ART publishes a summary of the public consultation on opening numbers with the form 118XY(Z) to replace the directory enquiry services access number "12"

Paris, 3 December 2004

Autorité de régulation des télécommunications (ART) has received some 30 contributions to its public consultation launched on 27 July 2004 on replacing the number "12" as the directory enquiry services access number. This consultation follows the decision of the Conseil d'Etat dated 25 June 2004 which called on ART "to define the conditions for allocating numbers with the same format to all operators offering telephone directory services, within six months of notice of this decision".

Eight operators responded to the consultation, as did 12 directory service providers, five consumer associations, three individuals, one union and one administration.

There were a number of major areas of agreement expressed in this public consultation:
- the eligibility conditions for these new numbers: the provision of "basic" directory services, providing the numbers of all subscribers (universal directory)
- the removal of other existing numbers assigned to this type of service, in addition to the number 12, in a concern for consistency for consumers and competitive equity
- finally, contributors broadly approved of ART's proposal to hold a draw procedure for the initial allocation

ART is publishing today a summary of the responses to this public consultation, in the order in which the questions were asked.

ART's decision will be adopted in coming weeks, following consultation of concerned advisory committees.