End users gain access to telecommunication services via numbers. For this reason, the development of an efficient numbering plan is a determining factor for guaranteeing quality and the success of telecommunication services.
The international numbering plan is managed by the International Telecommunication Union’s Telecommunications Standardisation Sector (ITU-T). Development and management of the national numbering plan is in the hands of national organisations (in Belgium this is BIPT). BIPT must ensure that equal access to adequate number series is created for each operator, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Furthermore, the general number supply of this scarce resource must be kept up. This is done by means of important adaptations to the numbering plan after consultation with the sector and the public.
A number may contain information on the type of service (brand information relating to the service provided!), the location of the person called (geographical information), the operator used (distinction between operators) and the cost. Note that these characteristics are not necessarily always present and that a number of them are disappearing.
Number portability is a central feature of the telecommunications policy. There are two basic reasons for this. Numbers are an important means of communication with customers. Each change has an immediate negative impact on potential customer contacts. Furthermore, the liberalisation of the telecommunications market means there is an increasing concern that newcomers to the market would be treated unfairly, considering that potential customers would have to change telephone numbers. Research has indicated that a lack of number portability has a considerable negative impact on the chances of newcomers. For this reason, it has been decided to introduce number portability. To that end a ‘number portability task force’ has been formed under chairmanship of BIPT.
The Numbering department is also responsible for the issues relating to ‘carrier select and preselect’. These are systems whereby end users can gain access to the services of operators other than the one with which they have a direct connection.
The Belgian Institute for Postal services and Telecommunications is also a member of the Board of Directors of DNS Belgium (registration of domain names in Belgium).
Forms
Number applications must be introduced according to the provisions laid down in the royal decree on managing the national numbering space and the grant and withdrawal of number user rights of 27 April 2007 (MB of 28.06.07). Application forms must only be considered as support and model.
Database
BIPT reserves and allocates blocks of numbers to operators.
Documents
- Decision of 25 January 2022 on the allocation of a range of non-geographic numbers for non-interpersonal communications services across the European Union territory
- Consultation of 3 june 2021 on the allocation of a range of Belgian non-geographic numbers for non-interpersonal communications services across the European Union territory
- Guidelines Calling Line Identification (CLI) of 4 December 2020
- Summary and analysis of the comments on the consultation of 9 June 2020 regarding the CLI guidelines
- Consultation of 9 June 2020 regarding the CLI guidelines (Calling Line Identification)
- Decision of 13 November 2019 on the extension of the supply of 0800 numbers
- Consultation of the 9th August 2019 about the draft decision on the extension of the supply of 0800 numbers
- Consultation of 24 March 2019 on the extension of the supply of 0800 numbers
- Decision of 10 January 2018 relating to the determination of the numbering plan for IoT and Ecall communication
- Circular letter of 6 October 2017 regarding the extraterritorial use of foreign numbering means in Belgium - Implementation of Article 8 of the Royal Decree of 27 April 2007 on managing the national numbering space and the grant and withdrawal of number user rights (Belgian Official Gazette 28 June 2007)
- Consultation at the request of the Minister in charge of telecommunications of 29 august 2017 regarding the draft ministerial order on the granting of an exception to the principle included in article 8, subsection 1, of the royal decree of 27 april 2007 on managing the national numbering space and the grant and withdrawal of number user rights
- Consultation on the draft Decision of 29 August 2017 relating to the determination of the numbering plan for IoT and eCall communication
- Synthesis and analysis of the reactions to the consultation of 31 January 2017 regarding the numbering aspects of e-call services
- Consultation 31 January 2017 regarding the numbering aspects of eCall services
- Summary and further analysis answers to the consultation of 25 november 2014 on reviewing the policy regarding the numbering plan management of 28 july 2015
- Consultation of 25 November 2014 regarding the revision of the policy for the management of the numbering plan
- Consultation as commissioned on 20 August 2013 by the Private Office of the Minister for Economy regarding the draft Royal Decree amending the Royal Decree of 27 April 2007 on managing the national numbering space
- Consultation of 19 March 2013 on the extension of the available numbering space in a number of geographical areas
