A telephone numbering plan is a system that allows subscribers to make and receive telephone calls across long distances. Jump to: navigation, search A telephone handset A touch-tone telephone dial Telephone Complex relay used in a telephone switching system. ...

The area code is that part of the telephone number that specifies a telephone exchange system. Telephone numbering plans assign area codes to exchanges, so that dialers may contact telephones outside their local system. Normally occurring at the beginning of the number, area codes usually indicate geographical areas. Together, numbering plans and their component area codes direct telephone calls to particular regions on a public switched telephone network (PSTN), where they are further routed by the local network. A telephone number is a string of decimal digits that uniquely indicates the network termination point. ... Jump to: navigation, search A telephone handset A touch-tone telephone dial Telephone Complex relay used in a telephone switching system. ... The public switched telephone network (PSTN) is the concentration of the worlds public circuit-switched telephone networks, in much the same way that the Internet is the concentration of the worlds public IP-based packet-switched networks. ...

Callers within the geographical area of a given area code usually do not need to include this particular area code in the number dialed, thereby giving the caller shorter local telephone numbers. In international phone numbers, the area code directly follows the country calling code. This is a list of country calling codes, also known as international direct dialing (IDD) codes, which are needed to access international telephone services. ...

Although the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has attempted to promote common standards among nation states, numbering plans take different formats in different parts of the world. For example, the ITU recommends that member states adopt 00 as their international access code. However, as these recommendations are not binding on member states, some have not, such as the United States, Canada, and other countries and territories participating in the North American Numbering Plan. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is an international organization established to standardize and regulate international radio and telecommunications. ... Jump to: navigation, search The North American Numbering Plan (NANP) is a system for three-digit area codes and seven-digit telephone numbers that direct telephone calls to particular regions on a public switched telephone network (PSTN), where they are further routed by the local network. ...

The international numbering plan establishes country codes, that is, area codes that denote nations or groups of nations. The E.164 standard regulates country codes at the international level. However, it is each country's responsibility to define the numbering within its own network. As a result, regional area codes may have: This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

• A fixed length, e.g. 3 digits in the United States; 1 digit in Australia.
• A variable length, e.g. between 2 and 5 in Germany and in Austria; between 1 and 3 in Japan; 1 or 2 in Israel.
• Or be incorporated into the subscriber's number, as is the case in many countries, such as Spain or Norway. This is known as a "closed" telephone numbering plan. In some cases a trunk code (usually 0) must still be dialled, as in Belgium, Switzerland and South Africa.

In many cases the area codes determine the rate, or price, of a call. Calls within an area are normally charged at a lower rate than outside the area. There are many exceptions, however. In a densely populated area in the United States, a call to a different area code may well be a local call. And in Israel, calls are charged at the same rate regardless of area. In North America calls to the 800, 888, 877, and 866, the "toll free" area codes, are free to the caller, with the receiving party paying the charges. On the other hand, calls to the 900 area code incur a special charge collected by the phone company on behalf of the receiving party. Such 900 numbers are usually used as a fee-based method of providing information or entertainment to the caller.

Open dialing plans

An open dialing plan is one in which there are different dialing arrangements for local and long distance telephone calls. This means that to call another number within the same city or area, callers need only dial the number, but for calls outside the area, an area code is required. The area code is prefixed by a trunk code (usually "0"), which is omitted when calling from outside the country. To call a number in Amsterdam in the Netherlands for example: Defining the dial plan A dial plan establishes the expected number and pattern of digits for a telephone number. ... Jump to: navigation, search Long distance in telecommunications, refers to telephone calls made outside a certain area, usually characterized by an area code outside of a local call area. ... Trunk code (ТС) is a digit or a combination of digits, used prior to the subscriber number for long distance dialling, not including the national prefix, which identifies uniquely a numbering area in a given country. ...

 xxx xxxx (within Amsterdam- no area code required) (020) xxx xxxx (outside Amsterdam) +31 20 xxx xxxx (outside the Netherlands) 

In the United States, Canada, and other countries or territories using the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), the trunk code is '1', which is also (by coincidence) the country calling code. To call a number in San Francisco, the dialing procedure will vary: This is a list of country calling codes, also known as international direct dialing (IDD) codes, which are needed to access international telephone services. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ...

 xxx xxxx (local calls, no area code required) 1 415 xxx xxxx (outside San Francisco) 415 xxx xxxx (mobile phones within NANP) +1 415 xxx xxxx (outside NANP) 

However, in parts of North America, especially where a new area code overlays an older area code, dialing 1 + area code is now required even for local calls, which means that the NANP is now closed in certain areas and open in others. Dialing from mobile phones is different in that the area code is almost always necessary, but not the trunk code; this is true regardless of the phone's area code.

Open and closed dialing plan should not be confused with open and closed numbering plans. A closed numbering plan, such as found in North America, features fixed length area codes and local numbers. An open numbering plan, as found in assorted countries that have not yet standardized, features variance in length of area code or local number, or both. Closed dialing plans are rare where numbering plans are open.

Closed dialing plans

A closed numbering plan is one in which the subscriber's number is a standard length, and a closed dialing plan is one in which the subscriber's number is used for all calls, even in the same area. This has traditionally been the case in small countries and territories where area codes have not been required. However, there has been a trend in many countries towards making all numbers a standard length, and incorporating the area code into the subscriber's number. This usually makes the use of a trunk code obsolete. For example, to call Oslo in Norway before 1992, one would dial: Jump to: navigation, search 1992 was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ...

 xxx xxx (within Oslo - no area code required) (02) xxx xxx (within Norway - outside Oslo) +47 2 xxx xxx (outside Norway) 

After 1992, this changed to a closed eight-digit numbering plan, eg:

 22xx xxxx (within Norway - including Oslo) +47 22xx xxxx (outside Norway) 

In other countries, such as France, Belgium, Switzerland, and South Africa, the trunk code is retained for domestic calls, whether local or national, eg:

 Paris 01 xxxx xxxx (outside France +33 1 xxxx xxxx) Brussels 02 xxx xxxx (outside Belgium +32 2 xxx xxxx) Geneva 022 xxx xxxx (outside Switzerland +41 22 xxx xxxx) Cape Town 021 xxx xxxx (outside South Africa +27 21 xxx xxxx) 

While the use of full national dialing is less user-friendly than only using a local number without the area code, the increased use of mobile phones, which require full national dialing and can store numbers, means that this is of decreasing importance. It also makes easier to display numbers in the international format, as no trunk code is required- hence a number in Prague Czech Republic can now be displayed as:

 +420 2 xxxx xxxx formerly: 02 xxxx xxxx (inside Czech Republic) +420 2 xxxx xxxx (outside Czech Republic) 

Numbering plans by country

Argentina

Main article: Argentine telephone numbering plan Major changes were made to the telephone numbering plan of Argentina in 1999. ...

Country Code: 54

Australia

Main article: Australian telephone numbering plan The Australian telephone numbering plan was reorganised by the Australian Communications Authority between 1996 and 1998. ...

Country Code: 61

Telephone numbers in Australia consist of a single digit area code and eight-digit local numbers, the first four of which generally specify the exchange, and the final four a line at that exchange. (Most exchanges though have several four-digit exchange codes.)

Australia is divided geographically into a few large area codes, some of which cover more than one state and territory. Prior to the introduction of eight-digit numbers in the early to mid-1990s, telephone numbers were seven digits in the major capital cities, with a single-digit area code, and six digits in other areas with a two-digit area code. There were more than sixty such codes by 1990, with numbers running out, thus spurring the reorganization.

