Statement: Future of telephone numbers - Statement on revenue sharing

This consultation forms part of our ongoing Future of Numbering Review.

Ofcom is responsible for the administration of the UK’s phone numbers, ensuring best use and encouraging efficiency and innovation for that purpose. We publish the National Telephone Numbering Plan (the Numbering Plan), our rulebook for phone numbers in the UK, setting out the numbers available for use and the rules for how those numbers may be used.

The current revenue sharing rules in the Numbering Plan have developed in an ad hoc fashion which has led to some inconsistencies. The Numbering Plan makes specific provision for revenue sharing on certain ranges (for example 084 and 087) but in other cases is silent as to whether revenue sharing is permitted. This may appear to allow revenue sharing to take place in ways which could give rise to consumer harm. In light of our duties, and the aims of our Future of Numbering Review, we are therefore proposing to clarify these rules.

We invite responses to this consultation by 2 February 2024. We plan to publish a statement setting out our decision in the second quarter of 2024.