In Argentina, area codes are two, three, or four digits long (after the initial zero). Local customer numbers are six to eight figures long. The total number of digits is ten, for example, phone number (11) 1234-5678 for Buenos Aires is made up of a 2-digit area code number and an 8-digit subscriber's number, while (383) 123-4567 would be an example of a Catamarca number.
Local numbers usually begin with a 4, although in recent times numbers having 2, 3, 5, 6, or even 7 as the first digit are not uncommon.
Thus, for example to call a local number within Buenos Aires, one should dial 1234–5678; within Mar del Plata, 123-4567 and within Villa Carlos Paz, 12–3456. For mobile phone dialing, see the corresponding section below.
Recent changes
In March 2011, the National Communications Commission announced changes to be carried out in 21 local areas throughout the country. The reason being the soaring demand in mobile lines causing lines to be nearly depleted in many areas. The changes will take place in three stages, starting in November 2011 with the final cities having their numbering plan changed in April 2012. Users in these areas will have an extra 4 added in front of their subscriber's numbers as well as having the area code shortened. Thus, they will go from a (xxxx) xx-xxxx format to a more resourceful (xxx) xxx-xxxx. On 1 April, seven cities had their numbering changed as described above, thus completing the update process.[1][2][3][4]
Long-distance dialing
To dial a long-distance number in Argentina (whether landline or mobile), the area code must be dialed before the subscriber's number.
As explained before, area codes can have 2, 3 or 4 digits and must be dialed before the local subscriber's phone number.
In addition, to place a domestic long-distance call, trunk code 0 must be dialed as well.
Thus, for example, in order to call a landline phone in Ushuaia from Salta, one should dial: 0 + 2901 + xx-xxxx, where 0 is the trunk code, 2901 is the Ushuaia area code, and xx-xxxx is the local phone number.
The same rule applies to mobile phone numbers, with the addition of the mobile prefix 15 right in front of the local subscriber's number. Using the same example above, to reach a Ushuaia mobile from Córdoba, one should dial: 0 + 2901 + 15 + xx-xxxx
Although trunk code 0 is not part of the long-distance area code, it is normally represented as if it were part of the long-distance prefix. Thus, when given a long-distance number already including a 0 in front of it, no additional 0 is to be added in order to call domestically.
Mobile phone numbers
Mobile phone numbers in Argentina are assigned the same geographic area codes as fixed lines, according to the subscriber's choice or residence, and can be 6, 7 or 8 digits long, just as landline numbers are. The difference with mobile numbers is that a prefix 15, never used for landlines, must be dialed.
Calling a mobile phone locally requires dialing 15, followed by the subscriber's number. For example, to call a Villa Carlos Paz mobile number from Villa Carlos Paz, 15 xx-xxxx must be dialled. To call a mobile phone in a different area code, the area code must be dialed, followed by the mobile prefix 15 and the number. For example, to call a Mar del Plata mobile from Buenos Aires, the dialing pattern is 0 223 15 xxx-xxxx, where 0 is the trunk code, 223 is the Mar del Plata area code, 15 is the mobile prefix, followed by the seven-digit subscriber number.
Here are some examples of mobile phone numbers in Argentina:
The prefix 15 is not part of the number, although users sometimes give out their numbers with the prefix included. This is not a problem when making calls within Argentina, but can cause confusion when the mobile prefix must be omitted, as on IVR menus or when calling from abroad.
Mobile prefix 15 and trunk code 0 can be omitted when calling a mobile from another mobile within Argentina.
In 2000 President Fernando De La Rúa signed a decree[5] deregulating the telephone service in Argentina, thus allowing number portability to be implemented. In December 2011, Argentine authorities postponed number portability once again—allegedly due to lobbying from operators—until March 2012.[6]
The intention is that users of landline and mobile telephones in Argentina will be able to switch providers while keeping their phone number, so long as they remain in the same subscriber local area. "International Union of Local Authorities". Retrieved 10 April 2014.
Number portability is expected to bring lower rates and better service quality, since operators will have to carry out additional efforts, both to keep their existing customers from leaving and to attract other operators' users to their networks.
International calls
Inbound
Inbound international calls to landline numbers follow the same rules as calls within the country. International access code +54 must be used in order to call Argentina, followed by the area code and then the local phone number. The "+" sign must be replaced by an international call prefix specific to the country originating the call, e.g. 00 from the UK, 011 from the US, etc.
For example, to call the number (351) 123–4567 in the city of Córdoba from Mexico, the dialing sequence is 00 54 351 123–4567.
Mobile phone numbers follow a different pattern. The prefix 9 must be added before the area code, leaving out the 15 after the area code, which is only used when calling domestically. The inbound dialing pattern for mobiles is then: +54, 9, area code, mobile subscriber's number (notice how the 15 domestic prefix is omitted). For example, to call mobile number (223) 15 123-4567 (in Mar del Plata) from outside Argentina, the dialling sequence is: +54 9 223 123–4567.
Non-geographic numbers such as 0800 or 0810 cannot be called from outside Argentina. Some companies do not publish their geographic number, and can only be called internationally by obtaining it some other way.