Following reorganisation of the numbering plan between 1996 and 1998, the following numbering ranges are now used: Jump to: navigation, search 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1998(MCMXCVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ...

 02 New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory 03 Victoria and Tasmania 04 Mobile phone services 07 Queensland 08 Northern Teritory, South Australia and Western Australia (including Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands). 

The system is not perfect; the codes do not strictly follow state borders. For example, Broken Hill in New South Wales is in the 08 area code, due to its previous area code of 080. Jump to: navigation, search Broken Hill (31°57′ S 141°27′ E) is an isolated mining city and Local Government Area in the far west of outback New South Wales, Australia, with a population of 17,000. ...

The main international prefix is 0011. 000 is the emergency telephone number in Australia, but the internationally accepted GSM mobile emergency telephone number 112 also works on mobile phones. Not to be confused with Get Some Mates The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world. ...

Telephone numbers within Australia are allocated by the Australian Communications Authority. The Australian Communications Authority (ACA) is the Government of Australias regulator of radiocommunications and telecommunications. ...

Austria

Main article: Area codes in Austria To call an Austrian phone number from outside Austria, you will need to dial: International access code + 43 (country code) + area Code + Telephone Number. ...

Country Code: 43

Brazil

Country Code: 55

In Brazil, long distance and international dialling requires the use of carrier selection codes, after the trunk code or international access code.

For example, to call Rio de Janeiro from another city in Brazil, one would dial the trunk code '0', a two-digit code, the area code '21' and the subscriber's number. Consequently, a Rio de Janeiro number would be displayed in Brazil as Jump to: navigation, search Ipanema beach Cristo Redentor Rio de Janeiros waterfront and the Morro de Castello from the Ilha das Cobras in 1919 by Harriet Chalmers Adams A NASA satellite image of Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro (meaning River of January in Portuguese) is the name of... A telephone numbering plan is a system that allows subscribers to make and receive telephone calls across long distances. ...

 0xx21 nnnn nnnn. 

A few areas use nnn-nnnn in lieu of nnnn nnnn, such as such as Natal (the area code for that state is '84', in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, in northeastern Brazil. However, this practice will be phased out in 2006. Via Costeira, Natal. ... Rio Grande do Norte is one of the states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the edge of the South American continent. ... Jump to: navigation, search 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

xx is the two-digit Operator Code for long distance calls:

• 14 for Brasil Telecom
• 15 for Telefónica
• 21 for Embratel
• 23 for Intelig
• 31 for Telemar

and some others. Brasil Telecom S.A. is a major Brazillian telecommunications company headquartered in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia. ... Jump to: navigation, search This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Embratel S.A. is a major Brazilian telecommunications company headquartered in Rio de Janeiro. ... Telemar is the largest telephone company in Brazil, considering both lines in service and revenues. ...

Outbound international dialing in Brazil

To call internationally from Brazil, one would dial the international access code and the two-digit code, followed by the country calling code, area code and number, hence for a number in Manhattan: Each country has both a country calling code used to dial into a country and an international access code or international call prefix used to dial out of the country. ... Jump to: navigation, search Manhattan Borough,highlighted in yellow, lies between the East River and the Hudson River. ...

 00 xx 1 212 xxx xxxx. 

The current carriers (the two digits that should be dialled after the "0") are:

 Embratel: 21 Intelig: 23 Telemar: 31 Brasil Telecom*: 14 Telefônica: 15 TIM**: 41 CTBC*: 12 GVT*: 25 Vesper São Paulo*: 89 Vesper Norte-Leste*: 85 Sercomtel*: 43 

Those marked with an asterisk (*) are only available to certain areas. The ones with "**" are to be used with mobile phones only. Embratel S.A. is a major Brazilian telecommunications company headquartered in Rio de Janeiro. ... Brasil Telecom S.A. is a major Brazillian telecommunications company headquartered in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia. ... Telefonica logo Telefónica S.A. (NYSE: TEF) (TYO: 9481) is the former national telephone network operator (telco) in Spain. ...

Area codes are distributed geographically. See List of Brazilian area codes. This page contains a list of area codes in Brazil for telephone dialing. ...

A note about mobile telephony in Brazil

Mobile phone numbers are usually prefixed with the digit '7', '8' or '9'. '7' is used mainly for radiophone use (iDEN technology). Integrated Digital Enhanced Network, commonly refered to as iDEN, is a mobile communications technology, developed by Motorola, which provides its users the benefits of a trunked radio and a cellular telephone. ...

Numbers with an '8' are always GSM Mobiles, while '9' can be mostly analogue (AMPS), TDMA and CDMA mobiles. The prefix number in mobile telephony is related to the license the carrier has. On newer licenses, use of the '8' digit is mandatory, while the previously state-owned mobile operators always uses '9'(or '7', in some cases in São Paulo area). Some GSM mobiles can be prefixed with a '9' because the now privatized operators decided to overlay using this technology. Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) is a technology for shared medium (usually radio) networks. ... General Information Generically (as a multiplexing scheme), code division multiple access (CDMA) is any use of any form of spread spectrum by multiple transmitters to send to the same receiver on the same frequency channel at the same time without harmful interference. ... Not to be confused with Get Some Mates The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world. ...

Mobile phone numbers generally have eight digits. Exceptions exist in Brasilia.

China

Country Code: 86

See China telephone numbering plan The Chinese Telephone Code Plan is the way to group telephone numbers in mainland China. ...

For Hong Kong, see below.

Colombia

Country Code: 57

Main article: Colombian telephone numbering plan Colombia has various telephone dialing plans, depending on the type of service. ...

Cyprus

See Numbering plan of Cyprus Cyprus adopted a closed numbering plan on 1st December 2001. ...

Czech Republic

Country Code: 420

Following the break-up of Czechoslovakia in 1993, the succesor states, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, continued to share the 42 country code, until 1997, with the Czech Republic adopting 420 and Slovakia adopting 421. Jump to: navigation, search 1993 (MCMXCIII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1997(MCMXCVII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On September 22, 2002, the Czech Republic adopted a closed numbering plan, with nine-digit numbers used for local and national calls, and the dropping of the trunk code 0. Jump to: navigation, search September 22 is the 265th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (266th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 2002(MMII) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Before the change, the following arrangements would have been made for calls to Brno:

 Local call: xxxx xxxx National call: (05) xxxx xxxx International call: +420 5 xxxx xxxx 

After the change, the dialling arrangements were as follows:

 Within Czech Republic: 5xx xxx xxx Outside Czech Republic: +420 5xx xxx xxx 

In the case of mobile numbers, which had to be dialled in full, the only change was that the 0 was no longer used:

 Within Czech Republic: 602 xxx xxx Outside Czech Republic: +420 602 xxx xxx 

East Timor (Timor Leste)

Country Code: 670

Until September 1999, East Timor formed part of the Indonesian numbering plan, using the Country Code +62, followed by area codes for the two largest cities, Dili (390) and Baucau (399). Following the violence in the wake of Indonesia's departure from the territory, most of the telecommunications infrastructure was destroyed, and Telkom Indonesia withdrew its services from East Timor. September is the ninth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with 30 days. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1999(MCMXCIX) is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Dili, also spelled Dilli or Dilly, is the capital of East Timor. ... Baucau is the second largest city in East Timor, after the capital, Dili. ...

