VoIP vendors don’t want old sex line range prefix

PABX (Public Analogue Branch Exchange) routing tables of companies do not allow users to dial 087 numbers. Back in the 1990s, the 087 prefix was allocated to premium lines such as for phonesex services and astrology, therefore most businesses requested PABX companies to build devices that would block these numbers, allowing no chance for the employees to mess around and bring huge telephone bills to the companies.

From March 2007, the 087 prefix was being allocated to VoIP vendors in South Africa by ICASA (Independent Communications Authority of South Africa), and as most companies still use the same outdated PABX devices, they won't be allowed to use VoIP, unless they upgrade.

Besides not being able to phone to the numbers in the 087 range, the 087 prefix reminds employees of their reputation of shame, and many corporate consumers tell service providers that they do not want numbers in that range.

ECN Telecoms operations manager Jeremy Macdonald says that he should be able to use the current geographic prefix allocations or atleast the 081, 088 and 089 ranges, as the current "Electronic Communications Act does not differentiate between switched telephone network and VANS (Value-Added Network Services)".

[via ITWeb]