Telephone numbers in Bulgaria

Last updated

Telephone numbers in Bulgaria
Location
Country Bulgaria
Continent Europe
NSN length8 (9 for mobile numbers)
Format(02) xxx xxxx (Sofia)
(0xx) xx xxxx
(0xxx) xxxxx
(0xxxx) xxxx
08z xxx xxxx (mobiles)
0800 xxxxx (freephone)
Access codes
Country code +359
International access 00
Long-distance 0

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.

Contents

For example, to call a number in Sofia, dial:

Fixed-line numbers

Domestic numbers are limited to eight digits in length. Area codes vary in length from one to five digits. Subscriber number lengths vary accordingly, from seven digits down to three digits. Sofia lines on digital switches have seven-digit numbers, those on analog switches had six; in Plovdiv, Varna and Ruse both are six digits; and in most other province capitals lines on digital switches have six-digit numbers and analog had five.

For a very long time, the state-owned Bulgarian Telecommunications Company (BTC) had a monopoly on fixed telephone networks. However, this ended when a special law was adopted. BTC was privatized in 2004 and competing operators appeared.

Larger areas, such as Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, and Burgas, are subdivided into zones. Although one cannot further reduce the number of dialed digits, the number itself shows which zone it is located in. For example, in Sofia, numbers starting with 2, 82, 92 are located in the Western suburbs, 7, 87, 97 in the Eastern suburbs, and 98 in the central area.

Around 2010 [ when? ], the intensive process of replacing the old analog switches with modern digital ones completed. In some areas it is even possible to guess if a subscriber number was changed from analog to digital during its existence or was subscribed as digital initially. For example, in Blagoevgrad a number starting with 88 was subscribed as digital, and a number starting with a single 8 was analog before.

The first digit also shows if a particular subscriber number is operated by BTC or another operator.

The area codes are always cited with the trunk code. When dialing all subscriber numbers must be prefixed with trunk and area code except short codes (see below). Numbers starting with 700, 800 and 90x as well as mobile ones are prefixed by '0' only. However, when dialing from abroad, the trunk code '0' must be replaced with the country code '+359'.

Mobile numbers

Until 20 July 2003 GSM networks used six-digit subscriber numbers in accordance with the limit of eight digits for the domestic part of a number. With the increase of subscribers (and an international requirement), all (except Vivacom, which started operations in 2006) acquired new access codes. On 20 July 2003, Mobiltel used three codes ((0)87, (0)88, (0)89) and Globul used two ((0)98 and (0)99). When these limits were also to be overwhelmed, seven-digit subscriber numbers and single access codes per operator were introduced, hence M-tel (now A1) reverted to 088 (+7 digits) only, while Globul (now Yettel) took the old M-tel code 089 (+7 digits), and the rest were freed up. (Mobikom had gone through a similar change in the mid-90s – from (0)799 to (0)48).

This change provokes an error in citing mobile numbers, quite similar to that of erroneous UK telephone codes. The first digit of the subscriber number is most often cited as part of the access code, e.g. (0)887 XXX XXX, instead of the correct (0)88 7XX XXXX. This error remains for new subscriber numbers even for Vivacom (which entered the market with the 087 (+7 digits) code and has always remained so). However, unlike the situation in UK, this error has no effect since a mobile number must always be dialled with the access code.

Dialing to a mobile network requires the access code together with the 0. Dialing from a mobile network requires either an area or access code with the trunk or international format ((0)YY YXXX XXX or +359 YY YXXX XXX). The latter becomes a normal practice, since most people use number lists of their handsets, more people use their phones in roaming and all four operators show the caller ID in international format.

The number 088 8888 888 (formerly 0888 888 888 or +359 88 888 8888) was linked to three deaths in the early 2000s, [1] leading M-tel to suspend use of the number from service.

Area codes

As in many countries, an area code is often written with the dialing code 0 pretended as if it were part of the area code itself.