A new country code +670 was allocated to East Timor, but international access often remains severely limited. A complicating factor is the fact that 670 was previously used by the Northern Marianas, with many carriers not aware that the code is now used by East Timor. (The Northern Marianas, now part of the North American Numbering Plan, use the code 1 and the area code 670.) The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is a commonwealth in political union with the United States of America at a strategic location in the West Pacific Ocean. ... Jump to: navigation, search The North American Numbering Plan (NANP) is a system for three-digit area codes and seven-digit telephone numbers that direct telephone calls to particular regions on a public switched telephone network (PSTN), where they are further routed by the local network. ...

East Timor now has a closed numbering plan; all subscribers' numbers are seven digits.

Telephone numbering in East Timor is as follows:

 Mobile: 72X-YYYY Service Numbers: 721-XXXX Fixed: 32X-YYYY (numbering range in Dili) Government Departments: 333-YYYY Ambulance Service: 110 Fire Dept: 115 Emergency: 112 International access code: 00 

Ecuador

Country Code: 593

 Mobile: 9 Azuay: 7 Bolivar: 3 Canar: 7 Carchi: 6 Chimborazo: 3 Cotopaxi: 3 El Oro: 7 Esmeraldas: 6 Galapagos: 5 Guayas: 6 Imbabura: 6 Loja: 7 Los Rios: 5 Manabi: 5 Morona Santiago: 7 Napo: 6 Orellana: 6 Pastaza: 3 Pichincha: 2 Sucumbios: 6 Tungurahua: 3 Zabora Chinchipe: 7 Ambulance Service: 101 Fire Dept: 102 Emergency: 101 International access code: 00 

European Union (1996 proposal)

Proposed Country Code: 3

In 1996, the European Commission proposed the introduction of a single telephone numbering plan, in which all European Union member states would use the code '3'. Calls between member states would no longer require the use of the international access code '00'. This proposal would have required countries like Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark and others, whose country codes began with the digit '4', to return these to the International Telecommunication Union. For example, to call a number in Berlin, in Germany: Jump to: navigation, search 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Jump to: navigation, search The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive of the European Union. ... The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is an international organization established to standardize and regulate international radio and telecommunications. ... Jump to: navigation, search Berlin â–¶(?), IPA: , is the capital of Germany and its largest city; the city is now home to 3. ...

 xxxx xxxx (within Berlin) 030 xxxx xxxx (within Germany) 1 4930 xxxx xxxx (within the EU) +3 49 30 xxxx xxxx (outside the EU) 

Countries like Ireland, Portugal and Finland, which used codes in the '35x' range, would adopt a different format. For example, to call a number in Dublin, Ireland: Jump to: navigation, search Dublin (Irish: Baile Átha Cliath), is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Ireland, located near the midpoint of Irelands east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin region. ...

 xxxx xxxx (within Dublin) 01 xxxx xxxx (within Ireland) 1 53 1 xxxx xxxx (within the EU) +3 53 1 xxxx xxxx (outside the EU) 

A Green Paper on the proposal was published, but it was felt by many in the industry that the disruption and inconvenience of such a scheme would outweigh any advantages.

The EU proposal should not be confused with the European Telephony Numbering Space (ETNS) scheme, which uses the code +388, and is intended to complement, rather than replace, existing national numbering plans. In the interest in forming a trans-Europe numbering plan as an option (or future movement) for anyone needing multi-national European telephone presence, the ITU allocated country calling code +388 as a subdivided, catch-all container for such services. ...

Finland

Country Code: 358

Finland's numbering plan was reorganised in 1996, with the number of area codes being reduced, and the trunk code being changed from 9 to 0. This meant that the area code for Helsinki also changed: Jump to: navigation, search 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Jump to: navigation, search It has been suggested that Hietaniemi beach be merged into this article or section. ...

 Before 1996: 90' xxx xxx within Finland +358 0 xxx xxx outside Finland 

 After 1996: 09' xxx xxx within Finland +358 9 xxx xxx outside Finland 

The default international access code became 00, although other codes such as 999 are also still used.

France

Main article: French telephone numbering plan The French telephone numbering plan is not only used for metropolitan France, but also for the French overseas departments and collectivités territoriales. ...

Country Code: 33

In 1996, France changed to a ten-digit numbering scheme, as follows:

 01 Paris 02 Northwest France 03 Northeast France 04 Southeast France 05 Southwest France 06 Mobile phone services 08 Freephone (numéro vert) and shared cost services. 08 70 7X XX XX now gives access to the new Free (Internet Provider) land lines. 

Germany

See also: Area codes in Germany

Country Code: +49 From the U.S. & Canada: 01149 - and from most other countries 0049 Jump to: navigation, search Area codes in Germany (German Vorwahl) have from two to five digits, not counting the leading zero. ...

There are no standard lengths for either area codes or subscribers' numbers in Germany, meaning that some subscribers' numbers may be as short as three digits. Larger towns have shorter area codes permitting larger telephone numbers in that area. Some examples:

• 01*: service numbers and cell phones
• 030: Berlin
• 040: Hamburg
• 069: Frankfurt
• 089: München/Munich
• 0911: Nürnberg/Nuremburg
• 04141: Stade
• 06151: Darmstadt
• 0651: Trier
• 0800: toll free (within Germany)
• 0900: premium rate

The default length for newly assigned numbers (area code without 0 + subscriber number) is 10 or 11 digits, but older shorter numbers will not be replaced, but not reassigned if given back. The Area Codes are, if not counting the national trunk prefix '0', from 2 Digits (only for Berlin +49 30, Hamburg +49 40, Frankfurt +49 69 and Munich +49 89). Jump to: navigation, search Berlin ▶(?), IPA: , is the capital of Germany and its largest city; the city is now home to 3. ... Jump to: navigation, search Hamburg is Germanys second largest city (after Berlin) and, with the Hamburg Harbour, its principal port. ... Jump to: navigation, search Frankfurt am Main ▶(?) [ˈfraŋkfʊrt] is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany. ... Munich: Frauenkirche and Town Hall steeple Munich (German: München (pronounced listen) is the state capital of the German Bundesland of Bavaria. ... Nuremberg coat of arms Location of Nuremberg Nuremberg (German: Nürnberg) is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. ... Jump to: navigation, search View of the old harbor of Stade in 1987. ... Jump to: navigation, search Map of Germany showing Darmstadt Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland (federal state) of Hessen in Germany. ... Trier: The Porta Nigra, viewed from outside Location of Trier Trier (French: Trèves, Spanish: Treveris, Italian: Treviri) is Germanys oldest city. ...

Callers from the U.S. & Canada need to dial 01149 for Germany and the area code without the "0" prefix and then the local number, like 01149-69-123456789 (example).

Emergency numbers in Germany are 110 for police and 112 for fire and ambulance.

Greece

Country Code: 30

During 2001-2002, Greece moved to a closed ten-digit numbering scheme in two stages, with the result that subscribers' numbers changed twice. For example, before the change, a number in Athens would have been dialed as follows: Jump to: navigation, search The Acropolis in central Athens, one of the most important landmarks in world history. ...

 xxx xxxx (within Athens) (01) xxx xxxx (within Greece) +30 1 xxx xxxx (outside Greece) 

In 2001, a '0' was added after the area code, which was incorporated into the subscriber's number: Jump to: navigation, search 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...

 010 xxx xxxx (within Greece, including Athens) +30 10 xxx xxxx (outside Greece) 

Finally, in 2002, the leading '0' was changed to a '2' (for geographic numbers) : Jump to: navigation, search 2002(MMII) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

 210 xxx xxxx (within Greece, including Athens) +30 210 xxx xxxx (outside Greece) 

Mobile phone numbers were similarly prefixed with the digit '6'.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China

Country Code: 852

Main article: Hong Kong telephone numbering plan Telephone numbers in Hong Kong are eight-digit. ...

