UK Enum Consortium

UK Enum Consortium

ENUM is a way for people to route calls to telephone numbers. The telephone number owner specifies how they want the calls delivered.

This is a relatively complex system and stores the information in DNS using NAPTR records.

UKEC owns the +44 zone (which it was allocated by the DTI as was).

There will be two main uses for ENUM (as per UKEC) for routing telephone calls and for carriers routing calls.

Nominet are what's called the Tier 1 registry for the +44 zone and will maintain the DNS for it. In future there will be Registrars who actually register numbers into the registry. There will also be Number Authorities who verify that numbers are owned by who they say they are. Much of how this all works still needs to be decided.

Recently elections for the board of directors took place and the following people were elected: -

James Blessing
Peter Gradwell
Steve Kennedy (me)
Denesh Bhabuta

ENUM will play a significant part in the future of telephony, especially as BT role-out their 21CN.

DNS will also be significantly impacted as in future every telephone call will require an ENUM look-up (though companies/telcos will be able to purchase local caches).

UKEC is looking for members and shortly a PAB (policy advisory board).