CodeArea or service
17xPaging services (six digits, not active: 177: Link Paging, 178: Varna Page, 179: Mobipage)
2Sofia
30xSmolyan Province codes (301: Smolyan, 309: Pamporovo)
30xx
30xxx
31xPlovdiv Province codes
31xx
31xxx
32Plovdiv
33xPlovdiv Province codes (331: Asenovgrad)
33xx
34Pazardzhik
35xPazardzhik Province codes (350: Peshtera, 359: Velingrad)
35xx
35xxx
36xKardzhali Province codes (361: Kardzhali)
36xx
36xxx
37xHaskovo Province codes (373: Harmanli, 379: Svilengrad)
37xx
37xxx
38Haskovo
39xHaskovo Province codes (391: Dimitrovgrad)
39xx
41xStara Zagora Province codes (416: Chirpan)
41xx
41xxx
42Stara Zagora
430Tetra mobile network
43xStara Zagora Province codes (431: Kazanlak)
43xx
43xxx
44Silven
45xSliven Province codes (453: Kotel, 457: Nova Zagora, 454: Tvarditza)
45xx
46Yambol
47xYambol and Haskovo Provinces codes (470: Topolovgrad, 478: Elhovo)
47xx
47xxx
48NMT mobile network Mobikom (six digits), disused
51xVarna Province codes (518: Provadiya, 519: Devnya)
51xx
51xxx
52Varna
53xShumen Province codes (537: Novi Pazar, 538: Veliki Preslav)
53xx
53xxx
54Shumen
55xBurgas Province codes (550: Sinemorets, 554: Nesebar)
55xx
55xxx
56Burgas
57xDobrich Province codes (570: Kavarna, 579: Balchik)
57xx
57xxx
58Dobrich
59xBurgas Province codes (590: Ahtopol, 596: Pomorie)
59xx
59xxx
60xTargovishte Province codes (601: Targovishte, 608: Popovo)
60xx
60xxx
61xVeliko Tarnovo Province codes (610: Pavlikeni, 618 Gorna Oryahovitza)
61xx
61xxx
62Veliko Tarnovo
63xVeliko Tarnovo and Pleven Provinces codes (631: Svishtov)
63xx
63xxx
64Pleven
65xPleven Province codes (650: Levski, 658: Belene)
65xx
65xxx
66Gabrovo
67xGabrovo and Lovech Provinces codes (670: Troyan, 675: Sevlievo)
67xx
67xxx
68Lovech
69xLovech Province codes (697: Lukovit)
69xx
69xxx
700Local rate numbers (five digits)
70xKyustendil Province codes (701: Dupnitsa, 702: Bobov Dol, 707: Sapareva Banya)
70xx
71xxSofia Province codes (718: Koprivshtitsa, 720: Etropole, 721: Kostinbrod, 722: Samokov, 723: Botevgrad, 726: Svoge, 729: Godech)
71xx
72x
73Blagoevgrad
74xBlagoevgrad Province codes (745: Petrich, 746: Sandanski, 747: Razlog, 749: Bansko)
74xx
75xxx
75xBlagoevgrad and Sofia Provinces codes (750: Borovets, 751: Gotse Delchev)
75xx
75xxx
76Pernik
77xPernik Province codes (777: Radomir)
77xx
77xxx
78Kyustendil
79xxKyustendil Province codes
799NMT mobile network Mobikom, disused, replaced by 048
800Toll free numbers (five digits)
81xRuse Province codes (817: Byala)
81xx
81xxx
82Ruse
84Razgrad
86Silistra
87GSM/UMTS/LTE/NR mobile network Vivacom (seven digits) *
88GSM/UMTS/LTE/NR mobile network A1 (seven digits)
89GSM/UMTS/LTE/NR mobile network Yettel (seven digits) *
90x [2] Value added services (five digits)
91xVratsa Province codes (910: Mezdra, 915: Byala Slatina)
91xx
91xxx
92Vratsa
93xVidin Province codes (936: Belogradchik, 938: Kula)
93xx
93xxx
94Vidin
95xMontana Province codes (953: Berkovitsa)
95xx
95xxx
96Montana
97xVratsa and Montana Province codes (971: Lom, 973: Kozloduy)
97xx
97xxx
98MVNOs on GSM/UMTS mobile network A1 (seven digits) †
999LTE/WiMAX network MAX Telecom [3]

* Until 2003, the codes 089 and 087 were used by M-TelUntil 2003, the codes 098 and 099 were used by Telenor – see above.

