A Rush To Change To
Eight Digits
One week today Costa
Rica wakes to an eight
digit telephone number,
both for fixed
(residential and
commercial) and cellular
lines.
At 12:01am March 20, the
Instituto Costarricense
de Electricidad (ICE) -
state monopoly on
telecommunications -
flips the switch that
will require telephone
uses to dial eight
digits instead of the
current seven, placing a
"2" in front of all
fixed line numbers and
an "8" for cellular
numbers.
However, despite the
media campaign by ICE
telling people in print,
radio and television of
the change, many are
still not aware or are
confused.
The change, according to
ICE is required for the
telecom to provide more
services in the future.
According to Claudio
Bermúdez, assistant
manager of
telecommunications,
explained that the
change is needed to
allow ICE to
interconnect with other
networks around the
world.
The change over doesnt'
come cheap.
ICE has invested some
us$8 million dollars in
equipment to allow the
change over. The change
is costly to business as
well, having to bear the
cost for new stationery,
business cards and
signs.
Individual users,
although do not have a
direct cost, have to
take the time to
re-enter or modify all
their contacts on their
electronic agendas,
especially cellular
telephones.
The 2008 telephone
directories already
include the eight digit
numbers and around San
José and other
communities around the
country, the eight digit
number has already been
popping up on signs and
billboards.
ICE ran trials last
month, testing the new
system completely, and
is confident that come
next Thursday everything
will go off without a
hitch.
The last time Costa Rica
made a change to its
telephone system was on
March 31, 1994, when it
moved from a six digit
number to the current
seven, when it added a
"2" for San José and
Heredia, "4" for
Alajuela, "5" for
Cartago, "6" for
Guanacaste and a "7" for
Puntarenas and Limón.
The prefix 3 and 8 were
reserved for cellular
phones. In the past
couple of years the "5"
prefix was begun in use
in San José as well.
It is important to note
that the 800 and 900
services, especially the
911, and the three digit
ICE service numbers,
like 113, 193, etc, are
not affected by the
change, they will
continue. |
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