The Integrated Public Number Database (IPND) is a centralised database that contains the record of each telephone number issued by Carriage Service Providers (CSPs) to their customers in Australia. Each IPND (or Public Number Customer Data) record includes the customer’s phone number, name, service and directory addresses, the type of service, whether the service is listed or unlisted and details about the CSP who provides the service. The types of services recorded in the IPND include:
- fixed telephone services;
- mobile phone services;
- VoIP services associated with a telephone number;
- freecall and local rate numbers (including 13 and 1800 numbers) and
- payphone services.
CSPs (who are Data Providers under the IPND Scheme) are legally required to send a Public Number Customer Data record to the IPND for each service they provide using a public number – and to swiftly correct any errors in or changes to that record. As at mid-2016, the IPND contained 107 million connected and disconnected IPND records. A failure by end customers to provide their CSP with accurate and up-to-date information about their service can have serious consequences in an emergency or life threatening situation, as can a failure by the CSP (as a Data Provider) to update the records of their customers in the IPND.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the IPND Manager share arrangements under which data users are authorised or approved to access IPND data. Authorised or approved IPND ‘Data Users’ provide a range of ‘critical’ and ‘non-critical’ services to the community and their customers. Critical data users include: the Emergency Call Services (ECS) for Triple Zero (000 and 112) and 106, Emergency Alert system, Emergency Service Organisations (Police, Fire and Ambulance) and national security and law enforcement agencies.
Non-critical users of IPND information include public number directories publishers (which currently excludes White Pages® directories), directory and operator assistance providers, location dependent carriage service (LDCS) providers and researchers for electoral, health and government policy research. These users provide a range of services and products to government, customers and the general public that would not be possible or would be much more difficult without the IPND.
For more information on the IPND refer to Telstra's Consumer Advice Page