Telephone numbers in Switzerland

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The Swiss telephone numbering plan describes the Telephone numbering plan in Switzerland. It has changed many times, the most recent major reorganisation being made by the Swiss Federal Office of Communications in March 2002.

Contents

[edit] Country Code

The country calling code for Switzerland is +41.

[edit] Current Plan (E.164/2002)

The current plan, E.164/2002, has been in effect since 2002. The major change was the transition between an open dialing plan to a closed dialing plan (see Telephone numbering plan for a description of the two terms), i.e. the old area code now is required also for local calls. The plan was amended few times, i.e. the transition of numbering zone 01 into 044.

[edit] National Destination Code

The national destination code (NDC) is the prefix code of telephone numbers. From abroad the first digit (0) should not be dialled. Usually a phone number is 10 digits long (3 digits for NDC and 7 digits for the subscriber number, or 4+6), with a few exceptions described in the following table. The numbers are portable between numbering zones (ZN) or between GMS/UTMS mobile operators, so an NDC does not imply that the subscriber is in a particular zone or that he uses a particular mobile operator).

  • NDC – [1]
  • 1 – Short numbers, see table below (3, 4 or 5 digit length)
  • 107xx – Carrier selection code (+ national or international number)
  • 108xx – Carrier selection code (+ national or international number)
  • 00 – international call prefix
  • 01 – ZN Zurich (until 1st April 2007, replaced by 044)
  • 021 – ZN Lausanne
  • 022 – ZN Geneva
  • 024 – ZN Yverdon, Aigle
  • 026 – ZN Fribourg
  • 027 – ZN Sion
  • 031 – ZN Berne
  • 032 – ZN Bienne, Neuchâtel, Soleure, Jura
  • 033 – ZN Thoune
  • 034 – ZN Burgdorf, Langnau i. E.
  • 041 – ZN Lucerne
  • 043 – ZN Zurich
  • 044 – ZN Zurich (old 01)
  • 051 – all of Switzerland
  • 052 – ZN Winterthur
  • 055 – ZN Rapperswil
  • 056 – ZN Baden
  • 058 – business telecommunication networks
  • 061 – ZN Basel
  • 062 – ZN Olten
  • 071 – ZN St. Gall
  • 074 – mobile services: paging services
  • 076 – mobile services: GSM / UMTS - Sunrise (with Yallo, Cablecom, talktalk)
  • 077 – mobile services: GSM / UMTS - various (M-Budget, Tele2)
  • 078 – mobile services: GSM / UMTS - Orange (with CoopMobile)
  • 079 – mobile services: GSM / UMTS - Swisscom
  • 0800 – freephone numbers
  • 081 – ZN Chur
  • 0840 – shared-cost numbers
  • 0842 – shared-cost numbers
  • 0844 – shared-cost numbers
  • 0848 – shared-cost numbers
  • 0860 – voice mail access (+ 9 digits phone without the initial 0, i.e. 086 066 555 44 33 is the voice mail of 066 555 44 33)
  • 0868 – test numbers - Not accessible from abroad
  • 0869 – VPN access code ( + 3 - 10 digits)
  • 0878 – personal numbers (UPT)
  • 0900 – Premium rate service for business, marketing
  • 0901 – Premium rate service for entertainment,
  • 0906 – Premium rate service for adult entertainment
  • 091 – ZN Bellinzona
  • 098 – Inter-network routing numbers - Not accessible from abroad - Non diallable
  • 099 – Internal network numbers - Not accessible from abroad - Non diallable

[edit] Short numbers

[2] [3]

  • 111 – Directory Enquiries (no longer in service - replaced with 1811)
  • 112 – European emergency number (1-1-2)
  • 113 – .
  • 1141 – .
  • 1144 – .
  • 1145 – .
  • 1151 – .
  • 1152 – .
  • 1153 – .
  • 1154 – .
  • 1159 – .
  • 117 – Police
  • 118 – Fireman / fire Rescue Service
  • 140 – TCS (car assistance)
  • 1414 – REGA (helicopter rescue, outside Valais)
  • 1415 – Air Glaciers (helicopter rescue, Valais only)
  • 143 – "The Helping Hand" (psychological assistance)
  • 144 – Ambulance service and medical assistance
  • 145 – Poisoning/intoxication emergencies
  • 147 – Child help line
  • 1600 – Regional announcement voice mail
  • 161 – Speaking clock
  • 162 – Weather forecasts and meteorological conditions
  • 163 – Traffic reports and travel information
  • 164 – Sports news
  • 171 – .
  • 175 – .
  • 176 – .
  • 1811 – Directory Enquiries (Swisscom)
  • 1818 - Directory Enquiries
  • 1850 - International Directory Enquiries
  • 187 – Snow/avalanche threat information

