Short codes getting 5 digits to affect Indian Airlines too

New Delhi: The government’s move to prefix five to all short codes and make them into five digits by May 2007, has understandably got the mobile content and applications industry up in arms.
Companies claim the move threatens disruption of their businesses and along with it closure of some SMS-based enquiry services like those of Indian Railways, Indian Airlines, ICICI and HDFC, which run between six and eight digit short codes.
Short codes are SMS addresses like 8888 of Indiatimes, 6767-1407 for Indian Airlines. People use these numbers to submit their opinion, make requests and take part in a contest.
The worst affected will be companies like ACL Wireless which run short codes like 6767 and 6677 followed by two to four digit suffixes for Indian Railways, HDFC, ICICI, DD and Indian Airlines. “The policy has gaping holes. There is no clarity over the issue of trailing numbers and suffix support.
It’s silent on the usage of ‘*’ or ‘#’ in short codes,’’ says Atanu Mandal, president, ACL Wireless.
07/01/07 Harsimran Singh/Economic Times

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