Short codes

CodeService
112emergency
120wake up call
121operator for long-distance calls within Bulgaria
123operator for international calls
124operator for international calls
125operator for international calls
130phone lines problems
143emergency road service & road assistance
144telephone information service
146emergency road service & road assistance
147area codes within Bulgaria
148area codes within Bulgaria
149area codes within Bulgaria
152BTC local calls rates
153BTC long-distance within Bulgaria calls rates
154BTC international calls rates
157BTC international calls rates
159cultural events guide
164shipping information (in Bourgas and Varna)
167horoscope
168National Radio schedule
169horoscope
170BTC assistance
171theater schedule (by city)
172currency exchange rates
173tales for kids
174trains time-table (by city)
175weather forecast
176BTC information
177tales for kids
178pharmacy information
179currency exchange rates
180time service
181TV programs
182tramp shipping information (in Bourgas and Varna)
183ocean shipping information (in Bourgas and Varna)
184tanker shipping information (in Bourgas and Varna)
185line shipping information (in Bourgas and Varna)
186BTC digital services information
187send a telegram
188TV programs
190BTC rates guide
191cinema schedule (by city)
192TV programs
193TV programs
194TV programs
195sport news
196sport lottery results
197international dialing codes
198BTC terms of payment
199automatic telephone information guide

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone numbers in Greece</span>

This is a list of dialing codes in Greece. The first digit represents the type of service. 1 is used for short codes, 2 for geographical numbers, 5 is used for inter-network routing purposes and VPNs, 6 for mobile services, 7 is reserved for universal access numbers, 8 for reduced-fee services, 9 is used for premium rate services. All dialable numbers are ten digits, except for short codes, 807-XXXX used for calling card access codes, and numbers in the 5 range, used for routing purposes and not dialable by end-subscribers.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom</span>

In the United Kingdom, telephone numbers 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone numbers in Australia</span>

The Australian telephone numbering plan governs the allocation of telephone numbers in Australia. It has changed many times, the most recent major reorganisation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority taking place between 1994 and 1998.

In Argentina, area codes are two, three, or four digits long. Local customer numbers are six to eight digits 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone numbers in Hong Kong</span>

Telephone numbers in Hong Kong are mostly eight-digit. Fixed land line numbers start with 2 or 3, mobile (cellular) phone numbers with 4, 5, 6, 7 or 9, pager numbers with 7 and forwarding service with 8. Since the end of 1989, there have been no area codes within Hong Kong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone numbers in the Republic of Ireland</span>

Numbers on the Irish telephone numbering plan are regulated and assigned to operators by ComReg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone numbers in Singapore</span>

Telephone numbers in Singapore, also known as the National Numbering Plan, are regulated by the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA). Due to the small geographical size of Singapore, there are no area or trunk codes; all numbers belong to one numbering area, and thus come in the same 8-digit format. Numbers are categorised based on the first digit, thus providing ten possible categories, of which six are currently in use and the remaining four reserved for future usage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone numbers in Romania</span>

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 Luxembourg employ a closed dialling system, whereby all numbers are dialed in the same format whether from within Luxembourg or from abroad. There is no trunk prefix like "0".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone numbers in Ukraine</span> Telephone number system in Ukraine

This is a discussion of telephone numbers in Ukraine. The nation of Ukraine has country code +380. It switched to the European Union's common dialing plan in 2009. Thus, Ukrainian phone numbers consist of a 2-digit zone code, an optional subzone code, an optional filler, and the local phone number. However, following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the regions of Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk were given Russian telephone codes instead, as if they were following telephone numbers in Russia, by Russian authorities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone numbers in Israel</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone numbers in Germany</span>

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..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone numbers in India</span>

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.

National conventions for writing telephone numbers vary by country. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) publishes a recommendation entitled Notation for national and international telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and Web addresses. Recommendation E.123 specifies the format of telephone numbers assigned to telephones and similar communication endpoints in national telephone numbering plans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone numbers in Belarus</span>

Belarus began using its own country code +375 in 1995, replacing the +7 international country code inherited from the Soviet Union. The local numbering plan was inherited from the Soviet Union and remains with few changes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone numbers in Georgia (country)</span>

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.

References

  1. "Spooky! There's a reason why the phone number 0888 888 888 has been suspended — all its users are dead". 27 October 2016.
  2. "Услуги с Добавена Стойност | 0900.bg". 0900.bg. Retrieved 2018-06-08.
  3. "Max to offer voice services over OTT platform?". Telegeography. 4 December 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2015.