Inbound SMS
To send an SMS text message to an Argentine cell phone from another country, the 9 used internationally when dialing the number for a voice call (and the 15 used for calls within Argentina) is omitted. For example, if the mobile number in Argentina is (11) 15 1234–5678, a voice call from abroad would be dialled as +54 9 11 1234 5678, but a text message would require +54 11 1234 5678, with +54 9 11 1234 5678 usually being invalid. If a text message is received from Argentina, the reply can be sent to the number displayed as the sender. Not all mobile providers in Argentina have SMS agreements with every carrier in the world,[7] so it may not be possible to send an international SMS.
Outbound
Outbound international calls use a trunk prefix 00 followed by the international code for the country being called, and then the area code (if any) and local phone number.
For example, to call the number (9) 123–4567 in Auckland, New Zealand, the dialing sequence will be: 00 64 9 123–4567; where 00 is the international trunk code, 64 is the country code for New Zealand, 9 is the Auckland area code, and 123-4567 is the local number.
Collect calls
Domestic collect calls are placed by dialing 19 from any landline or payphone; the caller then states their name, which is announced with a message stating that a collect call has been requested when the call is answered. If the called party accepts the reverse charges, the call is connected.
International collect calls are placed by dialling 000 for the international operator; this number also provides international assistance, such as country and area codes, rates, etc.
Non-geographic numbers
Non-geographic numbers have a three-digit prefix followed by a seven-digit number. They are usually represented in the format 0ppp-nnn-nnnn.
A toll-free telephone number or freephone number is a telephone number that is billed for all arriving calls. For the calling party, a call to a toll-free number from a landline is free of charge. A toll-free number is identified by a dialing prefix similar to an area code. The specific service access varies by country.
A telephone numbering plan is a type of numbering scheme used in telecommunication to assign telephone numbers to subscriber telephones or other telephony endpoints. Telephone numbers are the addresses of participants in a telephone network, reachable by a system of destination code routing. Telephone numbering plans are defined in each of the administrative regions of the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and in private telephone networks.
Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom are administered by the Office of Communications (Ofcom). For this purpose, Ofcom established a telephone numbering plan, known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, which is the system for assigning telephone numbers to subscriber stations.
The Australian telephone numbering plan describes the allocation of phone numbers in Australia. It has changed many times, the most recent major reorganisation by the Australian Communications & Media Authority taking place between 1994 and 1998.
Numbers on the Irish telephone numbering plan are regulated and assigned to operators by ComReg.
A trunk prefix is a digit sequence to be dialed before a telephone number to initiate a telephone call for the purpose of selecting an appropriate telecommunications circuit by which the call is to be routed.
Widespread UK telephone code misconceptions, in particular brought on by the Big Number Change in 2000, have been reported by regulator Ofcom since publication of a report it commissioned in 2004.
The dialling plan for mobile networks and new landline operators is closed; all subscriber numbers must be dialled in full. For landline numbers starting with 02, the dialling plan used to be open; the trunk digit and area code could be omitted if the caller was in the same area code as the callee. However, starting May 3, 2008, all landline numbers must be dialled in full.
Telephone numbers in Oceania use a variety of area codes to denote their location along with their own area code depending on the country's geographic makeup. They also have other prefixes to denote different types of mobile services and international calls. There are exceptions because of regional variations and time zones.
Telephone numbers in Malaysia are regulated by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
This article details the dialling protocol for reaching Hungarian telephone numbers from within Hungary. The standard landline number consists of 6 numerals except those in Budapest which have 7 numerals, as do mobile numbers. Before keying the subscriber number required, a caller may need to enter a domestic code (06) and an area code.
Telephone numbers in Bulgaria are under a full number dialing plan, meaning that the full national number must be dialed for all calls, while it retains the trunk code, '0', for all national dialling. Area codes are prefixed with a trunk code of 0 only when dialled domestically.
Telephone numbers in Israel consist of an area code and a subscriber number. The dial plan type in Israel is closed, and "0" is the internal Trunk prefix in Israel. Israel's country calling code is +972.
The regulation of telephone numbers in Germany is the responsibility of the Federal Network Agency of the German government. The agency has a mandate to telecommunications in Germany and other infrastructure systems.
Telephone numbers in India are administered under the National Numbering Plan of 2003 by the Department of Telecommunications of the Government of India. The numbering plan was last updated in 2015. The country code "91" was assigned to India by the International Telecommunication Union in the 1960s.
A telephone number in Belgium is a sequence of nine or ten digits dialed on a telephone to make a call on the Belgian telephone network. Belgium is under a full number dialing plan, meaning that the full national number must be dialed for all calls, while it retains the trunk code, '0', for all national dialling.
National conventions for writing telephone numbers vary by country. While international standards exist in the form of recommendation E.123 by the sector ITU-T of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), national telephone numbering plans define the format of telephone numbers assigned to telephones and similar communication endpoints.
Telephone numbers in Georgia consist of 9 digits and follow a closed numbering plan in which the initial 2 or 3 digits indicate the service or area code and the remaining 6 or 7 digits identify the subscriber.
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