Integrated Public Number Database (IPND)

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 Public Number Customer Data (PNCD) record includes the customer’s phone number, name, service and directory addresses, the type of service, whether the service is listed or unlisted in public number directories (online & printed) 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 PNCD 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 of February 2023, the IPND contains 129 million connected and disconnected PNCD records.

Important: It is vital that customers and service users provide their service provider with accurate and up-to-date information about their service, as this information can have serious consequences in an emergency or life threatening situation. CSPs as a Data Provider are required to update the records of their customers in the IPND if they are advised of any inaccuracies or in the event of changes to details of the customers service, including service status, location and directory listing preference.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the IPND Manager share arrangements under which data users are authorised or approved to access data in the IPND. 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 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 data users provide a range of services and products to government organisations and the general public that would not be possible or would be much more difficult without the IPND.

The IPND Scheme is administered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The IPND Scheme details the processes by which ACMA may grant authorisation enabling access to and use of information in the IPND. Public Number Directory Publishers (PNDPs) and researchers will have to hold an authorisation from ACMA before they are allowed to access data from the IPND. Please visit the Australian Communications and Media Authority for further information on the IPND Scheme.

IPND Code (ACIF C555)

The IPND Code protects the interests of Data Providers, Data Users and the integrity of the IPND. The IPND Code provides a practical guide to how IPND Data Providers and Data Users interact with the IPND and the IPND Manager. See the Communications Alliance C555 IPND code for more information.

Communications Alliance was formed in 2006 with the merger of the Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF) and the Service Providers Association Inc (SPAN).

IPND Data (ACIF G619:2017)

The IPND Industry Guideline is a valuable tool for IPND Data Providers and Data Users. It assists Data Providers in providing consistently accurate data to the IPND. See the Communications Alliance C555 IPND code for more information.

It is a requirement under the Telecommunications Act 1997 that all Carriage Service Providers (CSPs) who supply a carriage service to an end user using a public number must provide the public number and related customer data to the IPND Manager. Failure to comply with this obligation may attract remedial directions, formal warnings of a breach or ultimately invoke civil penalty provisions by the Australian Communication Media Authority (ACMA).

Below is a brief summary of the process involved in connecting to the IPND as a Data Provider:

  1. The Prospective Data Provider / CSP submits an Application of Intent to Provide Data to the IPND form to the IPND Manager. This application is required for the purposes of registering CSPs with the IPND Manager and commencing formal approval, registration and acceptance testing for Data Providers to carry out data transactions with the Integrated Public Number Database (IPND).
  2. IPND Manager acknowledges receipt of application and allocates the CSP with a unique CSP code to identify their records when provided to the IPND. The IPND Manager also allocates unique Data Provider codes for performing transactions with the IPND.
  3. The Data Provider submits a Comprehension File to the IPND Manager for evaluation. This file demonstrates that the Data Provider understands the formatting requirements for providing PNCD to the IPND.
  4. IPND Manager will evaluate the Comprehension File and provide feedback to Data Provider. Multiple attempts may be required for the Data Provider to create a systematically correct Comprehension File.
  5. Upon receipt of a systematically correct Comprehension File, the IPND Manager will authorise the IPND Support Team to supply the Data Provider credentials and access to the IPND User Test Environment.
  6. The Data Provider commences testing in the IPND User Test Environment.
  7. Once testing has successfully completed, the IPND Manager will authorise the IPND Support Team to connect the Data Provider to the IPND Production Environment.
  8. The Data Provider commences providing data to the IPND.

The IPND Manager will notify the ACMA of any Data Providers who have not commenced providing data to the IPND within two weeks of the Data Provider receiving authorisation to connect to the IPND. More information is available in the IPND User Connection (PDF, 366KB) document.

The IPND Manager does not charge Data Providers for connecting to the IPND for the first time.

The IPND Support Team are available to assist Data Providers as they progress through the User Test to IPND Production milestones. Any changes required by the Data Provider after the first connection may incur costs to support the associated Change Request.

Data Providers are responsible for providing and maintaining their own infrastructure such as computers, servers, firewalls, systems and client applications for performing data transactions with the IPND. This is done at their own cost.

IPND Data Provider Information Pack:

  1. ACIF-IPND code (ACIF C555 2020) (PDF, 560KB) 
  2. ACIF-IPND Data Industry Guideline G619:2017 (PDF, 1.4MB)
  3. ACMA IPND Checklist for CSPs (PDF, 374KB)
  4. Application of Intent to provide data to the IPND (DOCX, 123KB)
  5. IPND Change Request Process (PDF, 280KB)
  6. IPND User Guidelines for Data File (DOCX, 667KB)
  7. Data Users and Data Providers Technical Requirements for IPND (PDF, 1.4MB)
  8. IPND Error Correction (PDF, 760KB)
  9. IPND User Connection (PDF, 366KB)
  10. IPND Data Users and Data Providers Access to Internet Interface Service (IIS) (PDF, 2.3MB)
  11. Industry Guidance Note (IGN019) IPND Reconciliation Data Extract and Data Provider Upload Validation Processes
  12. IPND Data Users and Data Providers Access to the IPND Web Portal (DOCX, 1.2MB)


It is essential you read and understand the IPND checklist in the in the ACMA Phone number rules.

