Telepocalypse

Maggie Thatcher's number's up?

Mr Blog reports that there's some friction over whether non-PSTN "phone companies" deploying VoIP are allowed to access the phone numbering system.

My answer to this problem is simple. Privatize it. And dump the regulators.

Sell the integers off. Throw in # and * for good measure at no extra charge. Let someone manage each area code, each different string length. Use them to name your dog, count lamp posts, give them away as birthday presents. Anything, as long as the market price is reached. Not enough 9-digit codes left for everyone to have a phone? No problem, the serialized birthday card market is roaring. And the taxpayer makes a windfall from selling a non-exclusive right to zero (figuratively and literally).

Then we can have some proper competition between the namespaces. The phone numbers might not win.

PS I'm reserving "59" in case I ever get a dog. (Hint to the puzzle: "Dr. Who's pet").

UPDATE: Incidentally, here's how to do it. Since you don't want a monopoly supplier of phone numbers, you create multiple suppliers (minimum of 3). Randomly (or otherwise) assign unused numbers to them. Create articles of incorporation that prevent common ownership exceeding a certain threshold and excess market power being created to another entity.

Essentially all a modest update on how DNS is run, with the equivalent of Verisign/Network Solutions cut down to size.