India

Country Code: 91

Telephone numbering is a little different for Fixed and Mobile phones.

Fixed (Landline) Numbers

Fixed line telephones are operated by the government-owned incumbent operator BSNL, although some new fixed-wireless operators are in the picture since 2001.

Standard Trunk Dialling (STD) codes are assigned to each city/town/village, with the larger cities having shorter area codes (STD codes), the smallest being 2 digits. An STD Prefix of 0 is used to dial such a number. For example,

 044 - Chennai 011 - New Delhi 022 - Mumbai 020 - Pune 

In addition, due to the availability of multiple operators offering fixed line services (either over wire or wireless), there is also an operator-code for each telephone number, namely:

 2 - BSNL 3 - Reliance 5 - Tata Indicom 

Thus, a number formatted as 020-30303030 means a fixed-line Reliance number in Pune, while 011-20000198 is a BSNL fixed line in Delhi.

A full list of area codes in India is available with BSNL

Cell phone numbers

Telecom Regulator TRAI has divided the country into various cellular zones such that within each zone, the call is treated as a local call, while across zones, it becomes a long-distance call. A cellular zone (or cellular circle) is normally the entire state, with a few exceptions like Mumbai (which is a different zone), Goa (the state, which is a part of the Maharashtra zone) or Uttar Pradesh (which is so big it was divided into multiple zones)

All mobile numbers in India have the prefix 9 (This includes pager services, but the use of pagers is on the decline). Each zone is allowed to have multiple private operators (earlier it was 2 private + BSNL, subsequently it was changed to 3 private + BSNL in GSM 900/1800, now it also includes 2 private + BSNL in CDMA). All cellphone numbers are 10 digits long, (normally) split up as OO-AA-NNNNNN where OO is the operator code, AA is the zone code assigned to the operator, and NNNNNN is the subscriber number.

The numbering plan is as follows:

 92-yy-yyyyyy - Tata Indicom mobile phones. These do not seem to follow the OO-AA-NNNNNN system. 93-xx-yyyyyy - Reliance India Mobile. The two digit code XX identifies the cellular zone. 94-xx-yyyyyy - BSNL. The two digit code XX identifies the cellular zone. 98-xx-yyyyyy - All private (non government-owned) GSM operators. The two digit code XX identifies the operator as well as the cellular zone. 

For a full list of cellphone numbering plans in India, refer to India Cellphone Numbering Jump to: navigation, search This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

International Dialling

The international access code in India is 00. For example, to call 08-790-1000 in Sweden from India, a subscriber would dial:

 00 46 8 7901000. 

For calls to India from abroad, the appropriate international access code should be dialled, followed by 91 followed by the area code (without the 0) followed by the phone number. For example, to call 011-23456789 in India, from Europe, a subscriber would dial: World map showing Europe (geographically) When considered a continent, Europe is the worlds second-smallest continent in terms of area, with an area of 10,600,000 km² (4,140,625 square miles), making it larger than Australia only. ...

 00 91 11 23456789 

Ireland

Country Code: 353

Telephone numbers in Ireland are similar in format to those in the United Kingdom, with only the subscriber's number being required for local dialing. The trunk prefix is '0' followed by an area code, the first digit indicating the geographical area.

 01 Dublin 02 Cork (021) and South 04 Drogheda (041) and East 05 Waterford (051) and South East 06 Limerick (061) and South West 07 Sligo (071) and North West 09 Galway (091) and West 

Area codes have varied in length, between one and three digits, and subscribers' numbers between five and seven digits but there is now a migration to a standard format, as follows:

 (0xx) xxx xxxx 

Dublin numbers are currently seven digits, but may change to eight digits in the future, although breaking the city into seperate area codes would match the rest of the national system.

The 08 numbering range was originally used for calls to Northern Ireland, but following the UK's renumbering of Northern Ireland in 2000, this changed, so to call a number in Belfast from the Republic: Jump to: navigation, search Royal motto: Quis separabit (Latin: Who will separate?) Northern Irelands location within the UK Official languages English, Irish, Ulster Scots Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Area  - Total Ranked 4th 13,843 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 4th 1,685,267...

 Before 2000: (080) 1232 xxx xxx After 2000: (048) 90xx xxxx; or via the UK numbering plan; 00 44 28 90xx xxxx 

The 03 numbering range was originally used for calls to Britain, but this was discontinued in 1992, when the international access code changed from 16 to 00. Jump to: navigation, search 1992 was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ...

 Before 1992: 030 xxx xxx xxx After 1992: 00 44 xxx xxx xxx 

The prefixes 151x, 1530, 1540, 1550, 1559, 1560, 1570 and 1580 are for premium rate Services which are more expensive than other telephone calls. These numbers provide a range of services from weather forecasting to adult dating. Regtel an independent body monitors the premium rate services industry. Premium rate telephone numbers are telephone numbers that are regulated by a particular country or region e. ...

Mobile phones use the prefixes 083, 085, 086 and 087. 088 was previously issued to the Eircell analogue service. While mobile numbers are portable between operators, all new numbers are issued in an operators own allocation - 083 for 3, 085 for Meteor Mobile Communications, 086 for O2 and 087 for Vodafone. Due to number portability, the full number must be dialled even if it has the same prefix as your own. Vodafone Ireland, part of the Vodafone Group, is the largest mobile phone company in the Republic of Ireland, and was previously called Eircell. ... An advertisement for 3 in which Leon Lai, a Hong Kong-based Cantopop singer is the pinup. ... Meteor Mobile Communications Limited is a mobile telecommunications company in the Republic of Ireland. ... O2 can refer to: Oxygen O2 plc, a telecommunications company. ... Jump to: navigation, search // Corporate Background Vodafone (the name stands for VOice-DAta-FONE) is a multinational mobile phone operator with headquarters in Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom and Düsseldorf, Germany. ...

Freephone services use the prefix 1800, while shared cost (Lo-Call) numbers use the prefix 1850. 1890 and 0818 are issued to non-geographic services, which charge local call rates.

Dial-up Internet providers are entitled, but not required, to use numbers in the 189x range. 1891 numbers cost slightly below local call rate, and are often provided for entry-level dialup packages. 1892 numbers are used for full local rate dialup, and 1893 for FRIACO dialup. Jump to: navigation, search Dial-up access is an inexpensive but extremely slow form of Internet access in which the client uses a modem to dial the Internet service providers (ISP) node, a dialup server type such as the Point-to-Point Protocol and TCP/IP protocols to establish...

A new area was introduced in 2005, using the 076 access code. This is allocated to VOIP providers, and is treated as either a national or local call by individual telecoms operators. Jump to: navigation, search 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... IP Telephony, also called Internet telephony, is the technology that makes it possible to have a telephone conversation over the Internet or a dedicated Internet Protocol (IP) network instead of dedicated voice transmission lines. ...

Italy

Country Code: 39

Italy changed to a closed numbering plan in 1998, with callers being told in to fissa il prefisso ("fix the prefix"). Unlike in other closed numbering plans the trunk code '0' was simply incorporated into subscribers' landline numbers; e.g. a number in Rome: Jump to: navigation, search 1998(MCMXCVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ...

