iNum was a project to create a global dialing code for IP communications. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has assigned part of the non-geographic “country code” +883 to this initiative. Specifically, iNums were phone numbers in the format +883 5100 XXXXXXXX.
The service started operating in November 2008. Many providers (including ippi) offered iNum numbers. Calls between iNum numbers were free, and if you called an iNum number, the rate was at the cost of a local call. However, some carriers charged for the service. Due to slow adoption, cost and compatibility issues, and lack of interest, the service was retired in June 2020.
