ZICTA support service director Mofya Chisala says the institution will today phase out individual hidden cell phone numbers.

He said the authority was working in collaboration with mobile service providers to ensure that private numbers were banned.

Chisala said the decision was made after ZICTA received several complaints from people who were being victimized by private line owners.

He noted that some people with private numbers misused them by engaging in various activities which were “a danger to society”.

Chisala said the authority wanted people to be able to immediately identify their callers.

He, however, said mobile service providers would be allowed to give private lines only to those consumers who would re-apply with justifiable reasons.