 06 xxx xxxx (within Rome - after 1999) 06 xxx xxxx (within Italy) +39 06 xxx xxx (outside Italy - after 1998) 

Calls to mobile phone numbers within Italy were also affected, deleting the previously used prefix '0' (as it was already happening for overseas callers); e.g. for Omnitel-Vodafone provider in Italy:

 0347 xxx xxx (within Italy - before 1999) 347 xxx xxx (within Italy - after 1999) +39 347 xxx xxx (outside Italy) 

Until 1996, San Marino was part of the Italian numbering plan, using the Italian area code 0549 but in that year it adopted its own international code 378. However,instead of using international dialing codes, dialling arrangements between San Marino and Italy continued as before. In 1998, San Marino incorporated the 0549 area code into its subscribers' numbers, following the Italian format:

 0549 xxx xxx (San Marino from Italy) +378 0549 xxx xxx (San Marino from rest of the world) +39 0549 xxx xxx (San Marino via Italy) 

Mobile phone number in Italy: without a zero, started with a 3.

 3xx xxx xxx 

Japan

Country Code: 81

Main article: Japanese telephone numbering plan Japanese telephone numbering plan Country Code: 81 Area codes (市外局番 shigai-kyokuban) of selected major cities 011 Sapporo 022 Sendai 0242 Aizu Wakamatsu 025 Niigata 026 Nagano 028 (next digit 6) Utsunomiya 03 Tokyo 043 (next digit 2 or 3) Chiba 044 Kawasaki 045 Yokohama 048 Saitama (formed in 2001...

Mexico

Country Code: 52

In 1999 Mexico introduced the following new prefixes long distance calls for long distance and international calls: Jump to: navigation, search 1999(MCMXCIX) is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

 00 - international direct dialing (00 + country code + nat'l number) 
 including USA and Canada. 01 - domestic direct dialing (01 + area code + number) 02 - domestic person-to-person (02 + area code + number) 09 - international person-to-person (09 + country code + number) 
 including USA and Canada. 

This did not affect calls from outside Mexico, which continued to be dialed in the same format, for example, to call a number in Mexico City: Jump to: navigation, search Mexico City (Spanish: Ciudad de México) is the name of a megacity located in the Valley of Mexico (Valle de México), a large valley in the high plateaus (altiplano) at the center of Mexico, about 2,240 metres (7,349 feet) above sea-level...

 +52 55 xxxx xxxx 

Netherlands

Main article: Telephone numbers in the Netherlands See also Communications in the Netherlands A telephone number in the Netherlands is a sequence of usually 10 decimal digits (0-9) that is used for identifying a destination telephone line in the Dutch telephone network. ... < Netherlands Telephone Telephones - main lines in use: 10. ...

Country Code: 31

In the Netherlands, the area codes are -- excluding the leading '0' -- one, two or three digits long, with larger towns and cities having shorter area codes permitting a larger number of telephone numbers in the ten digits used. Since renumbering in 1996, subscribers' numbers are now either six digits long, or in the larger towns and cities, seven digits. Jump to: navigation, search 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...

 010: Rotterdam 020: Amsterdam 030: Utrecht 040: Eindhoven 050: Groningen 06: mobile phone number 066: mobile pagers 0676: internet access number 070: The Hague 0800: toll free number 084: location independent (used mostly for fax-to-email and voicemail services) 087: location independent 0900: premium rate, information 0906: premium rate, erotic 0909: premium rate, entertainment 112: emergency services number 

066, 084 and 087 are often used by scammers, because they are easy and cheap to register and make identification very hard. For other places named Rotterdam, see Rotterdam (disambiguation) Rotterdam is the second largest city in the Netherlands (after Amsterdam), located in the province of Zuid Holland. ... Jump to: navigation, search Amsterdam Location Country The Netherlands Province North Holland Population 739,295 (1 January 2005) Coordinates 4°54E - 52°22N Website www. ... Utrecht is a municipality and the capital city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. ... Jump to: navigation, search Eindhoven is a municipality and a city located in the province of Noord-Brabant in the south of the Netherlands, originally at the confluence of the Dommel and Gender brooks. ... Jump to: navigation, search Groningen is a municipality and city in the north of the Netherlands, and capital of Groningen province. ... Jump to: navigation, search Arms of The Hague The Hague (with capital T; Dutch: Den Haag, or officially s-Gravenhage) is the administrative capital of the Netherlands, located in the west of the country, in the province South Holland of which it is also the capital. ...

Previously, 06-0 and 06-1000 and 06-4 were used for toll-free numbers, and other 06 for mobile and premium rate, while 09 was used as the international access code, before this changed to 00. The emergency number used to be 06-11.

New Zealand

Country Code: 64

Since 1993, land-line telephone numbers in New Zealand consist of a single-digit area code and seven-digit local numbers, the first three of which generally specify the exchange and the final four a line at that exchange. The long distance prefix is '0'.

There are five regional area codes, which must be used when calling outside the local dialing area, for example from Christchurch to Dunedin in the South Island, the '03' prefix must be dialed first. In many parts of the country, the old area code was incorporated into the new number, hence Nelson (055) xx xxx became (03) 55x xxxx . The city of Nelson stands on the eastern side of Tasman Bay at the northern end of the South Island of New Zealand. ...

 024099 Scott Base in the Ross Dependency 03 the South Island and the Chatham Islands 04 Wellington Region except the Wairarapa and Otaki 06 the remaining southern and eastern North Island: - Taranaki - Manawatu-Wanganui except Taumarunui - Hawke's Bay - Gisborne - the Wairarapa and Otaki 07 the Waikato, the Bay of Plenty and Taumarunui 09 Auckland and Northland 

Mobile phone numbers are prefixed with 02, followed by one digit and the subscriber's number, which is either six, seven or eight digits, dialled in full, e.g. 025 xxx xxx or 027 xxx xxxx. Scott base beneath the active volcano Mt. ... Political status Dependency of New Zealand Governor Dame Silvia Cartwright, ex officio as Governor-General of New Zealand Area  â€“ Total  450 000 km² (174 000 mi²) Population Scott Base: 10-80 seasonally McMurdo Station: 200-1000 seasonally Currency New Zealand dollar The Ross Dependency comprises an area of Antarctica (and... South Island The South Island forms one of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the North Island. ... The Chatham Islands from space. ... The Wellington region of New Zealand occupies the southern end of the North Island. ... The Wairarapa is a district or subregion of New Zealand occupying the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of Wellington and south-west of Hawke Bay. ... The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, the other being the South Island. ... Taranaki is a region in New Zealands North Island and the name of the mountain which is the regions main feature, Geography and people Taranaki is situated on a peninsula on the west coast of the North Island, surrounding the volcanic peak. ... Jump to: navigation, search Manawatu-Wanganui is a region situated in the lower half of the North Island of New Zealand. ... Taumarunui 38° 53. ... Hawkes Bay is a region of New Zealand. ... Jump to: navigation, search Gisborne is the name of a unitary authority (in this case, a region and district) in New Zealand. ... Jump to: navigation, search Waikato is the name of a region in the North Island of New Zealand. ... The Bay of Plenty, often abbreviated to BoP, is a region of New Zealand situated around the body of water of the same name. ... Jump to: navigation, search Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest urban area in New Zealand. ... This article is about the Northland region of New Zealand. ...

 021 Vodafone 025 Telecom 027 Telecom 029 Vodafone/TelstraClear 

Free call services generally use the prefix 0800 (although some use 0508) while local rate (usually internet access numbers) have the prefix 08xx. Premium rate services use the code 0900 followed by five digits.

