An online database of mobile country codes (MCCs) and mobile network codes (MNCs), defined by Recommendation ITU-T E.212: The international identification plan for public networks and subscriptions, is the latest addition to ITU-T’s International Numbering Resources (INR database).
 
MCCs are used to identify mobile telephony installations in wireless telephone networks and are used in combination with MNCs to uniquely identify network operators. The new database also provides listings of shared international mobile telephony codes, and MCC+MNC configurations used extra-territorially (MCC+MNC assigned to an operator in one country, but used in another through the establishment of a foreign base station by that operator).
 
Slaheddine Maaref, Tunisie Telecom: “In the past, authoritative MCC+MNC information was available only through ITU-T’s Operational Bulletin. The online database is thus a welcome addition to ITU-T’s services; offering me information of a quality and accuracy comparable to that of the Bulletin, but with the added benefits of real-time updates to its content and an ability to select and export only the information I am looking for.”
 
Access to the database is a membership benefit available only to ITU Member States and ITU-T Sector Members.
 
The database is navigable through such search criteria as codes, countries/regions or network operators. Search results can be exported to MS Word or Excel files, and can be bookmarked as favourites in one’s Internet browser.

Geneva, 14 July, 2011 - ITU is pleased to announce that the world’s newest nation, the Republic of South Sudan, has today been assigned the international dialling code 211, following the country’s formal recognition as a UN Member State.

The fledgling South Sudan Ministry of Telecommunications and Postal Services welcomed the new code, which has particular resonance for South Sudan’s citizens as representing the year in which South Sudan gained independence (2011), the date of its referendum (which took place in the first day of the first month of 2011), and a symbol of good fortune. The number had been specifically requested following a special Council of Ministers Resolution.

Full press release

The final programme and input documents for ITU’s Workshop on IPv6 4-5 September have been announced.

The event will be made available as an audio webcast, click here for details.

Cisco will host a reception on 4 September from 18:30 to 20:00 and all the coffee breaks are offered by Tiscali International Network.

See also previous newslog entry.

Click here for a document detailing some ITU-T highlights for 2007.

A standardized way to identify next-of-kin (or other emergency contact) in a mobile handsets’ directory, for use in case of emergency, has been sent for next level approval by Study Group 2 in May 2008.

Currently emergency service workers searching for contact information for the next-of-kin to an injured person have no commonly understood way of identifying that person’s details. Increasingly the directory of the injured person’s mobile handset is used, since it usually contains the names and numbers of next-of-kin. However, there is no standard way to distinguish these contacts from all other entries in the mobile handset directory.

A prefix to those contacts to be dialed in case of emergency is one solution. International standards must be useable by anyone, regardless of language or script. This requirement has been met by using Arabic numerals (the digits 0 through 9) since they are known by all users around the world.

The owner of a mobile handset can indicate contacts to be dialled in case of emergency by formatting the name in the form “0nx”, where “n” is a digit from 1 through 9 and “x” is any meaningful descriptive character string (e.g. “Anna” or “spouse” or “安娜”). In the interface it would be displayed as “01Anna” or “01spouse” or “01安娜”. This descriptive string is used for the “contact name” in the mobile handset directory; the actual number of the person to call in case of emergency is used for the corresponding “contact number”.

Once this standard is approved and widely implemented by individual mobile users around the world, any emergency service worker can look at the mobile handset directory and quickly identify entries tagged by the user as contact persons to call in case of emergencies.

“Emergency contact number notation” stands on the runway to take off as a new clause in ITU-T Recommendation E.123, which currently specifies, among other things, the familiar +41 22 123 456 notation for telephone numbers and other information commonly displayed on business cards.

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Following up on advice from ITU-T Study Group 2 (see previous story), the Director of TSB has assigned E.164 country code 888 to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) for the purpose of facilitating the provision of an international system of naming and addressing for terminals involved in disaster relief activities in an area of a country that has been cut off from the national telecommunications system of that country.

This separate, alternate naming and addressing system will continue in operation until such time as normal telecommunications can be restored and the disaster location is once more part of the national telecommunications infrastructure. The use of any numbering resource will therefore be relatively short lived and the resource may be re-used at a later date for another location.

Subsequent digits of the codes (for example, identification codes under the E.164 code) will be allocated and administered by OCHA.

The numbering resources are assigned solely for the use of UN emergency responders and not for other purposes. The commercial aspects of the use of the numbering resource will be negotiated between OCHA and the appropriate operators and service providers. In addition, the Mobile Network Code (MNC) 88 under the E.212 shared Mobile Country Code 901 has been assigned to OCHA for the same purposes.

The first meeting of the Regional Group of Study Group 2 in the Arab region will take place 26th March 2007, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

The objective of the Regional Group is to facilitate the involvement of developing countries (DC) in SG2 standardization activities, reflection of DC needs and requirements in SG2 questions, promote the implementation of SG2 Recommendations, and increase awareness of DC with SG2 standardization areas.

