Telecommunications in New Ingrea
New Ingrea has a modern and freely available system of telecommunications infrastructure that is provided to all people in any part of the country as a public utility. By law, all New Ingreans must be able to have a connection to a telephone and the internet made available to their home or business at a reasonable price as set by government regulations. On top of this, the quality of the service must be the same regardless of where in New Ingrea a person wishes to establish a connection. This means that high speed internet and fully functional phones are available to 99% of New Ingrean homes.
Management
The government has legislated that it has full control over all public communication infrastructure in New Ingrea. Private companies are welcome to participate in the phone and internet market, but they are do not own the major telecommunications infrastructure, which is maintained and operated by the government through an executive agency.
Communications Control Board
A crown statutory agency responsible for the regulation of the telephone and internet industries. In particular, the Communications Control Board regulates the pricing of internet services and telephone calls, as well as ensuring that the highest level of service is being maintained by New Ingrea's telephone and internet providers. The Board has the power to impose fines of up to £100,000 on providers, individuals and businesses that breach the Telecommunications Act and other guidelines that make up the regulatory framework.
Domain Names Commission
An executive agency of the Ministry of Communications, the Domain Names Commission is responsible for the management of all internet domains under the .ni country code top level domain (ccTLD). The Domain Names Commission registers all domain names, and is also responsible for the implementation of any new second-level domains that may be created. The commission has full regulatory authority over disputes that may emerge between owners of different domains, or over the ownership of a particular domain. In rare circumstances, it has the power to veto the registration of a domain if it believed to be excessively offensive or in poor taste. The Domain Names Commission does not have authority over web content, which is managed by the Communications Control Board.
Telecom New Ingrea
A crown monopoly, Telecom is responsible for the management of New Ingrea's public network of telephone and data hardware. All cabling, exchanges, microwave links, as well links to overseas cables and satellite links are owned and maintained by the authority. Telecom is the oldest of the three government agencies in this sector, and owes it's origins to the Postmaster-General's Department that operated all postal and telephony services from 1836 until 1972.
Providers
Both the telephone and internet provision market is fully open, with competition shared between a number of public and private companies. All must operate according to statutory guidelines that are policed by the Communications Control Board. in addition, they are subject to the usual oversight of the Trade Practices Commission
Telephones
Internet
Internet domains
New Ingrea's country code top level domain (ccTLD) is .ni. By law, only New Ingrean residents can obtain a domain under the .ni ccTLD.
There are currently eight permissible second-level domains available in New Ingrea. Depending the nature of entity and purposed use of a domain, restrictions apply on the use of almost all of New Ingrea's second level domains. These are statutory restrictions which have been placed on the SLDs to prohibit their registration or use by entities other than those stated by law. The only unrestricted domain is .gen, which is available to any New Ingrean resident. The restrictions are as follows:
- .asn - Associated entities, eg. www.gtc.asn.ni or www.united.asn.ni
- .com - Registered businesses, eg. www.richardsons.com.ni
- .edu- Educations institutions, eg. www.uck.edu.ni or www.williamdene.primary.edu.ni
- .gen - Personal websites, eg. www.jacksblog.gen.ni
- .gov - Civil service and crown statutory agencies eg. www.finance.gov.ni
- .mil - Ministry of Defence agencies, eg. www.army.mil.ni
- .net - Registered internet providers, eg. www.clear.net.ni
- .org - Registered non-profit organisations, eg. www.rspca.org.ni
In addition, several organisations have their own unique SLD over which they have exclusive use:
- .health.ni - Hospitals and health boards,
- .parliament.ni - Parliament of New Ingrea
- .rtni.ni - Radio Television New Ingrea
Management of the second-level domains in New Ingrea is carried out by the Domain Names Commission, which is responsible for the registration of all of New Ingrea's domains. Depending on the domain required, the Domain Names Commission is allowed to charge for use a domain, and this charge is usually renewed every two or five years. In practice, the role of registration and receipt of money is carried out by New Ingrea's internet providers. The providers then pass the information required onto the Domain Names Commission for entry into the Domain Name System.
Telephone numbering
New Ingrea follows an open numbering plan. The country code is 793. The long distance dialling prefix is 0 and the international prefix is 00.
Landlines
All private or commercial fixed-line telephone numbers are nine digits in length, and are usually written as (xx) xxx-xxxx. The first two digits identify the area code, followed by seven numbers that identify the individual telephone line. Dialling a number requires dialling the trunk code 0, followed by the area code, and then the local number. However, within the same area, the area code may be omitted entirely.
There are four land-based area codes in New Ingrea, each having been assigned along geographical zones around a major centre that acts as the main switching exchange for the area. These codes separate out the phone numbers, and make it possible for a number to be made available in each of the different zones. The codes are also used by telephone providers to set the rate of charging for calls. The current area codes are as follows:
- 02 – Centralia, Vernonshire, and Westerland (Bullershire)
- 03 – Albanyshire
- 04 – Beaufortshire, Fitzroyshire, and Lunen Island
- 05 – Deverauxshire, Waylandshire, and Westerland (Mastermanshire)
Until the 1990s, telephone numbers varied in length from five to seven digits, with allocations dependent on the total amount of numbers required. These were subsequently standardised to a uniform seven digits by 1998. At the same time, area code (06) on Lunen Island was made redundant, and combined with (04) as (04) 6xx-xxxx as part of the wider renumbering reforms.
Mobile numbers
Mobile telephone numbers are seven digits and all have a three digit prefix of 070-079 for all mobiles, regardless of whether they are commercial and private phones. A standard mobile number is usually written as 07x-xxx-xxx. The first digit after the 07 will also hint at the original mobile network that issued the number.
Unlike fixed-line numbers, mobile numbers must always be dialled in full.
Special numbers
Special numbers may be used within New Ingrea for accessing certain services
There are two ranges used for toll-free numbers, or for premium call services that attract an additional fee when dialling. Including the dialling prefix, all these numbers are nine digits in length.
- 080 – Freecall numbers
- 090 – Premium services and competition lines
Service numbers
Service number fulfil a number of difference services, including everything from community services, network services, and internal services used by technicians. The most important of these numbers however is 111, the universal Emergency Telephone Number in New Ingrea. By law, every operating telephone must be able to dial 111 without charge or interruption. Calls to 111 are routed through a call centre before being passed to the appropriate emergency service.
- 01 – Operator services
- 010 – National telecommunications ombudsman
- 011 – Faults reporting service
- 012 – Directory assistance lines
- 0122 – Local directory assistance
- 0123 – International directory assistance
- 013 – TTY services
- 014 – Information services, for example[1]:
- 0144 – Time (Speaking clock)
- 0416 – Weather forecast
- 0418 – Maritime weather forecast and warnings
- 015 – Dial Before You Dig
- 11 – Emergency and community services
- 111 – Emergency Services (Police, Fire, Ambulance)
- 112 – Alternative emergency number from mobile devices
- 113 – TTY Emergency number
- 114 – Police Assistance (Non-emergency)
- 116 – Community support and crisis services
- 116 000 – Missing children
References and notes
- ↑ Dialling 014 will trigger an automated service where the dialler will be asked to select the service they wish to access, in this case 4 for time, 6 for weather, 8 for maritime services, etc