Now, your unique identity number (UID) may soon double up as your computer’s Internet Protocol (IP) address – a numerical label assigned to a device participating in a computer network. The Internet will run out of IP addresses – the current system, Internet Protocol version 4, was designed for a maximum of 4.3 billion addresses and was launched in the 1980s – in the next one year.

Faced with the challenge, Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), a research and development organization for the telecom sector, has taken up a study to convert the UID number to your IP address. According to sources within the organization, C-DOT is exploring the possibility of using the 16-digit UID number as the IP address. C-DOT is also working on a project to replace your mobile phone number with the UID number.

The UID project was conceived by the Planning Commission as an initiative to provide identification for each Indian Citizen. So far as many as two million UID numbers have been made available. According to a company official, C-DOT has already made a presentation to the Telecom Regulator Authority of India (TRAI) on the use of UID as one’s mobile phone number.

With over 15 million subscribers being added every month, the telecom department is also facing similar challenges with mobile phone numbers.