Gibraltar telecom dispute
Encyclopedia
Direct telephone connections between Gibraltar
and Spain
were severed in 1969, when land communications between both territories were halted by the Spanish
dictator
, Francisco Franco
, and were not restored until 1986. However, Gibraltar experienced restrictions after that date causing problems with its telecommunications system, as a direct result of the Spanish sovereignty claim
.
Until 10 February 2007, Spain continued to impose restrictions on Gibraltar's ability to expand and modernise its telecommunications infrastructure. These included a refusal to recognise Gibraltar's International Direct Dialling (IDD) code (+350) which restricted the expansion of the Gibraltar telephone numbering plan
, and the prevention of roaming arrangements for Gibraltar GSM mobile phone
s in Spain and vice versa. Following the signing of the Córdoba Accord between the Governments of Gibraltar, the United Kingdom and Spain in September 2006, these restrictions were removed with effect from 10 February 2007.
(ITU), which was accessible from any telephone network outside Spain. However, although physical connectivity existed between Gibraltar and Spain, the Spanish government prohibited its national operators from recognising this code.
When direct dialling from Spain was introduced, Gibraltar was treated as part of the Spanish telephone numbering plan
, with callers from Spain having to dial 956 (the area code for the adjacent province of Cádiz
) followed by the digit 7, and the subscriber’s five digit landline number in Gibraltar, which could only begin with the digits 4, 5 or 7.
Consequently, only 30,000 numbers available in Gibraltar could be dialled directly from Spain. With a population of approximately 28,000, this caused a shortage of new numbers that could be allocated to new telecom operators, thereby preventing deregulation
of the industry as required by the European Union
.
This also affected international call
s from the rest of the world, because carriers using least-cost routing, especially in the United States, routed calls to Gibraltar via Spain, which prevented calls dialed using the +350 code from terminating in Gibraltar. Consequently, the caller would hear a recorded announcement saying that the number dialed did not exist. Even when calls routed via Spain were allowed to terminate in Gibraltar, under the 'sender keeps all' arrangement, Telefónica
in Spain was able to keep revenue from these calls, instead of paying Gibtelecom's international termination charges. Although all other countries and territories recognised the +350 dialing code, not all networks blocked calls to Gibraltar from being made using Spain's +34 9567 code, which allowed subscribers to call Gibraltar for the cost of a call to Spain.
Owing to the demand for mobile phones, Gibraltar introduced new number ranges consisting of eight digits, but these could not be dialed directly from Spain. For example, Gibtelecom's pre-paid services consisted eight digit numbers with the prefix 540, but when using the 9567 prefix from Spain, the last three digits were not recognised, and callers were required to re-enter the eight digit number, during which time they were being charged. However, if the number were dialed from the rest of the world using the +350 code, the call would be terminated in Gibraltar without any problem.
On 16 November 2001, Spain offered to allocate 70,000 numbers to Gibraltar. However, Gibraltar refused the offer, citing that it would mean giving Spain control of its numbering policy.
agreements with Spanish operators. As a consequence, once Gibtel GSM customers crossed into Spain and move outside the area of coverage of their own base stations, they were unable to use their phones until they entered another Member State of the European Union
or were within range of base stations in Morocco
.
between Gibraltar, Spain and the UK, a timetable was agreed to remove these restrictions. Spain recognised Gibraltar's international dialing code, thereby allowing Gibraltar to expand its telephone numbering plan, and allow Spanish mobile phone operators to enter into roaming arrangements with Gibtelecom. These measures came into force on 10 February 2007.
Following the removal of Spanish restrictions in 2007, all mobile telephone numbers in Gibraltar can be dialed in full from Spain, using the +350 international code. The Spanish numbering space allocated to Gibraltar has now been withdrawn from use, and will now only be used for numbers in Spain.
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
were severed in 1969, when land communications between both territories were halted by the Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
, Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
, and were not restored until 1986. However, Gibraltar experienced restrictions after that date causing problems with its telecommunications system, as a direct result of the Spanish sovereignty claim
Disputed status of Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory, near the southernmost tip of the Iberian peninsula, which is the subject of a disputed irredentist claim by Spain....
.
Until 10 February 2007, Spain continued to impose restrictions on Gibraltar's ability to expand and modernise its telecommunications infrastructure. These included a refusal to recognise Gibraltar's International Direct Dialling (IDD) code (+350) which restricted the expansion of the Gibraltar telephone numbering plan
Telephone numbers in Gibraltar
Country Code: +350International Call Prefix: 00Trunk Prefix: noneThe Gibraltar telephone numbering plan is the system used for assigning telephone numbers in Gibraltar. It is regulated by the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority , which holds responsibility for telecommunications.The country calling code...
