Gov't releases new system for phone numbers

The Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) on Tuesday announced that the 07******** prefix that has been the norm for Kenyan mobile phone numbers will now be changed to 01********.

In a statement seen by Pulselive.co.ke, CA announced that the change would take effect immediately and will also apply to landlines.

"The move to release the new series of numbers is necessitated by increased demand for SIM cards, mobile data and Machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, and other emerging technologies that require telecommunications numbers," the statement read in part.

File image of protests outside CA headquarters in Nairobi Pulse Live Kenya

The statement further added: "These numbers include the prefixes given to Mobile Network Operators. Others include fixed numbers (popularly called landlines), Premium Rate Numbers, toll free numbers, short codes and other used internally to support interconnection with other networks."

Safaricom and Airtel

The statement outlined that Safaricom and Airtel had already been issued with 2 million and 3 million subscriber numbers respectively bearing the "01" prefix.

CA Director General Francis Wangusi urged members of the public not to ignore calls from the new numbers.

"The Authority would like to advise consumers to be aware of the new mobile prefix so that whenever they receive calls under the new prefixes they understand that these are local numbers," his statement read.