All landline to mobile calls to be dialled with prefix ‘0’ starting 15 January: Department of Telecom

Starting 15 January 2021, all landline-to-mobile calls will have to be dialled with prefix ‘0’, as per the latest decision by the Department of Telecom (DoT). The idea behind the decision is to free up sufficient numbering resources, so that more number of connections can be added in future. Notably, with the move, there will be no change in the way landline to landline, mobile to landline, and mobile to mobile calls are dialled. The Department of Telecom says that all landline users will be provided with a ‘0’ dialling facility. [caption id=“attachment_5267441” align=“alignnone” width=“1024”]  Representational image. Reuters.[/caption] Further, when users will dial a landline to mobile call without prefixing ‘0’, an announcement to alert the subscriber for change in the dialling plan, will be made. “A total of approximately 2,539 million numbering series is expected to be generated from the above. This will free up sufficient numbering resources for future use,” DoT said in a statement. The DoT circular also said that all fixed-line (landline) subscribers will be provided with ‘0’ dialling facility, that is, STD dialling facility.