First came “082” and “083” for Vodacom and MTN, then “084” for Cell C when the third mobile operator launched a decade ago. Now a new number prefix will be introduced this week, and it belongs to Telkom.

No, it’s not “085”. Rather, Telkom’s new mobile arm, which will launched later this week at a function at Lanseria airport, has been granted the “081” number range by the Independent Communications Authority of SA, TechCentral has learnt.

It’s a coup for Telkom to secure “081” rather than “085”. Psychologically, it may give consumers the impression that Telkom is first or number one in the mobile industry.

The “081” number block was previously reserved for car phones, a technology that died out quickly after the introduction of cellphones in SA. The “085” number block, meanwhile, had been reserved for a fourth mobile operator and underserviced-area licensees.

Telkom, which has engaged in a high-profile marketing campaign around the slogan “Heita!” in recent weeks, has also registered the website 081.co.za through patent and trademark attorneys, Adams & Adams. The 081.co.za domain is not, however, hosting a website at the moment.

Adams & Adams registered 081.co.za on the same day as it registered heita.co.za, namely 21 August. Heita.co.za is being used as part of the high-profile teaser campaign for Telkom’s mobile business ahead of this week’s official launch.

Other number ranges used by mobile operators in SA are 074 (Cell C); 0717, 0718, 0710, 073, 078 and 0719 (MTN); and 079, 076, 072, 0714, 0713, 0712, 0711, 0715 and 0716 (Vodacom). — Duncan McLeod, TechCentral