requested to interconnect its telecommunications system to the telecommunications system of an interconnection provider. 10) “Licensee” means a person who has been issued a License by the Authority. 11) “National Numbering Plan” means the Telecommunications numbering plan of Ethiopia, to be issued by the Authority, as amended from time to time. 12) “Network Termination Point” means a point at which a customer has physical access through customer equipment to a Network of a Licensee. 13) “Number” means a sequence of digits that is used to identify customers and the Network Termination Points that are associated with a particular service or an End User. 14) “Number Portability” means the ability of users of Telecommunications Services to retain, at the same location, existing telecommunications numbers when switching from one telecommunications carrier to another. 15) “Proclamation” means the Communications Service Proclamation No.1148/2019. 16) “Usage Conditions” means a restriction on Telecommunications numbers may be used. the conditions in which 17) “Utilization” means the proportion of Telecommunications Numbers that have “In Service” as their Utilization Status. 18) “Utilization Status” means the status of a Telecommunications Number defined pursuant to Article 16 of this Directive. 19) “Working Days” means business working days only and shall not include Saturday, Sunday and any day that has been declared to be a public holiday by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. 3. Objective The objectives of this Directive are administering Numbers and supervising the efficient use thereof by ensuring that: 1) Numbers are understood to be national resources that are not owned by customers or Licensees; 2) Numbers can be assigned efficiently, quickly, transparently and fairly, without undue discrimination against particular customer classes, Licensee types and communications technologies; 3) Shortages of Numbers can be predicted and prevented in a timely way; and, 4) Uses of Numbers can be monitored and controlled to avoid detriment to the interests of customers. 4. Scope 1) This Directive shall apply to all Telecommunications Operators and Service Providers. 2) This Directive provides a regulatory framework for the control, planning, administration, management and assignment of Telecommunications Numbers, pursuant to Article 6, Sub-Article (11) of the Proclamation. 3) This Directive sets out the rules for the assignment, transfer, porting and use of Numbers under the National Numbering Plan. 2