7.    IMPLICATIONS OF PREFIX 6 TO TELEPHONE FIXED LINE

With effect from 1 March 2002, telephone numbers in Singapore will be 8 digits instead of 7 digits.  A 6 is added to the front of all fixed line telephone numbers.  Current mobile or pager numbers are all based on 8 digits already.  How is this going to impact the software provided by Systems Design?  The answer is little or no impact.  But the users will need to update such numbers in the master files. 

The grace period is only from 1 - 31 March 2002.  From 1 April to 30 June, the caller will hear a  change number announcement.  There will not be any auto connection.  But for overseas callers to Singapore, the grace period is from 1 March – 31 August where 7 digit numbers will be connected to 8 digit numbers.  If nothing is changed in the master files, then problem will only start happening from 1 April 2002 onwards when the auto connection to 7 digit numbers by the telco company is terminated. 

The telephone numbers stored in the master files of the software package are used for  autosending of faxes to local or overseas suppliers.  The field for the telephone number caters for more than 13 digits.  So there is no problem keying in the 8 digit number replacing the old 7 digit number.  However, some fields like customer telephone number which is used for reference only may not be able to handle 8 digits.  But this is not life and death situation. 

For NT system users, the telephone number field caters for more than 7 digits.  But for very old Unix software users, such reference field may only be 7 digits.  There are only very few such customers out there and we suggest the users report to Systems Design the problem and we will see what can be done on a case by case basis.