[edit] Alternate Proposed Plan

Instead of E.164/2002, another more ambitious numbering plan was also proposed. In this plan the 0 prefix was discarded, and the area codes were defined differently, with 20 to 49 for geographic areas, 50 to 59 reserved, 60-69 for nationwide numbering, 70-79 for mobile services, 80-89 for shared cost and toll free numbers, and 90 for the premium rate service. The plan was abandoned because it required too many phone number and prefix changes, with associated high costs.

[edit] Changes

[edit] After 2002

The zone code 01 is replaced with 044 (Zurich)

[edit] Between 1996 to 2002 (plan 2002)

In 29 March 2002 the Swiss plan changed to a closed dialing plan, i.e. the zone prefix become mandatory also for local calls.

  • 058 Corporate Access - Landesweite Firmennummer (since 1. June 2000)

[edit] Until 1996 (plan 1996)

The previous plan removed a lot of zone prefixes and at the same time added the seventh digit in the phone numbers (usually a phone number (0cc) yx xx xx become (0dd) zzx xx xx).

  • 023 short prefix for some region in France
  • 025 Chablais, since 2 November 1996 in 024
  • 026 Martigny, since 2 November 1996 in 027
  • 028 high Valais, since 2 November 1996 in 027
  • 029 Greyerzerland/Pays d'Enhaut, since 2 November 1996 in 026
  • 030 Zweisimmen, since 9 November 1996 in 033
  • 035 Langnau im Emmental, since 9 November 1996 in 033
  • 036 Interlaken, since 9 November 1996 in 033
  • 037 Fribourg, since 9 November 1996 in 026
  • 038 Neuchâtel, since 9 November 1996 in 032
  • 039 La-Chaux-de-Fonds, since 9 November 1996 in 032
  • 040 Telepage Swiss (pager)
  • 042 Zug, since 23 March 1996 in 041
  • 043 Schwyz, since 23 March 1996 in 041
  • 044 Altdorf, since 23 March 1996 in 041
  • 045 Sursee, since 23 March 1996 in 041
  • 046 toll free, moved into 155 and then into 0800
  • 051 Zürich, moved into 01+7 digits, then replaced with 044
  • 053 Schaffhausen, since 23 March 1996 in 052
  • 054 Frauenfeld, since 23 March 1996 in 052
  • 057 Wohlen, since 23 March 1996 in 056
  • 058 Glarus, since 23 March 1996 in 055
  • 059 short prefix for some region in Germany
  • 061 Basel
  • 062 Olten
  • 063 Langenthal, aufgehoben und integriert in -> 062 Region Langenthal Oberaargau
  • 064 Aarau aufgehoben und integriert in -> 062 Region Aarau, Fricktal
  • 065 Solothurn, since 9 November 1996 in 032
  • 066 Delémont, since 9 November 1996 in 032
  • 067 short prefix for some region in Germany
  • 068 short prefix for some region in Germany
  • 069 short prefix for some region in Germany
  • 071 St. Gallen, 30 March 1996
  • 072 Weinfelden, aufgehoben und integriert in -> 071 seit 30. März 96 Region Weinfelden (Kt. Thurgau)
  • 073 Wil, aufgehoben und integriert in -> 071 seit 30. März 96 Region Wil
  • 074 Wattwil, aufgehoben und integriert in -> 071 seit 30. März 96 Region Wattwil (Toggenburg)
  • 074 Pager
  • 075 Liechtenstein, until 31 December 2000, now +423
  • 076 Mobile phone "Sunrise"
  • 077 Mobile phone "Natel C"
  • 078 Mobile phone "Orange"
  • 079 Mobile phone "Natel D" (Swisscom)
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