The main international prefix is '00' (there are others for special purposes, such as 0161, for discounted rates). The emergency services number is '111'.

Norway

Country Code: 47

Since 1992, land-line and mobile telephone numbers in Norway consist of eight digits, without any area codes. The numbers are apportioned in chunks, which vary in size between a thousand and over a million, among counties and telephone companies.

 00 international dialing prefix 01 reserved for future changes 02xxx-09xxx 5-digit non-geographical numbers 100-189 standardised special numbers (e.g. 112 for emergency) 19x operator-specific special numbers 2x xx xx xx geographical numbers, mainly Oslo 3x xx xx xx geographical numbers in south-central counties, except Oppland 4xx xx xxx mobile numbers 5x xx xx xx geographical numbers in south-western counties, including Bergen 6x xx xx xx geographical numbers in south-eastern counties and Oppland 7x xx xx xx geographical numbers in the north, including Trondheim 8x xx xx xx non-geographical numbers (toll-free, voicemail, etc.) 9xx xx xxx mobile numbers 

Jump to: navigation, search County Oslo NO-03 Landscape Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... There are several places named Bergen: Bergen, Norway, the second largest city in Norway Bergen, Belgium, better known by its French name of Mons In Germany: Bergen, Hessen Bergen, Lower Saxony Bergen, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Bergen-Belsen, a concentration camp near Bergen, Lower Saxony In the Netherlands: Bergen, North Holland... Oppland is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. ... County Sør-Trøndelag Landscape Municipality NO-1601 Administrative centre Trondheim Mayor (2005) Rita Ottervik (A) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 258 342 km² 322 km² 0. ...

Peru

Country Code: 51

Most area codes in Peru changed on 1 March 2003, providing an area code for each region (national subdivision). Jump to: navigation, search March 1 is the 60th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (61st in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Political division of Peru has changed from time to time, beginning during the time after the nation obtained independence from Spain, until the present-day country. ...

Also on that date, '9' was prepended to existing cellular/mobile numbers. Mobile subscriber numbers are now 8 digits in Lima (+51 1 9xxxxxxx) and 7 digits elsewhere (+51 xx 9xxxxxx). Jump to: navigation, search Also called: La Ciudad de los Reyes (The City of Kings) Founded January 18, 1535 Subdivisions 43 districts Mayor Luis Castañeda Lossio Area 2,664. ...

Poland

Country Code: 48

Polish phone numbers: 10 digits, starting with a 0.

 0xx xxx xx xx (within Poland) +48 xx xxx xx xx (outside Poland) 

Polish mobile number: 10 digits, starting with 05, 06 and 08.

 05x xxx xx xx 06x xxx xx xx 08x xxx xx xx 

Reserved for UMTS but not yet assigned:

 078 xxx xx xx 079 xxx xx xx 

Premium Rate services:

 070 xxx xx xx 030 xxx xx xx 040 xxx xx xx 

Shared cost numbers:

 080 1xx xx xx 

Free (for the caller in Poland):

 080 0xx xx xx 

Portugal

Country Code: 351

Portugal changed to a closed numbering plan in 1999. Previously, the trunk prefix was '0', but this was dropped, and the area code, prefixed by the digit '2' was incorporated into the subscriber's number, so that a nine-digit number was used for all calls, eg:

 xxx xxxx (within Lisbon) (01) xxx xxxx (within Portugal) +351 1 xxx xxxx (outside Portugal) +351 21x xxx xxx (after 1999) 

Mobiles similarly changed, with the digits '96' replacing the prefix '0936':

 0936 xxx xxx (within Portugal) +351 936 xxx xxxx (outside Portugal) +351 96 xxx xxxx (after 1999) Mobile phone number prefix: 169 xxx xxx,189 xxx xxx, 609 xxx xxx, 669 xxx xxx and 9xx xxx xxx 

Other new number ranges include:

 10xx Carrier selection codes 700 xxx xxx Personal numbering 8xx xxx xxx Geographic expansion 800 xxx xxx Freephone 80x xxx xxx Shared cost 

Russia and Commonwealth of Independent States

Country Code: 7

Under the Russian numbering plan, the trunk code is '8', with subscribers numbers being a total of ten digits long, e.g Moscow:

 xxx xxxx (within Moscow) 8 095 xxx xxxx (within Russia and some CIS republics) +7 095 xxx xxxx (outside Russia and some CIS republics) 

A short list of examples, set out in the officially approved number groups:

 (095) xxx xxxx: Moscow (812) xxx xxxx: Saint-Petersburg (813) xxx xxxx: Leningrad Area 

Following the break-up of the former Soviet Union, all former republics apart from Kazakhstan now have separate international numbering plans from Russia, although from some republics, the old area codes are still used. The international access code is 8~10 - callers dial '8', wait for a tone, and then dial '10', followed by the number. Jump to: navigation, search Moscow (Russian: Москва́, Moskva, IPA: listen ▶(?)) is the capital of Russia, located on the river Moskva. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Neva river has been called the main street of St Petersburg Saint Petersburg listen ▶(?) (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and Petrograd (Петрогра́д, 1914–1924), is a city located in Northwestern Russia on the delta of... Leningrad Oblast (Russian: Ленингра́дская о́бласть; tr. ...

Singapore

Country Code: 65

See Singapore telephone numbering plan The Singapore telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Numbering Plan, is regulated by the Numbering Management Department of the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), taking over the role from the Telecommunications Authority of Singapore upon its formation in December 1999. ...

South Africa

Country Code: 27

Main article: South African Telephone Numbering Plan It has been suggested that List of South African calling codes be merged into this article or section. ...

South Africa has switched to a closed system, although as of 2005 it is still not mandatory to prefix the 3-digit area code for local numbers. The trunk prefix is still '0', with the system generally organised geographically. The numbers were initially allocated when South Africa had four provinces, meaning that ranges are now split across the current nine provinces: Jump to: navigation, search 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

 01: Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and North West 02: Western and Northern Cape 03: KwaZulu-Natal 04: Eastern Cape and eastern parts of the Western Cape 05: Free State 06: Unused, was South-West Africa 07: Cellular spill-over 08: Special services, including 080: Toll-free 081: Current unused (?), was car phones 082: Cellular: Vodacom 083: Cellular: MTN 084: Cellular: Cell C 086: "Sharecall" 087: VOIP 089: Maxicall 09: International access code, being phased out as of May 2002 00: Proposed new international access code 

All telephone numbers are 10 digits long (including the 3 for area code), except for certain Telkom special services. Categories: South Africa stubs | Provinces of South Africa | Gauteng Province ... Mpumalanga, (name changed from Eastern Transvaal in 24 August 1995, is a province in South Africa. ... Limpopo refers to both: Limpopo River in Southern Africa Limpopo Province of South Africa This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Northwest is the ordinal direction halfway between west and north on a compass. ... The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. ... Northern Cape is a province of South Africa, created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. ... KwaZulu-Natal (often referred to as KZN) is a province of South Africa. ... The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. ... For the term free state as it arises in United States history, see: Free state. ... South-West Africa is the former name (1884-1990) of Namibia under German (as German South-West Africa, Deutsch Süd-West Afrika) and (from 1915) South African administration when it was conquered from the Germans during World War I. Following the war, the Treaty of Versailles declared the territory... ... Vodacom is a South African based mobile telecommunications company, and was the first mobile telecoummunications company in South Africa. ... Mobile Telephone Networks (MTN) is an important South African telecommunications company. ... Each country has both a country calling code used to dial into a country and an international access code or international call prefix used to dial out of the country. ... 2002 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December A timeline of events in the news for May, 2002. ...

