+883 world numbers on offer

Belgium VoIP backbone provider Voxbone is to offer +883 world numbers to enable VoIP users to have a global non-geographic number for all inward calls. The initiative is called iNum and the idea according to CEO Rod Ullens is to provide a virtual world number reachable from anywhere. "We'd like this number range to be number range to be reachable for free from all the VoIP communities and a very cheap call from the PSTN," says Ullens. "We want to first focus on the VoIP communities, and then later on PSTN."

Because it is only a number for inward calling Ullens says issues such as emergency services access will not be affected. Getting carriers to establish a sensible pricing regime for these numbers is going to be the challenge as the telcos have little incentive to price these numbers below what they already charge for calls to their domestic numbers. As others have observed carriers typically still charge a premium to call non geo numbers. But with European regulators pushing for VoIP portability across the continent the trend to universal numbers is going to strengthen.

For more:
- New Numbers for a new world Event
[1]- iNum initiative [2]

Related articles:
VoIP numbers to be used across Europe Article [3]
FCC demands portability Article [4]