Study Group 2 is the Lead Study Group on Service definition, Numbering and Routing.

Among the methodologies to achieve these goals are: Convening regional meetings, use of electronic means and collaboration of experts from the developed countries - as flagship Ggroup leaders - with DC experts.

An e-Forum is now active for discussions and questions about NNA (naming, numbering and addressing) issues. Post your questions to the forum on the here.

Regional Group of Study Group 2 in the ARAB Region Home 

Until 1998, the ITU Global directory contained information both about ROAs that were Sector Members and non-Sector Members, but it now only contains information relating to ROAs that are Sector Members.

The consequence of there not being a published list of all ROAs (including those that are non-Sector Members) might limit the assistance such information can have on, for example, the bilateral exchange of information related to numbering changes or on introducing new international numbering resources.

The status of ROA is used within certain ITU-T Recommendations, e.g. E.118, E.164.1, E.169.1, E.169.2, E.212, Q.708, X.121 as a criterion regarding assignment of international numbering resources. Such a list would assist in the administration of international numbering resources and would facilitate the exchange of information between ROAs, for example, on numbering changes.

A consolidated list of Recognized Operating Agencies (ROAs) has been set up, derived from the responses received to TSB Circular 24 of 8 April 2005 and an individual communication was published in the ITU Operational Bulletin under the heading "Changes in Administrations/ROAs and other entities or Organizations".

List of Recognized Operating Agencies (ROAs)

More on Recognized Operating Agencies (ROAs)

Bureaufax Table Update for Pakistan - Swaziland

Pakistan - Swaziland [ Winword | PDF ] (updated 10.05.05)

The Bureaufax Table, published in collaboration with the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in pursuance of the provisions of ITU-T Recommendation F.170 (03/98), is now published in electronic version only.

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TSB Circular 30 - Replies to the 2005 Questionnaire on conditions for provision of "call-back"

Alternative Calling Procedures (Call-Back)

The World Telecommunications Standardization Assembly 04 (WTSA-04) adopted Resolution 29 on alternative calling procedures on international telecommunication networks. In that Resolution, the sovereign right of each country to regulate its telecommunications, as expressed in the basic instruments of ITU, was reaffirmed. In this regard, each country has the right to authorize, prohibit or regulate call-back practices. National regulatory measures must be respected by other countries within the limits of their own legislation, and the recognized operating agencies (ROAs) and administrations concerned must communicate and collaborate.

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The ITU Operational Bulletin was first published by the ITU more than 35 years ago and continues today to provide all administrations, operators and service providers as a favoured medium for the exchange of essential information on changes in international telecommunications networks and services.

List of Codes and Numbers  - Lists published by TSB or BR as Annexes to the ITU Operational Bulletin

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The World Telecommunications Standardization Assembly 04 (WTSA-04) adopted Resolution 29 on alternative calling procedures on international telecommunication networks. In that Resolution, the sovereign right of each country to regulate its telecommunications, as expressed in the basic instruments of ITU, was reaffirmed. In this regard, each country has the right to authorize, prohibit or regulate call-back practices. National regulatory measures must be respected by other countries within the limits of their own legislation, and the recognized operating agencies (ROAs) and administrations concerned must communicate and collaborate.

To facilitate this collaboration, a draft guideline has been prepared under which ITU is to collect information once a year on the positions adopted by each country in respect of call-back practices within its territory and disseminate the findings by the most effective method. Administrations and ROAs receiving this information must take all necessary steps to prevent call-back practices from being supplied to countries which prohibit them. The TSB has circulated the questionnaire each year since 1996. The results were disseminated by a TSB Circular.

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The Bureaufax Table, published in collaboration with the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in pursuance of the provisions of ITU-T Recommendation F.170 (03/98), is now published in electronic version only.

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ENUM defines a method for entering Recommendation E.164 country codes into the Internet Domain Name System. Please consult TSB Circular 105 for the formal communication concerning ITU-T and ENUM.

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Administrations are requested to notify ITU about their national numbering plan changes, or to give an explanation of their web page on national numbering plan as well as their contact points, so that the information, which will be available freely to all Administrations/ROAs and service providers, can be posted on ITU-T website.

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A centralized List of ITU Carrier Codes (ICCs) has been created with the ITU/TSB as the repository. All domestic and international carriers are expected to register with ITU/TSB for a carrier code.

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TIES account required.

Member States and Sector Members are kindly asked to notify the TSB of situations that they are aware of that indicate potential misuse of numbering resources. In providing such information, Member States and Sector Members are asked to explain why they believe that a misuse is occurring, for example use of non-assigned resources, or incorrect routing of assigned resources, or use of resources for purposes other than those for which they were assigned.

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