Eight-digit numbering

FROM midnight tonight all existing seven-digit residential and business telephone numbers in Hong Kong will be changed to eight digits by adding a prefix '2' in front of the existing numbers.

'If necessary, users should re-programme their telephone memories, auto-diallers, facsimile machines or other office communication systems on the day and inform their business and trading partners, overseas friends and relatives of the new telephone numbers,' a spokesman for the office of the Telecommunications Authority said.

'Of course, people will also need to correct telephone numbers on their stationery,' the spokesman said.

Common short-code numbers such as '999' for emergency services, '001' and '002' for international calling, '1081' and '1083' for directory enquiries, and '109' for telephone line fault reporting will remain unchanged.

All mobile phone numbers will remain unchanged as they are already using eight digits.

The telephone numbers for paging services will also remain unchanged until October 1 next year. The paging operators will inform their customers of the numbering changes.