ictQATAR is responsible for managing Qatar’s telephone numbers and implementing the National Numbering Plan (NNP). Telephone numbers in Qatar are a valuable resource, with demand significantly increasing as the country grows both in terms of population and businesses. The NNP addresses all current telecommunications services in place and also reserves blocks of numbers for anticipated new services.

ictQATAR has established a centralized Numbering Management System that is used by licensed service providers, which automates all the numbering resource management functions, including numbering block allocations, reservations and reporting. In 2010, ictQATAR worked with licensed service providers Qatar Telecom (Qtel) and Vodafone-Qatar to increase Qatar’s phone numbers from seven to eight digits.

The successful and smooth numbering change took place in July 2010 and created an additional 36 million mobile and 9 million fixed phone numbers, surpassing the highest expected demand for the coming decades.

ictQATAR has also addressed the issue of mobile number portability, a service that allows consumers to retain their existing mobile telephone number when changing from one service provider to another.