Landline numbers in Metro Manila now 8 digits effective October 6

The Department of Information and Communications Technology announced that effective Sunday, landline numbers in Metro Manila, which has an area code of 02, now consist of eight digits.

"Nag-umpisa po ito ngayong araw. Inumpisahan na 'yan kanina ng unang minuto ng araw na ito, 12:01 a.m., DICT Undersecretary Eliseo Rio Jr. said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday.

Rio said landline users need to add the number 8 for PLDT numbers and the number 7 for Globe numbers before the usual 7-digit landline number.

"Ngayon po, kailangan lagyan na po ng 8 digits, instead of 7... Lagay po muna ng number '8' tapos po ilagay ang 7-digit number... Sa PLDT lang po '8'. Sa iba '7' ang ilalagay saka po ilalagay ang 7-digit number," he said.

The DICT official explained that migrating to eight-digit landline numbers from seven-digit ones was necessary to accommodate the increasing number of subscribers.

"Kailangan po dahil dumadami ang ating subscriber," Rio said. "Naubusan na ho ng seven digits dito sa Metro Manila, so kailangang magdagdag ng isang digit."

"'Yung 02 lang na area code ang naapektuhan," he clarified.

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) earlier ordered the migration, with subscribers of Globe to add an identifier of 7, while those of PLDT Inc. will have to add an identifier of 8.

The NTC earlier ordered telecommunication companies to start implementing the migration by March 18, 2019, but banking stakeholders such as the Bankers Association of the Philippines and the Credit Card Association of the Philippines requested for this to be delayed.

Rio added that hotline numbers and special numbers such as 911 and 8888 remain the same. 

When calling a landline long distance or from a cellphone, one should dial (02) 8 or 7 then the old 7-digit landline number, he said.

When calling from abroad to a landline in Metro Manila, one should dial the country code 063, then area code 02, then 8 or 7, then the old 7-digit landline number, Rio said.

The DICT official said a recorded voice message will play if someone dials only seven digits, reminding the user to add another digit to complete the call.

Rio also said there will be no additional fee to be imposed on subscribers for the migration of landline numbers to eight digits.

Earlier this month, telecommunications companies said they were already prepared to migrate landline customers to an eight-digit telephone number format. —KG, GMA News