Spain

Country Code: 34

Spain changed to a closed numbering plan in 1998. Previously, the trunk prefix was '9', but this was incorporated into the subscriber's number, so that a nine-digit number was used for all calls, eg:

 xxx xxxx (within Madrid) (91) xxx xxxx (within Spain) +34 1 xxx xxxx (outside Spain) +34 91x xxx xxx (after 1998) 

Mobiles similarly changed, prefixed with the digit '6':

 906 xxx xxx (within Spain) +34 06 xxx xxx (outside Spain) +34 606 xxx xxx (after 1998) 

New numbering ranges have also since been introduced:

 10xx Carrier selection codes 700 xxx xxx Personal numbering 8xx xxx xxx Geographic expansion 800 xxx xxx Freephone 80x xxx xxx Shared cost 

Spain's international access code also changed from 07 to 00, but this did not affect dialing arrangements for calls to Gibraltar, in which the provincial code 9567 is used instead of the international code 350, eg:

 9567 xxxxx (Gibraltar from Spain) +350 xxxxx (Gibraltar from all other countries) +34 9567 xxxxx (Gibraltar via Spain) 

Sweden

Country Code: 46

In Sweden, the area codes are -- excluding the leading '0' -- one, two or three digits long, with larger towns and cities having shorter area codes permitting a larger number of telephone numbers in the eight to ten digits used. Before the 1990s, ten-digit numbers were very rare, but they have become increasingly common because of the deregulation of telecommunications, the new 112 emergency number, which required change of all numbers starting with 11, and the creation of a single area code for the Greater Stockholm area. No subscriber number is shorter than five digits. Jump to: navigation, search // Events and trends The 1990s are generally classified as having moved slightly away from the more conservative 1980s, but otherwise retaining the same mindset. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Emergency telephone number. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Old town in Stockholm from the air Stockholm [▶] is the capital of Sweden, located on the east coast at the entrance of lake Mälaren. ...

 010: NMT mobile phones 01x(x): South Middle Sweden 020: toll free 0200: toll free 02x(x): North Middle Sweden 03x(x): Central South Sweden 031: Gothenburg 040: Malmö 04x(x): Southern Sweden 05x(x): Western Sweden 06x(x): Northern Sweden 070: GSM mobile phones 071: Premium rate calls 073: GSM mobile phones 0730: GSM mobile phones 074(x): Pagers 076: GSM mobile phones 07x(x): various non-geographical area codes 08: Greater Stockholm 09x(x): Far Northern Sweden and premium rate calls 112: emergency services number 

Sweden adopted 00 as its international access code in 1999, replacing 009 and 007. For other meanings of the abbreviation, see: NMT. NMT (Nordisk MobilTelefoni or Nordiska MobilTelefoni-gruppen, Nordic Mobile Telephony in English) is a mobile phone system that was created in 1981 as a response to the increasing congestion and heavy requirements of the ARP mobile phone network. ... Jump to: navigation, search Gothenburg viewed from Liseberg amusement park Gothenburg (Swedish: Göteborg ▶(?)) is a city and a municipality on the western coast of Sweden, in the County of Västra Götaland. ... Jump to: navigation, search Malmö ▶(?) IPA: [málmø:] is a town and municipality in the southernmost Swedish province of Skåne. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world. ... A pager is an electronic device used to contact people via a Paging (telecommunications) network. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Old town in Stockholm from the air Stockholm [▶] is the capital of Sweden, located on the east coast at the entrance of lake Mälaren. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1999(MCMXCIX) is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

According to the postal and telecommunication services supervising authority Post- och Telestyrelsen, it seems possible that Sweden will adopt a closed numbering plan in the future.

Switzerland

Country Code: 41

In 2002, Switzerland adopted a closed numbering plan, but retained the use of the trunk code 0. The original plan was to dispense with the trunk code completely, so that all calls within Switzerland would only require a nine-digit number. However, this was modified on grounds of cost. The 01 prefix for numbers in Zurich is being phased out in favor of 044, with 043 being used for overlay numbers. Jump to: navigation, search 2002(MMII) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Location within Switzerland   Zürich[?] (German pronunciation IPA: ; usually spelled Zurich in English) is the largest city in Switzerland (population: 366,145 in 2004; population of urban area: 1,091,732) and capital of the canton of Zürich. ...

Until 1999, Liechtenstein formed part of the Swiss numbering plan, using the area code 075, but in that year it adopted its own international code 423, meaning that calls to and from Switzerland require international dialing. Jump to: navigation, search 1999(MCMXCIX) is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

The 07 number range is now used for mobile phone services.

United Kingdom

Country Code: 44

Main article: UK Telephone Numbering Plan Jump to: navigation, search The UK telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Numbering Plan, is regulated by the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which replaced the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) in 2003. ...

Since April 28, 2001, the overall structure of the UK's National Numbering Plan is: Jump to: navigation, search 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...

 01 Geographic area codes 02 Geographic area codes (newly introduced in 2000) 03 Reserved for area codes 04 Reserved 05 Reserved for corporate numbering and VoIP services. 06 Reserved 07 "Find Me Anywhere" services (mobile phone, pager & personal numbers) 08 Freephone (toll free), Local & National Rate numbers 09 Premium Rate services and multimedia 

A short list of examples, set out in the officially approved (Ofcom) number groups: IP Telephony, also called Internet telephony, is the technology that makes it possible to have a telephone conversation over the Internet or a dedicated Internet Protocol (IP) network instead of dedicated voice transmission lines. ... The Office of Communications, usually known as Ofcom, is the UKs communications regulator. ...

 (020) wxxx xxxx: London (where "w" digit can be 3, 7 or 8) (028) xxxx xxxx: Northern Ireland (029) xxxx xxxx: Cardiff (0131) xxx xxxx: Edinburgh (01382) xxx xxx: Dundee (015396) xxxxx: Sedburgh 

In the United Kingdom, area codes are — including the leading '0' which is dropped when calling UK numbers from overseas — three, four, five or six digits long, with larger towns and cities having shorter area codes permitting a larger number of telephone numbers in the ten or eleven digits used. Area codes are called "STD" (subscriber trunk dialling) codes. London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... Jump to: navigation, search Royal motto: Quis separabit (Latin: Who will separate?) Northern Irelands location within the UK Official languages English, Irish, Ulster Scots Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Area  - Total Ranked 4th 13,843 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 4th 1,685,267... Jump to: navigation, search The Norman Keep, Cardiff Castle Aerial view of the Millennium Stadium The Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay Cardiff (Welsh: Caerdydd) is the capital and largest city of Wales. ... Jump to: navigation, search Edinburghs location in Scotland Edinburgh viewed from Arthurs Seat. ... For other uses see Dundee (disambiguation) Dundee is Scotlands fourth largest city, population 154 674 (2001), situated on the North bank of the Firth of Tay. ... Sedburgh (pronounced Sed-Ber) is an ancient market town in the Western Yorkshire Dales National Park, in north-west England. ... Jump to: navigation, search Subscriber trunk dialling (STD) (also known as subscriber toll dialling) is an obsolete term for the UK telephone system allowing subscribers to dial trunk calls without operator assistance. ...