- Decision of 4 September 2012 amending the decision of 6 September 2011 on the determination of the numbering plan for M2M communication
- Consultation of 19 June 2012 regarding the adaptation of the decision of 6 September 2011 on the determination of the numbering plan for M2M communication
- Communication of 19 June 2012 concerning the non-introduction of the 076 and 079 special number series, for personal and company numbers respectively
- Summary of the consultation of 6 February 2012 on the possible introduction of 076 numbers for personal number services and 079 numbers for company numbers
- Consultation regarding the possible implementation of 076 numbers for personal number services and 079 numbers for business numbers
- Decision 6 September 2011 on the determination of the numbering plan for M2M communication
- Consultation on the draft decision of 14 April 2011 on the determination of the numbering plan for M2M communication
- Decision of 1 March 2011 on the assessment of the ISPA Code of Conduct on the email and webspace access in accordance with Articles 121/1 and 121/2 of the Act of 13 June 2005 on electronic communications
- Summary of the answers to the Consultation of 7 September 2010 on the determination of a numbering policy for M2M communication
- Consultation of 20 December 2010 on the assesment of the ISPA Code of Conduct on the email and webspace access in accordance with Articles 121/1 and 121/2 of the Act of 13 June 2005 on electronic communications
- Consultation of 7 September 2010 on setting out the numbering policy relating to M2M communications
- Communication of 2 December 2009 on the policy of the Institute to ensure non-discriminatory access to short numbers for value-added SMS and MMS services
- Consultation of 2 September 2009 on the policy of the Institute to guarantee non-discriminatory access to short numbers for value added SMS and MMS services
- Consultation at the request of the private office of the Minister of Enterprise and Simplification of 23 July 2009 on the legislative proposal amending the Act of 13 June 2005 on electronic communications
- Consultation of 13 July 2009 on a draft royal decree amending the royal decree of 27 April 2007 on managing the national numbering space and the grant and withdrawal of rights of use of numbers
- Consultation of 28 January 2009 regarding the possible political options as far as the evolution of geographical numbers is concerned
- Decision of 10 December 2008 on the extension of the available numbering space in a number of geographical areas
- Consultation of 23 September 2008 on the increase in the numbering resources available in some geographic areas
- Consultation at the request of Office of the Minister for Enterprise and Simplification of 9 July 2008 on a draft Royal Decree amending various provisions of the Royal Decree of 27 April 2007
- Decision of 19 March 2008 on the establishment of subseries for the provision rate services on electronic communications networks as laid down in the Royal Decree of 10 October 2006
- Draft decision of 23 January 2008 on the establishment of subseries for the provision of premium rate services on electronic communications networks as stipulated in the Royal Decree of 10 October 2006
- Consultation about the draft decision of 13 February 2008 determining the set-up costs per line or per number to be borne by the recipient network operator for the portability of geographical and non-geographical numbers
- Communication on the interpretation of the phrasing “specifically with a view to nomadic use of geographical national E.164 numbers reserved with the Institute” as referred to in Article 43, subsection 4, of the Royal Decree of 27 April 2007
- Decision of 3 October 2007 on the conversion into the new numbering plan of the E.164-numbers for premium rate services that are meant specifically for adults
- Draft communication on the practical implementation of the rules governing the nomadic use of geographical numbers as laid down in Article 43 of the Royal Decree of 27 April 2007
- Communication on the organisation of a public consultation to identify the services that could make use of a European Freephone number starting with 116
- Consultation at the request of the office of the Minister of Economy, Energy, Foreign Trade and Science Policy on a draft royal decree Royal Decree on the management of the national numbering space
- Summary of the contributions to the public consultation on a draft decision of the BIPT's Council regarding the management of number blocks containing shared numbers
- Consultation of 11 October 2006 concerning operators offering nomadic voice services by means of IP-technology: issue of the localisation of emergency calls
- Consultation on a draft decision regarding the management of nummer blocks
- Decision of 12 June 2006 on the introduction of access code 118 for the telephone enquiry service
- Decision of 15 May 2006 laying down the list of international numbers which have to be blocked at the request of the end-user in accordance with Article 2 of the Ministerial Order of 12 December 2005
- Decision of 19 December 2005 on the extension of available geographical number capacity in a number of geographical aeras
Contact
BIPT - Numbering
Ellipse Building C
Boulevard du Roi Albert II 35 box 1
B-1030 Brussels
numbering@ibpt.be
Last updated on 20/06/2024