Telephone numbers in New Zealand
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The New Zealand telephone numbering plan describes the allocation of telephone numbers in New Zealand.
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[edit] History
Up until the 1970's, New Zealand's telephone network consisted primarily of step by step telephone exchanges. Local telephone number lengths varied from 3 to 6 digits depending on the size of exchange and population of the local calling area. Numerous complex dialling instructions appeared in the front of telephone books explaining the number sequences needed to dial subscribers in local "free calling" areas, and in a few cases for short distance toll calls (which were recorded on manually read meters in some local exchanges). Local calls were "free", and still are for residential customers. Long distance or toll calls required the manual intervention of an operator, who had access to toll circuits, either via an operator's cord board or a toll exchange (switch). Access to the toll operator was by dialling 0.
Local directory service could be accessed via 100, telephone faults via 120, and emergency services via 111.
Subscriber Toll Dialling (STD) was introduced into New Zealand telephone network in the mid 1970's, a result of the introduction of NEC crossbar based toll exchanges and their ability to perform number translation. One still needed to dial 0 to make a toll call, but instead of calling the operator, one could then dial the STD number directly. Access to the operator was via 010, while other service numbers remained unchanged.
The original area codes were numbered south to north, going from 021 in Invercargill to 089 in Whangarei, with 03 in Christchurch, 04 in Wellington, and 09 in Auckland.
With the introduction of NEC Stored Program Control exchanges in to the New Zealand telephone network during the 1980's, and the rapid growth in demand, the breakup of the New Zealand Post Office and the creation of Telecom New Zealand, the opportunity arose to standardise local telephone numbers at 7 digits long. In many parts of the country, the old area code was incorporated into the new number, hence Nelson (054) xx xxx became (03) 54x xxxx. Or New Plymouth (067) became (06) 75x xxxx - old numbers mostly 5 digit, or 1 series of 6 digit at the Spotswood Exchange of 51x xxx.
At the same time, the opportunity was taken to move directory service from 100 to 018 and charge for directory service calls. The justification for doing so was the introduction of a directory service computer system that gave access to current New Zealand telephone number listings, not just those printed in the telephone book, and the need for a separate user pays revenue stream for Telecom Directory Services, which was separate to the 5 regional (local) telephone companies, TNI and Telecom Mobile that Telecom had split itself into, as part of the sale of Telecom and deregulation of New Zealand telecommunications services.
Since 1993, land-line telephone numbers in New Zealand consist of a single-digit area code and seven-digit local numbers, the first four of which generally specify the exchange and the final three a line at that exchange.
[edit] International Number Lengths
Country code : +64
The long distance prefix, 0, that is prepended to national numbers is not part of the international number.
Minimum number length after International prefix : 3 digits (Most numbers, other than service numbers, are at least 8 digits.)
Maximum number length after International prefix : 9 digits (Except numbers starting 210 - 10 digits)
[edit] Present Numbering Plan
Country Code: 64
Long Distance Prefix: 0
International Prefix: 00
[edit] Landlines
New Zealand landline phone numbers total eight digits excluding the leading 0: a one-digit area code, and a seven-digit phone number (e.g. 09 700 1234), beginning with a digit between 2 and 9 (but excluding 900, 911, and 999 due to misdial guards). There are five regional area codes: 03, 04, 06, 07, and 09. These must be dialed when calling a recipient outside the local calling area of which the caller is located. For example, one calling Dunedin from Christchurch must dial 03, even though Christchurch is 03 as well.
The area codes are:
- 024099 for the Scott Base in the Ross Dependency
- 03 for the South Island and the Chatham Islands
- 04 for the Wellington Region to Kapiti, but not the Wairarapa and Otaki
- 06 for the remaining southern and eastern North Island including Taranaki, Manawatu-Wanganui (excluding Taumarunui), Hawke's Bay,Gisborne, the Wairarapa, and Otaki
- 07 for the Waikato, the Bay of Plenty and Taumarunui
- 09 for Auckland and Northland
[edit] Mobile Phones
Mobile phone numbers begin 02, followed by one digit indicating the original mobile network that issued the number, followed by six to eight digits (usually seven). Mobile numbers must always be dialled in full.
There are seven network prefixes that have been assigned for mobile phones in New Zealand, although only 021, 027, and 029 are well known and/or still operating:
| Prefix | Network | Number length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 020 | Orcon | ||
| 021 | Vodafone | 6 to 8 digits | |
| 024 | Ihug/Vodafone | (0240 is forbidden as the prefix for Scott Base) | |
| 025 | Unused | Was used by Telecom New Zealand until it was shut down on 31 March 2007. All numbers have now migrated to 027. | |
| 027 | Telecom New Zealand | 7 digits | |
| 0280 | Compass Communications | ||
| 028 | CallPlus | ||
| 029 | TelstraClear |
The introduction of mobile number portability on 1 April 2007 meant that an increasing number of mobiles will be operating on a different network to that which originally assigned the number. To find out whether a particular number belongs to a specific network provider, one can txt the mobile number of interest to 300. It is a free service provided by both Telecom and Vodafone. Reply will be sent to verify whether the number is operating on their network or not.
[edit] Other Numbers
[edit] Toll-free and Premium-rate
Toll-free numbers begin with 0508 or 0800, usually followed by 6 digits (some numbers on 0800 have seven digits). Premium rate services use the code 0900 followed by 5 digits. Local rate numbers, such as internet access numbers, have the prefix 08xx, and are usually followed by 5 digits.
- 0508 TelstraClear Tollfree
- 0800 Telecom, TelstraClear and other network operators Tollfree
- 08xy Various non-geographic services
-
- 083210 Call Minder answerphone service
- 08322 Infocall numbers
- 0867 Dial-up Internet numbers
- 0900 Premium rate services
[edit] Service Numbers
Numbers beginning with 01 are for operator services.
- 010 National Operator
- 0170 International Operator
- 0172 International Directory Service
- 018 National Directory Service
The '1' codes are used for local services, including activating exchange features. The emergency services number is '111'.
- 111 Emergency Services Operator (all telephones)
- 112 Emergency Services Operator for GSM Mobiles (only)
- 11x Not allocatable. Used internally for specific emergency services.
- 12x Network operator repair and sales services.
- 13 - 19 Various uses, mainly exchange service.
The mobile network also recognises telephone numbers starting with *, including:
- *123 Telecom Mobile Sales and Service
- *222 Automobile Association Roadside Service
- *500 (Auckland) Volunteer Coastguard Maritime Rescue
- *555 Traffic Safety Services (Police non-emergency traffic calls)
Text message numbers for mobile phones are 3 or 4 digits long.
[edit] Issues
Despite New Zealand having nine-digit, ten digit, and eleven-digit numbers (including the leading zero), this posed no problem to most phone users until the introduction of number portability.
Telecom's Push 2 Talk service is one service having problems with the multi-length numbers. Older mobiles with this facility cannot communicate with mobiles that have a nine- or eleven-digit length numbers.
[edit] Fictional numbers
New Zealand has no dedicated series of fictional telephone numbers. Television shows and movies generally use any available range of numbers (e.g. the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street uses the unassigned (09) 4299 number range.).
