Vodafone and NCA roll out new land lines

Accra, April 26, GNA - The National Communications Authority and Vodafone Ghana will from 1 May, introduce new number codes for all the 10 regions of Ghana in line with global telecommunication standards. The switch over to the new numbering structure will bring uniformity as both fixed and mobile phone numbers will all have 10 digits. Currently, the number of digits for fixed lines across the country differs from region to region. Another downside of the current land line numbering structure is that each region has a multiplicity of codes which makes the system very confusing.

Under the current numbering system, the Greater Accra Region has three different codes, Ashanti Region has six codes, Western Region; seven, while the Eastern Region has as much as 10 different codes. The Head of Corporate Communications at Vodafone, Isaac Cudjoe, who made this known in Accra, said: "One positive aspect of the new land line numbering structure is that each of the 10 regions in Ghana will now have a single code for all districts and towns within these regions. This makes life easier for callers."

The new codes for the various regions will be as follows:

Greater Accra: 030

Western: 031 Ashanti: 032 Central: 033 Eastern; 034

Brong Ahafo: 035

Volta: 036 Northern: 037 Upper East: 038

Upper West: 039

He said since the new structure requires that land line numbers add up to 10 digits, current numbers would be prefixed with the regional code of the destination call + a prefix + the current recipient number. For example, to call a number in Accra, say (021) 234666 from another region, one will have to now dial 030 + 2 + 234666 making the new number (030)-2234666. To call a number in Ada, which is part of the Greater Accra Region, say (0968) 56890, the caller will now have to dial (030) + 35 + 46890 making the new number (030) -3546890. The same numbering structure applies to the other regions.

Although the new land line numbers will be operational from May 1, management of Vodafone says the system will allow calls with the old numbers to reach their recipients until after August 2010 when calls with old numbers will no longer be successful.

By this date, the expectation from NCA and Vodafone is that the public would have been well informed about the new numbering structure. Mr. Cudjoe, said the company had started publishing detailed outlines of the new numbering structure and regional codes in the various newspapers, and would entreat the public to get copies of the dailies for more information. He said apart from announcements in the dailies, an automated system would be made available to callers with information on any new number they call.