Telecommunications Numbering Plan Variation 2006 (No. 4)

Administered by Department of Communications and the Arts

Legislation au F2006L04030 Not in force Legislative Instrument

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EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Issued by the authority of the Australian Communications and Media Authority

Telecommunications Act 1997

Telecommunications Numbering Plan Variation 2006 (No. 4)

Statutory basis

Subsection 455(1) of the Telecommunications Act 1997 (the Act) provides that the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) must, by written instrument, make a plan for the numbering of carriage services in Australia and the use of numbers in connection with the supply of such services. This is the Telecommunications Numbering Plan 1997 (the Plan).

Purpose of variation

The purpose of this variation is to specify an additional number range for use in the Colac and Geelong area[1]. The existing prefix (03) 52 is approaching number exhaustion.

Background

Access to numbers is a prerequisite for access to telecommunications networks and services. There must therefore be an adequate supply of numbers available for allocation in a way that enables telecommunications companies to compete on equal terms and to ensure telephone users have access to the services they require.

Local services are an area in which competition and provision of new service types has generated substantial demand for numbers. Local services are delivered on geographic numbers, identified by a two-digit area code followed by an eight-digit telephone number (for example, (03) 9963 6800). These numbers are used to provide telephone users with an individually identifiable local telephone service. Geographic numbers are the most commonly allocated numbers, with examples of services provided on these numbers including fixed-line telecommunications, access to the Internet and voicemail.

One of the most important features of a geographic number is the relationship between the number and the area in which it can be used. This information has been a feature of geographic numbers since around 1960, and is understood and used by telephone users to infer the general location of the called party and information about the charges associated with the call.

ACMA has identified that the prefix (03) 52, specified for use in the Colac and Geelong area, is forecast to run out within 12 months.

In determining which number range to specify to supplement the existing prefix (03) 52, ACMA considered how to make available additional numbers in a way that would maintain the numbering pattern currently available in the Colac and Geelong area. To achieve this aim and provide consistency with other areas across regional Victoria which have already been supplemented using numbers commencing with (03) 4, this variation supplements the existing prefix (03) 52 with additional numbers commencing with (03) 42.

The specification of one million additional numbers will provide sufficient numbers to meet forecast demand in the identified areas for the medium to long term.

Public consultation

Section 460 of the Act specifies that public consultation must be undertaken where a variation to the Plan will affect a number issued to a customer or if it is otherwise considered in the public interest to consult. Consequently, ACMA sought the views of the Numbering Advisory Committee (NAC)[2] and also advertised and released a draft amendment for public comment. No comments were received from NAC members on the proposed variation. No comment on the draft variation was received from the public.

Section 17 of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 states that a rule-maker must ensure that any person likely to be affected by the variation– where that variation is likely to have a direct, or substantially indirect, effect on business, or restrict competition– must be provided with adequate opportunity to comment. ACMA staff believe that the broader public consultation conducted under section 460 of the Act and the targeted consultation with NAC members meets this requirement.

Section 461 of the Act separately requires ACMA to formally consult the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) before varying the Plan. The ACCC indicated that it has no comments on the proposed variation.

The Office of Regulation Review (ORR) has endorsed a Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) concerning this variation (ORR Reference: xxxx).

Details of Variation

Section 1 provides that the variation may be cited as the Telecommunications Numbering Plan Variation 2006 (No. 2).

Section 2 provides that the Variation takes effect on the date after it is registered.

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

Schedule 1 Variations

Item 1 sets out a change to Schedule 2 of the Plan. The change inserts the new prefix (03) 42 after the existing prefix (03) 41. Blocks of numbers commencing with (03) 42 will be available for allocation to carriage service providers for the continued growth of telephone services in areas currently using the prefix (03) 52.

[1] An area refers to the charging districts of Colac and Geelong. The Plan specifies prefixes for allocation to the standard zone units within these charging districts.

[2] NAC membership is drawn from the telecommunications industry, business and consumer groups, customer equipment suppliers and government agencies.

Overview

The Telecommunications Numbering Plan Variation 2006 (No. 4) was enacted to address the imminent exhaustion of telephone number prefixes in the Colac and Geelong areas of Victoria. This variation was introduced under the authority of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) pursuant to subsection 455(1) of the Telecommunications Act 1997. The primary policy objective of this legislation is to ensure an adequate supply of telephone numbers to facilitate continued access to telecommunications services and to support competition among service providers. The introduction of the additional number range, specifically numbers commencing with (03) 42, is intended to supplement the existing (03) 52 prefix, thereby maintaining the existing numbering pattern and ensuring sufficient numbers are available for medium to long-term demand. The variation was subject to consultation processes as mandated by the Act, involving both the Numbering Advisory Committee and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, with no significant objections raised.

Scope and Application

The Telecommunications Numbering Plan Variation 2006 (No. 4) applies to the allocation and management of telecommunications numbers within Australia, specifically addressing the number exhaustion issue in the Colac and Geelong areas. This variation is enacted under the authority of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) in accordance with subsection 455(1) of the Telecommunications Act 1997. The purpose of this legislation is to introduce an additional number range to supplement the existing prefix (03) 52, which is forecasted to run out within 12 months. This ensures that telecommunications companies can continue to compete on equal terms and that telephone users have access to the services they require. The geographic scope of this Act is limited to the Colac and Geelong areas, where the demand for local telecommunications services has generated a substantial need for additional numbers. The variation will become effective on the date it is registered, and it introduces a new prefix (03) 42, following the existing prefix (03) 41, to provide an additional one million numbers. ACMA has undertaken public consultation with the Numbering Advisory Committee and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, as required by the Act, and no comments were received on the draft variation from either party.

Key Provisions

The primary sections of the Telecommunications Numbering Plan Variation 2006 (No. 4) involve amending the Telecommunications Plan 1997 to add a new number range for the Colac and Geelong area. Specifically, Section 3 of the variation introduces a new prefix (03) 42 to supplement the existing prefix (03) 52, which is nearing exhaustion (Schedule 1, Item 1). This change is intended to ensure a sufficient supply of telephone numbers to meet the growing demand for local telecommunications services in these areas. Section 2 dictates that the variation takes effect on the date it is registered. The Act imposes several obligations on the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the telecommunications companies. ACMA is required to maintain an adequate supply of numbers to support competition and service provision in the telecommunications sector (Section 455(1)). Telecommunications companies, in turn, must comply with the numbering plan and ensure that their services are appropriately identified by the assigned numbers. Additionally, the variation mandates that ACMA consult with relevant stakeholders, including the Numbering Advisory Committee and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, before implementing changes to the numbering plan (Sections 460 and 461). Violations of the provisions outlined in this variation may result in various consequences. Although the document does not specify particular offences, breaches of the Telecommunications Act 1997 generally carry penalties. For example, non-compliance with telecommunications regulations can result in fines and, in severe cases, imprisonment. The specific penalties for breaches related to the numbering plan would depend on the nature and severity of the infringement, but they could include substantial fines for individuals or corporations found to be in violation of the statutory requirements.

Area of Law: Telecommunications Law
Instrument: Regulation
Concepts: Definitions & Interpretation; Licensing & Registration; Reporting & Disclosure Obligations

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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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