Numbering

ComReg regulates the telecommunications sector in Ireland in accordance with EU and domestic legislation and is tasked with the management of the National Numbering Scheme, including attaching conditions to Rights of Use for numbers. The Commission’s role is to balance the need to conserve this finite national resource while ensuring that there is always an adequate supply of numbers to support the demands of existing and new customers and service providers.

ComReg’s tasks include:

• Assigning numbers for existing services
• Developing frameworks for new and innovative services
• Ensuring that numbers are used in accordance with their conditions of use as set out in the Numbering Conditions, as amended (currently ComReg 15/136R4)
• Monitoring number utilisation and implementing number changes when and where required
• These web pages contain information on the numbering scheme for Ireland, how to apply for numbers and on the work carried out by ComReg in the area of Numbering.

Number Changes

In order to ensure that adequate reserves of telephone numbers exist for all new customers and services, ComReg regularly audits the usage of existing numbers and keeps an especially close watch where previous audits have identified a potential scarcity.

Number changes are carried out from time to time, when number exhaustion is imminent in an area. The most recent changes occurred in 2003, 2006 and 2009.