Lok Sabha Question No. 4297 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Mobile Numbering System in India
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shri Jagdambika Pal, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Shri Captain Brijesh Chowta

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4297 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH  MARCH, 2026

## MOBILE NUMBERING SYSTEM IN INDIA

## 4297.  SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL: SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR: SHRI CAPTAIN BRIJESH CHOWTA:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether DoT plans to introduce a new mobile number series beginning with '5' in view of rising digital adoption and dual-SIM usage and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of circle-wise vacant mobile number slots in the 60-69, 70-79, 80-89 and 90-99 series;
- (c) the  procedure,  criteria  and  demand-forecasting  norms  followed  for  allocating  Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) codes to operators;
- (d) the operator-wise and circle-wise distribution of allocated mobile number slots;
- (e) the  steps  taken  regarding  numbering  resources  of  defunct  operators  such  as  Aircel,  Tata Docomo and Uninor;
- (f) whether such surrendered series have been reallocated to active operators and if so, the details thereof;
- (g) whether any  numbering  ranges  are  reserved for  regulated  entities  to  curb  impersonationbased financial frauds and if so, the details thereof; and
- (h) whether further revisions to the National Numbering Plan are under consideration and the broad  areas  being  reviewed  to  enhance  efficiency,  security,  consumer  protection  and  support country's rapidly expanding telecom ecosystem and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)

- (a) No, there is no plan to introduce a new mobile number series beginning with '5'.
- (b) to (d) New MSC codes are allocated to  operators  on  the  basis  of  utilization,  as  per  the criterion prescribed, of already allocated codes. The criterion details for allocation of new MSC codes is enclosed as Annexure. The updated details of MSC codes allocated to operators is available on DoT website.

(e) In  cases  where  licensee  surrender  its  license,  the  numbering  resources  allocated  to  such licensee are withdrawn and included in the common pool of MSC codes available with the Central Government.

(f) Based on the demand and meeting the prescribed criterion, additional number resources are allocated to operators from the common pool of MSC Codes available with the Central Government.

(g) The  number  series  '1600XXXXXX'  has  been  reserved  for  regulated  entities  for  making service and transactional voice calls.

(h) As  per  the  Telecom  Regulatory  Authority  of  India  (TRAI)  recommendations  dated 06.02.2025 on 'Revision of National Numbering Plan', review of the 'National Numbering Plan2003' is under consideration.

Annexure

|   Sr. No. | Numbers Allocated (N)              | Virtual Location Register Figure (V) as %age of Number Allocated (V/N)   |
|-----------|------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Less than 3 Million                | Subject to minimum of 40%                                                |
|         2 | 3 Million to less than 6 Million   | Subject to minimum of 45%                                                |
|         3 | 6 Million to less than 8 Million   | Subject to minimum of 50%                                                |
|         4 | 8 Million                          | Subject to minimum of 55%                                                |
|         5 | 9 Million                          | Subject to minimum of 60%                                                |
|         6 | 10 Million to less than 15 Million | Subject to minimum of 63%                                                |
|         7 | 15 Million to less than 20 Million | Subject to minimum of 66%                                                |
|         8 | 20 Million to less than 25 Million | Subject to minimum of 68%                                                |
|         9 | 25 Million and above               | Subject to minimum of 70%                                                |

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