Eight Digit Changeover
With No Problems
If you missed it, Costa
Rica last Thursday
(March 20) woke up to an
eight digit telephone
number system, as the
Instituto Costarricense
de Electricidad (ICE),
made the move in
planning for future
services.
Few were caught off
guard by the change, and
for those who did, a
recorded message
reminded the caller to
dial eight digits
instead of seven.
However, some callers
with left with some
confusion not knowing to
dial a "2" or "8" before
the number.
According to ICE, the
changeover was 99.5%
successful.
The Institución says
that the only problems
encountered were failed
delivery of text
messages that were send
minutes before the
midnight changeover,
forever lost in the
telephone circuits of
the state monopoly on
telecommunications.
Of course the changeover
took place during the
holidays when most
businesses were closed
and many took to
enjoying their vacation.
The real test will be
today and tomorrow as
many businesses have to
reprogram their business
machines, like the "datafono"
- credit card processing
machines and central
telephone systems -
items that were not
contemplated by many
with the changeover.
ICE has asked cellular
telephone users to turn
off and then turn on
their phones again after
midnight. Many did,
however, it was
unnecessary as most
cellular phones on the
market today are
sophisticated enough to
pick up on the change.
The biggest confusion by
some was the "three"
digits numbering system
used by ICE to acces
emergency services like
9-1-1 and its customer
services lines like
1-1-5 and 1-9-3. Those
numbers are not affected
by the change.
As well no problems were
reported by
international operators
from international
callers calling Costa
Rica. ICE had advised
all international
operators of the change
and steps were taken by
them to ensure a smooth
changeover.
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