, and the prevention of roaming arrangements for Gibraltar GSM mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s in Spain and vice versa. Following the signing of the Córdoba Accord between the Governments of Gibraltar, the United Kingdom and Spain in September 2006, these restrictions were removed with effect from 10 February 2007.
International calls to Gibraltar
With the introduction of International Direct Dialling in the 1970s, Gibraltar was allocated its own IDD code of +350 by the International Telecommunication UnionInternational Telecommunication Union
The International Telecommunication Union is the specialized agency of the United Nations which is responsible for information and communication technologies...
(ITU), which was accessible from any telephone network outside Spain. However, although physical connectivity existed between Gibraltar and Spain, the Spanish government prohibited its national operators from recognising this code.
When direct dialling from Spain was introduced, Gibraltar was treated as part of the Spanish telephone numbering plan
Telephone numbers in Spain
The Spanish telephone numbering plan describes the allocation of telephone numbers in Spain. It is regulated by .-History:Spain changed to a closed telephone numbering plan in 1998...
, with callers from Spain having to dial 956 (the area code for the adjacent province of Cádiz
Cádiz (province)
Cádiz is a province of southern Spain, in the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Andalusia, the southernmost part of continental Western Europe....
) followed by the digit 7, and the subscriber’s five digit landline number in Gibraltar, which could only begin with the digits 4, 5 or 7.
Consequently, only 30,000 numbers available in Gibraltar could be dialled directly from Spain. With a population of approximately 28,000, this caused a shortage of new numbers that could be allocated to new telecom operators, thereby preventing deregulation
Deregulation
Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or...
of the industry as required by the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
This also affected international call
International call
International telephone calls are those made between different countries. These telephone calls are processed by international gateway exchanges . Charges for these calls were high initially but declined greatly during the 20th century due to advances in technology and liberalization. Originally...
s from the rest of the world, because carriers using least-cost routing, especially in the United States, routed calls to Gibraltar via Spain, which prevented calls dialed using the +350 code from terminating in Gibraltar. Consequently, the caller would hear a recorded announcement saying that the number dialed did not exist. Even when calls routed via Spain were allowed to terminate in Gibraltar, under the 'sender keeps all' arrangement, Telefónica
Telefónica
Telefónica, S.A. is a Spanish broadband and telecommunications provider in Europe and Latin America. Operating globally, it is the third largest provider in the world...
in Spain was able to keep revenue from these calls, instead of paying Gibtelecom's international termination charges. Although all other countries and territories recognised the +350 dialing code, not all networks blocked calls to Gibraltar from being made using Spain's +34 9567 code, which allowed subscribers to call Gibraltar for the cost of a call to Spain.
Owing to the demand for mobile phones, Gibraltar introduced new number ranges consisting of eight digits, but these could not be dialed directly from Spain. For example, Gibtelecom's pre-paid services consisted eight digit numbers with the prefix 540, but when using the 9567 prefix from Spain, the last three digits were not recognised, and callers were required to re-enter the eight digit number, during which time they were being charged. However, if the number were dialed from the rest of the world using the +350 code, the call would be terminated in Gibraltar without any problem.
On 16 November 2001, Spain offered to allocate 70,000 numbers to Gibraltar. However, Gibraltar refused the offer, citing that it would mean giving Spain control of its numbering policy.
GSM roaming
Gibraltar's only GSM operator, Gibtelecom, was prevented from establishing roamingRoaming
In wireless telecommunications, roaming is a general term referring to the extension of connectivity service in a location that is different from the home location where the service was registered. Roaming ensures that the wireless device is kept connected to the network, without losing the...
agreements with Spanish operators. As a consequence, once Gibtel GSM customers crossed into Spain and move outside the area of coverage of their own base stations, they were unable to use their phones until they entered another Member State of the European Union
Member State of the European Union
A member state of the European Union is a state that is party to treaties of the European Union and has thereby undertaken the privileges and obligations that EU membership entails. Unlike membership of an international organisation, being an EU member state places a country under binding laws in...
or were within range of base stations in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
.
Resolution
Under the September 2006 accord in CórdobaCórdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
between Gibraltar, Spain and the UK, a timetable was agreed to remove these restrictions. Spain recognised Gibraltar's international dialing code, thereby allowing Gibraltar to expand its telephone numbering plan, and allow Spanish mobile phone operators to enter into roaming arrangements with Gibtelecom. These measures came into force on 10 February 2007.
Following the removal of Spanish restrictions in 2007, all mobile telephone numbers in Gibraltar can be dialed in full from Spain, using the +350 international code. The Spanish numbering space allocated to Gibraltar has now been withdrawn from use, and will now only be used for numbers in Spain.