All Telcos to have Common Short Codes for Balance Check, Transfer, & Recharge

Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) brings directives to all telcos to have a common short code for all mobile users to check balance, recharge, and balance transfer. With the implementation of common shortcodes, you do not need to remember the shortcodes for all telcos. You can use the same short code in any network to get the balance information in mobile, transfer balance, and recharge mobile. NTA has made such arrangements in telecommunication services by issuing shortcode and toll-free number management procedures 2077.

Till now, we’ve been dialing the codes issued by respective mobile service providers to check balance, recharge, and transfer balance. They are *400# for balance check, *422# for a balance transfer, *412# for recharge for NTC SIM users. Find the important shortcodes in Nepal Telecom.

Similarly, you use *123# to check the balance, *131# for a balance transfer, and *422# for recharge for Smart SIM users. Further, *101# for balance check, *17122# for a balance transfer, and *102# for recharge for Ncell SIM users.  Find the important shortcodes in Ncell.

According to the new provision, mobile users do not have to use the above-mentioned digits anymore. They can dial common short codes instead for all the SIM cards available in Nepal. These free of cost codes are applicable for all NTC, Ncell, and Smart SIMs. NTA has now directives telcos to implement these new short codes:

SN	Mobile Service	Common Short Code/ Same shortcode for all Telcos
1	Balance Recharge	122
2	Balance Transfer	133
3	Balance Inquiry	144

As known, the telcos can use the short-codes to call or dial USSD (using * #) or SMS but shall include the same number.

Now they also have a regulation of the digits in the shortcode. They will provide the three-digit shortcodes to important and emergency services like Police, Ambulance, Fire bigrade while the four-digit shortcodes are for government agencies and constitutional bodies.

Similarly, the five-digit shortcodes are also provided to telcos for value-added services using SMS, USSD, and calls. As the telcos were using four-digit codes before, they need to change it to five-digit ones.

Do check out, NTA assigns shortcodes to Provinces.

Benefits of common shortcodes (same short code)

Depending upon the service providers, the mobile user may have difficulty remembering the code. So, with the existence of a common shortcode, mobile users can get rid of having to remember several codes.

It reduces the need of remembering the distinct dialing codes of all the telecom operators have to check balance, recharge, and transfer balance. NTA has introduced such a provision for the convenience of the mobile users.

The same shortcodes for mobile services are in use in several countries like India, Australia, the US, Brazil, and many more. Shortcodes are also widely in use for various purposes such as charity donations, subscribing ringtones, television program voting besides mobile services.

Customers these days prefer USSD codes for the easy subscription and service request as it is quite faster than others. Now that the common codes be implemented, it will be more beneficial to the customers.

When will the common short code provision start?

The shortcodes will come into use within six months from now. Even after six months, the old service codes of the mobile service providers do not freeze. In fact, the service provider will be able to use both old and new codes in parallel for one year. But, after one year, only the new short-codes will be available for use.

Read: How to identify mobile numbers of all telecom operators of Nepal?

Within six months, the telecom operators will activate same short codes for rendering mobile services. This provision will help people, mainly old aged people to remember service codes. These numbers are easy to use and remember. It would be better if such shortcodes get introduced for other purposes too.