Brazilian telephone numbering plan
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In Brazil (country code: 55), the telephone numbering plan uses eight-digit local phone numbers, plus a two-digit area code. Public utility services use three-digit phone numbers.
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[edit] Local dialing
The format for a local phone number is nnnn-nnnn, where the first digit identifies the service associated with the phone number:
- 2 to 6: fixed phone
- 7 to 9: mobile phone
Some localities used a seven-digit local number until 2005.
[edit] Public utility
The format for public utility service phone numbers is 1nn. It includes the emergency services, some of which are:
- 100: Human Rights secretary
- 128: MERCOSUL emergency services
- 190: military police
- 191: federal highway patrol
- 192: ambulance
- 193: firefighters
- 194: federal police
- 197: civil police
- 198: state highway patrol
- 199: civil defense
[edit] Distance dialing
The format for a long-distance phone number is (0aa) nnnn-nnnn, where aa is the area code and nnnn-nnnn is the local phone number. Area codes are distributed geographically. See the list of Brazilian area codes for a full list.
To dial a long-distance number within Brazil, you need to use a carrier selection code, to chose which long-distance carrier will be used. It is specified before the area code, so you should dial 0-xx-aa-nnnn-nnnn, where xx is the two-digit carrier selection code. Because of that, sometimes long-distance phone numbers are represented as (0xxaa) nnnn-nnnn, with literal x characters as placeholders which the caller will replace a carrier code.
[edit] Collect calls
Local collect calls are dialed with the 9090 prefix, so to dial nnnn-nnnn, you would use 9090-nnnn-nnnn.
Long-distance collect calls use the 90 prefix instead of the long-distance 0 prefix, so to dial (0aa) nnnn-nnnn, you would use 90-xx-aa-nnnn-nnnn.
[edit] Non-geographic numbers
Non-geographic numbers have a three-digit prefix and a seven-digit number. They are usually represented as if the leading 0 prefix were part of the three-digit prefix (like with long-distance numbers), resulting in the format 0ppp-nnn-nnnn.
The currently allocated prefixes are:
- 0300: flat rate calls
- 0500: premium-rate telephone numbers for donations, with a maximum of R$ 30,00
- 0800: toll-free telephone numbers
- 0900: premium-rate telephone numbers
[edit] International calls
Outbound international calls use a 00 prefix, followed by the carrier selection code and the international telephone number. For instance, to call the international telephone number +cc-aa-nnnn-nnnn, you would use 00-xx-cc-aa-nnnn-nnnn. Since international telephone numbers can have up to 15 digits, the maximum number of digits to be dialed is 19.
Inbound international calls use +55-aa-nnnn-nnnn as the international telephone number. This must be preceded by a country-specific international call prefix.
[edit] A note about mobile telephony in Brazil
Mobile phone numbers are prefixed with the digit '7', '8' or '9'. '7' is used mainly for radiophone use (iDEN technology), but there is an exception in São Paulo area (11), where CDMA and GSM mobile phones can also start with '7'.
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.
Mobile phone numbers always have eight digits. Exceptions existed in Brasília until 2005.
[edit] References
- REGULAMENTO DE NUMERAÇÃO DO SERVIÇO TELEFÔNICO FIXO COMUTADO
- SERVIÇOS DE UTILIDADE PÚBLICA E DE APOIO AO STFC
- Sistema de Administração de Plano de Numeração
- Telefones de interesse do cidadão
