What the recent rate increases in
phone bills implemented by Belize Telecommunications Limited (BTL) did not stir
up in residents of Belize, the government will- with the new National
Telecommunications Numbering Plan for the country of Belize. Since BTL has been
the only service provider in Belize for so many years, an alternative telephone
numbering system was never necessary. Now, because of the reality of future
competition, BTL is obliged by the Telecommunications Act to implement a plan to
designate one digit of Belize phone numbers for whichever provider the customer
chooses. Eliminating the area codes currently used by consumers, the new plan
will soon replace the existing area code and five-digit telephone number with a
"uniform seven-digit number." Initially "gazetted" in the
June 9th, 2001 edition of the
Government Gazette, the plan was announced
first to BTL business clients last week to give them adequate time to prepare
for changes to their business stationery, business cards, etc. According to the
BTL letter, as of May 1, 2002, customers nationwide will be required to dial
seven numbers for all calls, whether within the same area or district, or to
another area or district. Claiming to "minimize any inconvenience to you" the
letter also stated that BTL is "making its best efforts" to standardize the
changes made so that customers may keep their current five-digit number, and
only change the additional two prefix numbers. Answers to how this new Numbering Plan will improve
telecommunications in Belize and why this plan is being implemented could not be
obtained from BTL. Inquiries made to the Sales Department (the number designated
in the letter) to obtain further information led to a Public Relations
Department representative who explained that nothing more could be disclosed
until educational booklets are completed. The information that could be revealed
from PR rep was that a public education campaign will soon be launched and
business clientele will "very shortly" be the first to learn exactly what their
new seven-digit number will be; which was the same information supplied in the
letter. It was learned that this new plan will affect mobile cellular and fixed
cellular numbers as well as land line telephone numbers. It was not established
if mobile phones would need to be reprogrammed by BTL
personnel. According to the Government
Gazette, the plan was established to provide a "coherent and
standardized process of accessing any consumer through addressable number codes
with a choice of service and/or service provider." In the revised Numbering
Plan, as explained in the Gazette, the first
digit of the seven-digit code will classify the "Geographic or District Code"
and the second digit will identify the service provider. In the example used by
the Gazette, a land line in San Pedro Town,
(being in the Belize District), would be designated as a "2". This would be the
first number of the new seven-digit plan. Further on in the example, BTL is
designated by service provider code "2" which would make the new Ambergris Caye
area code "22," to be followed by the remaining five digits of the customer
number. Thereby, using this example, the San Pedro Sun telephone number would switch from (02)-62070 to (22)-62070. This is
ONLY AN EXAMPLE- as interpreted by the
information printed in the Government Gazette.
As stated before, BTL will be conducting a publicity campaign to educate the
public and will soon be informing businesses of their designated numbers.
According to the letter issued by BTL, the
objectives of the new Numbering Plan are: 1) to provide you with an easier way
of making both local and national calls, 2) to make it simpler for you to call
Belize when traveling abroad, and 3) to ensure that telecommunication in Belize
is comparable and consistent with international standards.
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