Please review the above documentation and feel free to contact the IPND Manager if you have any further questions.

Becoming an IPND Data User

Telstra manages the IPND on behalf of the telecommunications industry. Data is supplied to the IPND by Carriage Service Providers (CSPs) also known as Data Providers. This data is sourced from each CSP Data Providers’ service activation / billing systems.

Data from the IPND can only be used for approved purposes by authorised Data Users. IPND data must not be used for unapproved purposes and publication of reverse search directories. Please refer to the Communications Alliance IPND Code (C555) for the list of approved purposes.

If you intend to use data from the IPND for the purposes of publishing a directory or for research, you must seek authorisation from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to access data from the IPND via the IPND Scheme.

The IPND Scheme is administered by the ACMA. Details on the IPND Scheme are available at www.acma.gov.au

After obtaining authorisation from the ACMA, the prospective Data User is required to complete an Application of Intent to Use the IPND form, which is included in the Data User Information Pack (below). The prospective Data User must sign and return the completed form to the IPND Manager at IPND.Manager@team.telstra.com.
 

Prospective Data Users are also required to:

  • Provide payment of the Application Fee;
  • Undergo standard credit assessment;
  • Adhere to any special data requirements and associated costs to meet conditions pertaining to the authorisation granted by the ACMA; and
  • Assist in the execution of Non-disclosure and Standard IPND Data Access Agreements.
  • Adhere to the IPND Technical Requirements for receiving data files.
     

The IPND Manager will consult with the ACMA for all requests to access the IPND without exception.

Data Users are responsible for providing and maintaining their own infrastructure such as computers, servers, firewalls, systems and client applications for performing data transactions with the IPND. This is done at their own cost.

IPND Data User Information Pack

  1. ACIF-IPND Industry Code C555:2020 (PDF, 560KB)
  2. ACIF-IPND Data Industry Guideline G619:2017 (PDF, 1.4MB)
  3. Application of Intent to use data from the IPND (PDF, 374KB)
  4. IPND Change Request Process (PDF, 280KB)
  5. IPND Charges for Data Users (PDF, 160KB)
  6. IPND User Guidelines for Data File (DOCX, 667KB)
  7. Data Users and Data Providers Technical Requirements for IPND (PDF, 1.4MB)
  8. IPND Error Correction (PDF, 760KB)
  9. IPND User Connection (PDF, 366KB)
  10. IPND Data Users and Data Providers Access to Internet Interface Service (IIS) (PDF, 2.3MB)
  11. IPND Data Access Agreement (DOCX, 102KB)
  12. IPND Data Users and Data Providers Access to the IPND Web Portal (DOCX, 1.2MB)

It is essential you read and understand the IPND checklist included in the ACMA Phone number rules.

Please review the above documentation and feel free to contact the IPND Manager if you have any further questions.

This section is to assist you with contacting the IPND Manager or the IPND Support team.

  • If you’re a customer: see the section called IPND Manager engagement request or operational support
  • For telecommunications industry members, Carriage Service Providers (CSP), IPND Data Providers, and IPND Data Users, refer to the information below or skip to IPND technical and application support or Contact the IPND Manager.
     

IPND system availability for IPND Data Providers and Data Users

There is a daily maintenance window of two hours between 12pm – 2pm (12:00 to 14:00). During this time the IPND will be unavailable for file transmission activity (upload or download files).

Any data uploads that have not completed by 12pm may be terminated, and an error message will be written to the File Transfer Log.

Unless there are exceptional circumstances, users will be given two weeks’ notice of any maintenance that may occur outside of the daily maintenance window.
 

IPND specification and access information packs:

IPND technical and application support

If you’re experiencing technical difficulty accessing the IPND, the IPND Support team can assist you with:

  • Connection Issue: unable to establish or open VPN session
  • Connection Issue: unable to connect to the IPND Home Directory
  • File transfer issue: upload/download
  • File decryption/encryption issue
  • Request for information
     

Important: Before raising a request through the online IPND Helpdesk Portal or by email, check all internal systems and processes to ensure that the issue is not internal.

To obtain assistance from the IPND Support team, you can Raise a request through the IPND Helpdesk Portal or by sending an email. More details for each are below.

Raise a request through the IPND Helpdesk Portal

To access the IPND Helpdesk Portal you’ll need to sign in with a valid email address and a password. 

  • First time access requires registration through the Sign Up link, follow the prompts
  • If you’ve lost or forgotten your password, select the Forgot your password link and follow the prompts.
    1. Once signed-in, go to Customer Support to raise a Request
    2. Refer to the Issue Severity Guidelines table below to help with your request
    3. Fill in all mandatory fields, indicated by a red asterisk
    4. Include a description of the issue, then Send.
       

