Hong Kong phone users may be at fours and eights when new mobile numbers come on stream next July
Phone companies worry about numbers starting with the inauspicious four, while those starting with lucky eight are likely to be snapped up
Superstition is likely to come into play from July next year as the telecom watchdog prepares to offer mobile phone numbers beginning with the lucky eight and decidedly inauspicious four.
Hutchison, one of the major telecommunications operators in the city, expressed concern about the public perception of “four”, which in Cantonese sounds like the word death. It suggested deferring its use for as long as possible due to “cultural issues”.
The Communications Authority is planning to boost available numbers to 15.72 million. It is also releasing more numbers starting with 70 to 73 in a plan that could see the existing eight-digit numbering system extended by around 10 years to 2029.
The decision was announced by the authority yesterday after a two-month public consultation exercise late last year.
From July 1 next year, phone numbers beginning with four will be released for the first time for mobile phones. However, the measure might not be welcomed by the public.
According to the authority’s latest statement, major operators China Mobile, Hutchison and SmarTone did not object to the plan, but expressed concern about public perceptions.
Hutchison, which is owned by tycoon Li Ka-shing, suggested the authority should defer the use of the number until at least December 2025.