United States and Canada

Main article: North American Numbering Plan

See also: List of North American area codes

In the United States and Canada, area codes are regulated by the North American Numbering Plan. Currently, all area codes (officially called numbering plan areas) in the NANP must have 3 digits. Many other countries have area codes that are shorter for heavily populated areas and longer for lightly populated areas. Jump to: navigation, search The North American Numbering Plan (NANP) is a system for three-digit area codes and seven-digit telephone numbers that direct telephone calls to particular regions on a public switched telephone network (PSTN), where they are further routed by the local network. ... This is a list of North American area codes in effect for the North American Numbering Plan. ... Jump to: navigation, search The North American Numbering Plan (NANP) is a system for three-digit area codes and seven-digit telephone numbers that direct telephone calls to particular regions on a public switched telephone network (PSTN), where they are further routed by the local network. ...

Before 1995, North American area codes were of the form [2-9][0/1][0-9], with the prefix or NNX in the form [2-9][2-9][0-9]; that codespace filled up due to over-allocation, and was extended to [2-9][0-8][0-9]-[2-9][0-9][0-9] (referred to as NPA-NXX). N11 codes (such as 411, 611, and 911) are not eligible to be used as area codes. 28 June 2005 06:26 (UTC)An N11 code or N11 number (said as N-one-one) is a special abbreviated dialing telephone number within the North American Numbering Plan, which allows access to special services. ... In most of the United States and Canada, 4-1-1 has for decades been the telephone number for local directory assistance. ... In Canada and the U.S. (with the exception of New York City), 611 is the abbreviated dialing telephone number one dials if there is a problem with the telephone service, or with a payphone. ... Jump to: navigation, search Most emergency vehicles in the US and Canada display Emergency 911 9-1-1 (nine-one-one) is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). ...

Not all area codes correspond to a geographical area. Codes 8xx (excluding 811 and 899) with the last two digits matching, such as 800, 888, 877, 866, etc., are reserved for toll-free calls. Code 900 is reserved for premium-rate calls (also known as dial-it services, although such services also exist in some places on a local basis using a particular three-digit prefix following the area code, often "976"). Area code 710 has been reserved for the United States Government, although no lines other than the single telephone number 710-627-4387 ("NCS-GETS") had actually been connected on this code as of 2004. A toll-free telephone number (or Freephone number in the UK) is a special telephone number, in which the calling party is not charged for the call by the telephone operator. ... The Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) is a White House-directed emergency phone service provided by a division of the Department of Homeland Security. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

None of these changes enable the existence of variable length area codes, which are commonplace outside North America. Also see [1].

There are several noteworthy peculiarities in the NANP:

• In many localities, all calls must include an area code, even when calling within the same area. For example in large urban areas, a 'local' call may be in another area code, or two area codes may overlay the same geography. In most cases a "1" needs to be dialed before the area code as well. As new area codes are being required, this is becoming more common.
• Mobile phones are allocated numbers within regular geographic area codes corresponding (usually) to the subscriber's home or work location, instead of within a distinctive subset of area codes (e.g. 07xxx in the UK).
  Since a calling party cannot reliably distinguish between landline and mobile phone numbers, this forced NANP cellular telephone carriers into a charging model wherein the cellular subscriber usually pays for all airtime on his/her phone, whether placing or receiving a call, as opposed to the distinctive-subset model in which callers are usually charged at a higher rate ("caller-pays") for dialing mobile numbers than landlines. Some have cited this "receiver-pays" model as a reason for the US's relatively slow adoption rate of cellular telephony in the 1990s, compared to that in Europe and the Pacific Rim, though this has been largely countered by the post-2000 prevalence of free long-distance calling (to cellular or landline phones) on nearly all US cellular plans.

Initially, there was an attempt to assign area codes specifically to cell phones in a geographic area (the most notable being "917" for the five boroughs of New York City), but Federal courts ruled against this. Cellular redirects here. ... New York City, officially named the City of New York, is the most populous city in the United States, the most densely populated major city in North America, and is at the center of international finance, politics, entertainment, and culture. ...

Alphabetic mnemonic system

Another oddity of NANP telephone numbering is the popularity of alphabetic dialing. On most US and Canadian telephones, three letters appear on each number button from 2 through 9. This accommodates 24 letters. Historically, the letters Q and Z were omitted, though on some modern telephones, they are added, so that the alphabet is apportioned as follows:

 2 = ABC 3 = DEF 4 = GHI 5 = JKL 6 = MNO 7 = P(Q)RS 8 = TUV 9 = WXY(Z) 

No letters are allocated to the 1 or 0 keys (although some corporate voice mail systems are set up to count Q and Z as 1, and some old telephones assigned the Z to the digit 0). Voicemail (or voice mail; abbreviated v-mail or vmail) is a specific application of an interactive voice response system. ...

Originally, this scheme was meant as a mnemonic device for telephone number prefixes. When telephone numbers in the US were standardized in the mid-20th century, they were made seven digits long, including a two-digit prefix, the latter expressed as letters rather than numbers. (Before World War II, many localities used three letters and four numbers, and in much of California during this period, phone numbers had only six digits — two letters followed by four numbers.) The prefix was a name, and the first two or three letters (usually shown in capitals) of the name were dialed. Later, the third letter (where previously used) was replaced by a number; this generally happened after World War II, although New York City did this in 1930. Thus, the famous Glenn Miller tune "PEnnsylvania 6-5000" refers to a telephone number 736-5000, the number of the Hotel Pennsylvania, which still bears the same number today. Similarly, the classic Elizabeth Taylor film "BUtterfield 8" refers to the section of New York City where the film is set, where the telephone prefixes include 288 (on the East Side of Manhattan between roughly 64th and 86th Streets). For example, one wikipedia author's childhood telephone number was MOhawk 5-6612, while another's was ORchard 2-7664. This is why, in some works of fiction, phone numbers will begin with "KLondike 5", which translates to 555, a mostly unused and reserved exchange. Jump to: navigation, search World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb. ... Jump to: navigation, search State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Senators Dianne Feinstein (D) Barbara Boxer (D) Official languages English Area 410,000 km² (3rd)  - Land 404,298 km²  - Water 20,047 km² (4. ... New York City, officially named the City of New York, is the most populous city in the United States, the most densely populated major city in North America, and is at the center of international finance, politics, entertainment, and culture. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1930 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... Alton Glenn Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American jazz musician and band leader in the Swing era. ... Jump to: navigation, search BUtterfield 8 is a 1960 film about a promiscuous model (Elizabeth Taylor) who fears that she is on the verge of crossing the line from slutitude to prostitution, until she and one of her paramours (Laurence Harvey) fall in love. ... Jump to: navigation, search Manhattan Borough,highlighted in yellow, lies between the East River and the Hudson River. ... Jump to: navigation, search In North America, telephone numbers with the prefix 555 are widely used for fictitious phone numbers in television shows, films and other types of fictional media. ...

Today this system has been abandoned (in fact it generally stopped by the mid-1970's), but alphabetic dialing remains as a commercial mnemonic gimmick, particularly when combined with toll-free numbers. For example, one can dial 1-800-FLOWERS to send flowers to someone. Sometimes, longer words are used - for example one might be invited to give money to a public radio station by dialing 1-866-KPBS-GIVE. The "number" is 8 digits long, but only the first seven need be dialed. If an eighth (or more) digit is dialed, the switching system will ignore it. Mobile users must manually drop any numbers past the seventh digit as mobile switching systems will not automatically ignore them, resulting in a failed call.

External links

• North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA)
• World Telephone Numbering Guide
• Free Area Code Information (All NANP)
• Free Area Code Listing (US and Canada)
• Information on old NANP exchange names
• LincMad United States Area Code History and Changes
• World Country Code Locator