A task will be raised for the IPND Support team who will carry out troubleshooting and contact you as required.
 

Raise a request by sending an email to: ipndhelp@logicaltech.com.au  
 

Important: This option should only be used for lower severity issues (P3 or P4). See Issue Severity Guidelines table below.

  • Email subject must include the word "IPND" eg. "IPND Support"
  • Include as much information as possible so the IPND Support Team can help you
  • Upon receiving the email a task will be raised for the IPND Support Team.

General guide for raising tickets through the IPND Helpdesk Portal

Issue severity guidelines:

Priority/ Severity Description Support team access & availability

P1 Critical

 Data Provider cannot upload file or Critical Data User (ES/LA/EW) cannot download file

24/7 support

IPND Helpdesk Portal

P2 High

Data Provider cannot download .err file or non-critical Data User (DI/LD/RS) cannot download file.

24/7 support

IPND Helpdesk Portal

P3 Medium

System impaired but functional

Business hours support

IPND Helpdesk Portal

or email to: ipndhelp@logicaltech.com.au
P4 Low Request for information

Business hours support

IPND Helpdesk Portal

or email to: ipndhelp@logicaltech.com.au

 

Data User guideline:

Critical Data Users  
LA Law Enforcement
ES Emergency Services
EW Early Warning users

IPND Manager engagement request and operational support

The IPND Manager is available to assist you with any questions you may have about the IPND.

Contact the IPND Manager

IPND Manager operational support guideline (business days)

Activity/Request Type

Action

Resolved

Comments/Control/Parameter

General enquiry:

Customer enquiry or request for information

Same day

Timings may vary

General enquiry submitted to the IPND Manager for information or assistance.

Notification to IPND Manager:

Incident impacting Public Number Customer Data (PNCD) belonging to another CSP/Data Provider(s) (accidental record over-write etc.)

Refer Section 5.2.5 of the ACIF-IPND Industry Code C555:2020 (PDF,560KB)

Same day

Timings may vary

100+ records / impacting 6+ Data Providers / CSPs

Notification to IPND Manager:  

Breach of IPND Security / PNCD Privacy.

Refer Section 8.1.7 or 8.1.8 of the ACIF-IPND Industry Code C555:2020 (PDF,560KB)

Same day

Timings may vary

Incident impacting multiple customers (e.g. systemic or process issue; incorrect listing flag used etc.)

Where it was identified IPND Data / PNCD has been exposed to unauthorised parties

Notification to IPND Manager:  

Bulk refresh / bulk PNCD remediation activity.

Refer Section 5.4.1 & 5.4.2 of the ACIF-IPND Industry Code C555:2020 (PDF,560KB)

Same day

One day

Notification required if number of daily records uploaded to the IPND exceeds 1 million records

Notification to IPND Manager:  

Cancellation of IPND User Access

Same day

One day
  • Applies to decommissioning file sources
  • Applies to deactivating user credentials
  • For Data Users applies to termination of Data User access agreement.

Other

Same day

 Timings may vary

Details to be provided on submit.

Request information:

History report (0- 1k)

One day

One day

 0 – 1k numbers (often same day)

Request information:

History report (1k – 10k)

One day

 Up to Two days
 1k – 10k numbers

Request information:

History report (10k - 30k limit)

One day

Up to three days

 10k – 30k numbers[WP1] [WP2] 

Request information/Inquiry:

Simplex

One day

One day

Simplex (often same day)

Request information/Inquiry:

Complex

 

Up to 15

Complex (may require further consultation)

Request assistance:

· Data extract

· Data Provider snapshot

· Data User bulk refresh

One day

Within 5 days of agreed date

Request assistance process:

1. Submit request for extract to be run.

2. IPND Manager acknowledges and responds with availability

3. Data Provider / Data User replies to select / confirm extract run date

4. IPND Manager provides extract details within 1 day of run

Request assistance:

Update company/contact details New IPND Codes (file source / CSP/Data Provider)

Two days

Up to 10 days

New codes requires Data Provider to complete an Application of Intent to Provide data to the IPND (DOCX, 123KB)

Registration enquiry:

Data Provider or Data User

One day

Timings may vary

Details to be provided on submit.

 

Before contacting the IPND Manager please ensure you are aware of the following:

  • The IPND Manager cannot make changes to your information contained in the IPND.
  • Your Service Provider is responsible for sending your information to the IPND. Your Service Provider is the only entity who can make changes to your information located in the IPND.
  • It is vitally important for your safety and security to ensure that your information in the IPND is always correct and up to date. To obtain or make changes to your information in the IPND, please contact your Service Provider.
  • If you have a query or issue regarding a directory listing, please contact your Service Provider and check your details and/or listing status with them.
  • The IPND does not provide information to the White Pages®. Please contact your Service Provider or White Pages® for any queries or issues regarding your directory listing in the White Pages®.
     

It is essential you read and understand the IPND checklist included in the ACMA Phone number rules.

Please review the above documentation and feel free to contact the IPND Manager if you have any further questions.