How did the 6 in our numbers came about

• jgho83

  25 Oct 09, 20:40

  Ok i know i can probably find the answer easily using search engines but I decide to let u people to provide me the answer ya.

   

  In the past, our telephone numbers used to be 7 digits but I remember suddenly we are told to dial a "6" out of nowhere.

   

  Anyone know when was this implemented and why was it implemented?

• dkcx

  25 Oct 09, 20:44

  Originally posted by jgho83:

  Ok i know i can probably find the answer easily using search engines but I decide to let u people to provide me the answer ya.

   

  In the past, our telephone numbers used to be 7 digits but I remember suddenly we are told to dial a "6" out of nowhere.

   

  Anyone know when was this implemented and why was it implemented?

  It was implemented to increase the availability of numbers as in the past, no numbers can start with 9 etc so by changing all phone numbers to start with 6, 69XXXXXX are now possibl;e phone numbers.

• ~N3RD~

  28 Oct 09, 23:38

  why 6???????

• furb

  29 Oct 09, 00:00

  nvm... the correct answer from IDA:

  1. Why is IDA introducing mobile numbers starting with '8' after adding a '6' to fixed line numbers in 2002? Aren't all these changes confusing for the users?
     
     

     By adding a '6' to all fixed line numbers in March 2002, IDA standardised all local fixed and mobile numbers to have 8-digits. In addition, the national number resource grew as numbers starting with '2', '3', '4', '5', '7' and '8' were freed up. The introduction of mobile numbers with prefix '8' is a natural development as unused numbers starting with '9' are running out. This is also in anticipation of the demand for existing and future mobile services.

• Fantagf

  30 Oct 09, 12:05

  go ask singtel