Prefix ‘0’ to call mobiles from landlines from January 1st

From January 1, you will need to prefix a ‘0’ before dialling any mobile number from your landline. In order to open up fresh number series for mobile callers, the telecom department has cleared the proposal, accepting sectoral regulator Trai's recommendation for having the '0' prefix for calls to mobiles when the calling is from landline. The Department of Telecom in a circular on ‘modification of dialling pattern from fixed line numbers to cellular mobile numbers’ said in order to ensure adequate numbering resources for fixed line and mobile services, Trai’s recommendations dated May 29 this year has been accepted. “Following may be implemented... Fixed-to-mobile calls shall be dialled with prefix ‘0’. Suitable announcement may be fed in the fixed line switches to apprise the fixed line subscribers about the requirement of dialling the prefix ‘0’ for all fixed-to-mobile calls,” DoT said in a circular dated November 20. This announcement should be played whenever a subscriber dials a fixed-to-mobile call without prefixing ‘0’, it said.