Integrated Public Number Database:
Everything You Need to Know
As an Australian telecommunications service provider, you have likely heard about the Integrated Public Number Database (IPND) – a database containing information about every phone service in the country, whether it be fixed, mobile, or other type. The importance of complying and updating the information with the IPND is difficult to overestimate, – that’s why, at PracBill telecom billing platform, we have included an automated IPND integration to make things easier for you.
Below, you will find everything you need to know about IPND and the role it plays in your telecom business.
What is an Integrated Public Number Database (IPND)?
The Integrated Public Number Database, or IPND, presents a centralized database that contains information about every telephone number issued by Australian Carriage Service Providers (CSPs) to their clients.
Each IPND record stores the following information:
– Customer name
– Phone number
– Address details
– Services provided
– Details about the CSP providing the service
Types of services recorded within the database include mobile phone services, fixed telephone services, payphone services, free call and local rate numbers, and VoIP services associated with a telephone number.
By default, all the phone numbers stored in the IPND are unlisted, which means that the corresponding information is not publicly available. However, unlisted numbers will still be available to law enforcement agencies, emergency services, and some government departments.
The Importance of Keeping the IPND Information Up-to-Date
As an industry-wide database, the IPND contains all active phone numbers along with their associated addresses; this information is primarily used by emergency services to help with dispatch to a specific location in case of emergency. Therefore, it is crucial that all the IPND addresses remain accurate and up-to-date.
As a Carriage Service Provider, you are legally obligated to send a Public Number Customer Data record for each service you provide with a public number. You are also required to swiftly update any changes to that record or correct possible errors.
A failure by the end customer to provide you with accurate and up-to-date information, or by you, as a CSP, to update the records in the IPDN, can lead to serious negative consequences in a life threatening or emergency situation. As a critical source of information for law enforcement, emergency services, and national security agencies, it is essential that the Integrated Public Number Database contains accurate information at all times.
Easily Update the IPND Information with PracBill
Without a doubt, keeping the telephone and address information stored within the Integrated Public Number Database up-to-date is critically important – both for service providers and end users. Don’t let the logistics associated with changing the listing details stop you from being compliant. PracBill Telco API integrates directly with the IPND, so that you can minimize the hassle associated with providing the required details to the database. Contact us today to learn more.