prefix (08) 68 as available for allocation to carriage service providers for the continued growth of telephone services in areas currently using the (08) 88 prefix.

Item 7 sets out a change to Schedule 2 of the Plan. The change inserts the new prefixes (08) 75 and (08) 76 after the existing (08) 74 prefix. Blocks of numbers in these ranges will be available for allocation to carriage service providers for the continued growth of telephone services in areas currently using the prefixes (08) 85 and (08) 86 respectively.

Item 8 sets out a change to Part 1 of Schedule 3 of the Plan. The change replaces the existing references to six charging zones in the Melbourne area. The insertion specifies additional numbers use in each of the six charging zones: (03) 80 for use in the Werribee and Sunbury charging zones, (03) 81 for use in the Kalkallo and Whittlesea charging zones, (03) 82 for use in the Croydon charging zone and (03) 89 for use in the Dandenong charging zone. This change also amends the misspelling of Sunbury.

Item 9 sets out a change to Part 1 of Schedule 3 of the Plan. The change replaces the existing reference to the South East sector of the Brisbane area. The insertion specifies additional numbers commencing with (07) 30 for use in the South East sector.

Item 10 sets out a change to Part 1 of Schedule 3 of the Plan. The change replaces the existing references to five charging zones in the Brisbane area. The insertion specifies additional numbers commencing with (07) 30 for use in the five charging zones of Cleveland, Beenleigh, Ipswich, Samford and Redcliffe.

Item 11 sets out a change to Part 1 of Schedule 3 of the Plan. The change replaces the existing references to five charging zones in the Perth area. The insertion specifies additional numbers commencing with (08) 619 and (08) 659 for use in the five charging zones of Herne Hill, Kalamunda, Armadale, Spearwood and Rottnest Island.

Item 12 sets out a change to Part 2 of Schedule 3 of the Plan. The change replaces the existing reference to the specification of numbers with broad geographic significance for Melbourne. The change removes the specification of (03) 80, (03) 81, (03) 82 and (03) 89 which have been specified by item 8 for use in the Werribee, Sunbury, Kalkallo, Whittlesea, Croydon and Dandenong charging zones.

Overview

The Telecommunications Numbering Plan Variation 2005 (No. 1) is an amendment to the Telecommunications Numbering Plan 1997, enacted by the Australian Communications Authority (ACA) under the authority of the Telecommunications Act 1997. This amendment was introduced to address the issue of geographic telephone numbers running short in 13 specific areas across Australia, where increased demand and competition had led to a depletion of available numbers. The primary objective of this variation was to specify additional geographic numbers for use in these areas, thereby ensuring the continued growth of telephone services without interruption. The ACA was required to consult the public and relevant stakeholders, including the Numbering Advisory Committee, before making these amendments to the Plan, as mandated by the Telecommunications Act 1997.

Scope and Application

The Telecommunications Numbering Plan Amendment 2005 (No. 1) applies to carriage service providers, which are entities that provide telecommunications services to the public in Australia. The amendment pertains specifically to the allocation and use of geographic numbers for local services, as outlined in the Telecommunications Numbering Plan 1997. This amendment seeks to address shortages in geographic numbers across thirteen areas in Australia by introducing additional number ranges. The geographic scope of the amendment is nationwide, with specific changes targeted to areas running short of numbers, including regional areas of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and outer metropolitan areas of Melbourne and Brisbane. The amendment does not explicitly state exclusions or thresholds but rather focuses on supplementing existing number ranges to meet demand. The Telecommunications Numbering Plan 1997 itself may include further rules and specifications that govern the application of the numbering plan, potentially extending or restricting its application through subordinate instruments.

Key Provisions

The Telecommunications Numbering Plan Amendment 2005 (No. 1) introduces several significant changes to the Telecommunications Numbering Plan 1997, as outlined in Schedule 1 of the instrument. Primarily, it addresses the shortage of geographic numbers in thirteen areas by specifying additional number ranges for these regions. This includes introducing new prefixes such as (02) 53, (02) 57, (02) 58, and (02) 59 for regional areas of New South Wales, and new prefixes like (03) 44 and (07) 48 for Victoria and Queensland, respectively. The amendment also corrects a typographical error by replacing "Coonambie" with "Coonamble" and adjusts the number ranges for Perth and Melbourne to better accommodate future growth. These changes aim to ensure the continued allocation of geographic numbers to support the increasing demand for telephone services in these areas. The obligations imposed by this amendment on the Australian Communications Authority (ACA) and other entities primarily revolve around the allocation and use of geographic numbers. The ACA is tasked with ensuring that the new number ranges specified in the amendment are made available to carriage service providers (CSPs) for allocation to telephone users in the specified areas. CSPs, in turn, must adhere to the rules set out in the Telecommunications Numbering Plan, including the appropriate use of numbers for local services. The amendment also requires the ACA to manage the number allocation process in a way that maintains the integrity of the numbering system and supports call routing and local call arrangements as outlined in the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1997. Failure to comply with the provisions of the Telecommunications Numbering Plan and its amendments can lead to various consequences. While the specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences are not detailed in the explanatory statement, it is understood that breaches of the Telecommunications Act 1997 can result in substantial penalties. For example, under section 455 of the Act, unauthorised use of numbers can lead to fines and other enforcement actions. The exact penalties for non-compliance with the numbering plan would depend on the nature and severity of the breach, but they could include financial penalties, corrective actions, or even legal proceedings in severe cases. The ACA has the authority to enforce the provisions of the Act and its associated plans to ensure that the numbering system operates efficiently and effectively.

Area of Law: Telecommunications Law
Instrument: Statutory Instrument
Concepts: Definitions & Interpretation; Regulatory Standards; Licensing & Registration

Interactions

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.

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