{jcomments off}”The addition of the new digits is in conformity with arrangements with the International Telecommu
nication Union-Telesom
“The addition of the new digits by Telesom are legally approved by the ministry of posts and Telecommunications and they are not shared with Mogadishu- DG Horri
By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The Telesom Company has informed that the new digits added to its Cell phone numbers are as a result of arrangements with the International Telecommunication Union-ITU.
The company informed this in a press statement released from its Hargeisa Headquarters by the Marketing and public relations office which revealed that the digits were allocated by the ITU as part of the body’s ongoing developments in Somaliland and other countries.
“In the past two years ITU has entered arrangements with various Telecommunications for the addition of new digits to cell phone subscribers in the 11 countries of Mauritania, Swaziland, Seychelles, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Togo, Saint Marten, South Sudan, Djibouti, Gabon, Saudi Arabia and Somaliland” Read the Telesom statement
As it institutionalize the new digits last Wednesday Telesom send the following SMS message to its subscribers “We hereby informs all our customers that Telesom Company has added digits codes 063 for mobile users thus while ringing abroad for example 00252-63-4046848. For local calls the new format is 063-4046848 while landline calls remain the same”
On the choice of digits 63 the company statement informed that the number was chosen after studies within international carriers revealed that all other numbers were in use by various telecommunication companies that utilize the +252 country code.
Telesom a wholly locals owned company with over 1,600 shareholders was established in 2002 but gained prominence not only for being the first to introduce mobile phone services in the country but by making Somaliland the fifth country in the world where Mobile Money transfer- MMT payment mode was in use after it launched its e-cash service of Zaad in 2009.
According to the company’s deputy marketing and public relations manager says Mr. Mohamed Abdiahad ZAAD facilitates all kinds of money payment transactions, including transfer, purchases, fee payment, salary/wages payment and cash storage in addition to enabling Telesom subscribers to send money to their friends and relatives everywhere with ease.
On the other hand the government of Somaliland has informed that Telesom Telecommunication Company conformed to all legal requirements when introducing the new digits that are also in any way not related nor have anything to do with those used in Mogadishu.
In a
press statement released by the Director general at the ministry of posts and telecommunication Mr. Hasan Omar Horri Telesom followed proper procedures in introducing the new additional digits to its cell phone s users as a result of arrangements with the Geneva based world Telecommunications governing body, International Telecommunication Union of which Telesom and other local telecommunication companies are members.
Informing that it was the duty of the administration to shed light to citizens on any new developments DG Horri said that other telecommunication companies operating in the country shall soon follow suit and introduce new digits allocated by the ITU.
Said he, “The ITU numbers allocated Somaliland are Telesom 063, Telecom 065 and Nationlink 067 & 068 thus expect the other companies to institutionalize the new digits anon”
While allaying fears that the 063 digits places the country under the federal administration of Somalia the Posts and Telecommunications director General said that though the GSM 06 digits are shared by Somalia and Somaliland after allocation by the ITU.
“Though we share the 06 numerals central Somalia uses 061 through Hormud Company while Golis in Puntland uses 062 thus the allocation of 063,065, 067 & 068 respectively” said DG Horri
the ministry of posts and telecommunications signed by DG Hasan Omar Horri also informed that a stakeholders meeting shall be held on 15th May at 10 am GMT+3 at the ministry headquarters where participants shall deliberate on the way forward as per advanced plans to divorce Somaliland from the +252 code it currently shares with Somalia.
