Vi?t Nam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) has announced a change to landline telephone numbers in most provinces nationwide by early next month.

The giant state-owned telephone company said it would affix a '"3"' to the beginning of most subscribers’ phone numbers on Oct. 5, without any changes in provincial codes.

'"The modification will involve more than 10 million of our subscribers,"' said VNPT’s spokesperson Bùi Quóc Vi?t.

The company said the addition was necessary because of growing subscriber numbers.

The modification would be implemented in 55 cities and provinces, excluding the provinces of Thanh Hoá, Nam  Ðình, H?i Duong, Kiên Giang,   Ð?ng Nai, Ngh? An and the cities of H?i Phòng and  Ðà N?ng.

People would be able to dial either the original or modified numbers during a two-week transitional period ending on Oct. 19.

Vi?t said the company would be ready to solve any problems that arise from the change, based on Vietnamese laws which protect customer rights.

He said the number changes in Hà N?i were the biggest challenge because of the new merger with former Hà Tây Province, which had two changes of numbers and a new provincial code.

After this modification, VNPT’s telephone numbers would have seven digits in all cities and provinces, excluding Hà N?i and Sài Gòn, which would have eight digits.

Statistics from the Ministry of Information and Communications showed VNPT had 11.5 million landline subscribers nationwide by the end of 2007, accounting for 78.6 percent of the domestic market.