Key Benefits:
The Autorité de régulation des communications électronique et des postes,
Having regard to Directive 2002 / 21 / EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 7 March 2002 on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services (the "frame" directive);
Having regard to Directive 2002 / 20 / EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 7 March 2002 on the authorization of electronic communications networks and services (Directive "authorisation");
Given the Post and Telecommunications Code, including its articles L. 36-7, L. 44 and R. 20-44-27 to R. 20-44-33 ;
Considering the amended Decision No. 2005-1085 of 15 December 2005 establishing the use of the number categories of the national numbering plan;
In view of the public consultation on the future needs for mobile numbers and the opening of the 07 tranche at the mobile service launched on 10 November 2008 and closed on 5 December 2008 and the synthesis made, published on 3 March 2009;
Considering the opinion of the Radiocommunication Advisory Commission, consulted on 3 March 2009;
In view of the Advisory Commission on Electronic Communications Networks and Services and Positions, consulted on April 27, 2009;
After deliberating on 5 May 2009,
The following reasons:
The National Numbering Plan identifies ten-digit numbers starting with 06 for interpersonal communications services to mobile devices. The mobile portability prefixes are found in this number bracket.
Market development has led to significant consumption of these prefixes. This has made it necessary to carry out an assessment of the use of this range of numbers and a forward-looking review of future numbering needs for mobile services, especially for mobile portability prefixes.
The confrontation of this balance sheet and the needs expressed by the contributions to the public consultation and presented in the above-mentioned synthesis leads the Authority to identify mobile portability prefixes in another tranche than tranche 06.
I. - Analysis of consumption of numbers 06
The public consultation referred to and conducted by the Authority at the end of 2008 focused on the numbers used for the provision of mobile services. The balance sheet of the consumption of the ART's number 06 in this consultation is presented in part I below.
The numbers starting with 06 are a 100 million numbers. These 100 million are divided into three categories, as shown in the table below: a sub-plan in metropolis (85 million), an additional sub-plane (6 million) and a technical sub-plane (4 million). In addition, 5 million numbers are still in reserve.
| Total in tranche 06 | 100 million |
| Sub-plan in metropolis | 85 million |
| Sub-plan in addition-mer | 6 million |
| Technical background | 4 million |
| Not affected by a sub-plan | 5 million |
1. Mobile portability prefixes
These resources are in the block of a million numbers starting with 0600. These resources are necessary to post this prefix to the calls of users who have brought their mobile number to a new operator so that these calls are forward to this new operator.
Depending on the case, these resources are exploited either in the form of four-digit prefixes (600P), or in the form of five-digit prefixes (600PQ). In the national numbering plan, these numbers begin in fact by 06, the initial "0" is implied in the following.
The three mobile network operators in the metropolis each have a portability prefix, to which is added a specific prefix for their activity within the framework of the extension program of mobile coverage in "white zone". This specific resource is required because calls made in local roaming on the facilities implemented under this program are considered differently from calls on the rest of the mobile network of an operator.
To date, no virtual mobile operator (MVNO) has a mobile portability prefix. Nine Cegetel, who had one, returned it at the end of 2008 after joining the SFR group. The technical relations of MVNOs with their host operator are currently exempting them, given the nature of the MVNO models implemented.
Such a code would be necessary if a fourth mobile operator would be authorized. The resource currently available (6000) could then be used in this direction.
In addition to these four-digit resources, twenty five-digit portability prefixes were identified, in the form 6004Q and 6005Q, in the overseas departments and overseas communities that are Guadeloupe, Guyane, Martinique, La Réunion, Mayotte, Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy.
Only eight prefixes are now assigned to mobile operators present in overseas departments and overseas communities.
2. Resources for International Roaming
These technical resources are used by the three metropolis mobile network operators for the management of foreign mobile roaming on a mobile network. When it enters metropolis, the foreign mobile connects to one of the three networks, the choice of the network based on inter-operator agreements. The network operator then temporarily assigns to the mobile a number of the national plan, called international roaming number.
The number of numbers assigned to the three mobile network operators in metropolis is 2.5 million; 500,000 are currently available.
Overseas mobile operators do not have specific resources for international roaming.
II. - Needs assessment
The elements provided by mobile operators in their contributions to the public consultation on the needs of mobile portability prefixes confirmed the need to identify additional prefixes.
Indeed, with regard to available resources, the appearance of new virtual operators and the possible fourth mobile network operator could lead to a shortage of mobile portability prefixes.
The operators indicated that the use of five-digit prefixes – as is done in the Caribbean-Guyane and Meeting-Mayotte areas – is technically difficult in the metropolis. This point was confirmed by the contributions of metropolis mobile network operators.
With a view to identifying possible new four-digit mobile portability prefixes, in 2008 the Autorité had initiated discussions with fixed and mobile operators to allow these future prefixes to be taken from the 05 tranche so as not to consume resources in 06. The prefix identified for this use is the prefix starting with 509. This solution allows to limit changes in networks and information systems.
On the other hand, it is not intended to identify portability prefixes in Band 07, as could be the case in the other geographic and non-geographical slices of the numbering plan.
III. - Operational Opening Modality
The technical opening of a 0509P prefix by mobile operators requires an implementation time that they estimated to be more than one year. This opening must be implemented as soon as possible so that any operator who is assigned such a prefix can use it as of 2010
Decides:
In the Appendix to Decision No. 2005-1085 referred to above, in paragraph "b. The portability prefixes of the "3. The codes, the words "except blocks 0105 and 0508" are replaced by the words "except blocks 0105, 0508 and 0509".
In the Appendix to Decision No. 2005-1085 referred to above, in paragraph "b. The portability prefixes of the "3. The codes, the term "0600PQ" is replaced by the words "0600PQ and 0509PQ" and "600PQ" by "600PQ and 509PQ".
The Chief of the Operators and Control of Rare Resources Service of the Autorité de régulation des communications électronique et des postes is responsible for the execution of this decision, which will be published in the Official Journal of the French Republic.
Done in Paris, May 5, 2009.
The president,
J.-C. Mallet
