Argentine telephone numbering plan

From Freepedia

Codes
Country code: 54
Trunk code: 0
International code: 00
Intl. operator code: 000
National operator code: 19

Argentina made major changes to its telephone numbering plan in 1999, after its telephone system was privatized. This page describes the changes and the current dialing practices. (For a general overview of the Argentine phone network, see the relevant section of the article about Communications of Argentina.)

In Argentina, changes were made to area codes in 1999, when the telephone network was split up into three different areas, with a new digit representing the new telephone company.

• 01x numbers in Buenos Aires
• 02x numbers in southern provinces under Telefónica
• 03x numbers in northern provinces under Telecom

Similarly, the digit 4 was added to subscribers' numbers. For example, before the change, a number in Buenos Aires would have been dialed as follows:

• xxx xxxx (within Buenos Aires)
• (01) xxx xxxx (within Argentina)
• +54 1 xxx xxxx (outside Argentina)

After the 1999 change, it would instead be dialed as:

• 4xxx xxxx (within Buenos Aires)
• (011) 4xxx xxxx (within Argentina)
• +54 11 4xxx xxxx (outside Argentina)

Until 1998, calls from Argentina to Uruguay were made using domestic dialing codes. For example, to call a number in Montevideo from Argentina before 1998:

• 059 xxx xxx

After 1998, this changed to:

• 00 598 2 xxx xxx

Although Argentina claims the Falkland Islands, which it calls Las Islas Malvinas as part of its national territory, calls are made using the Islands' country calling code, e.g:

• 00 500 xx xxx

Cell phones in Argentina always start with number 15. For instance if a user wanted to call a Buenos Aires cell phone, from within Buenos Aires, he/she would have to dial:

• 15 xxxx-xxxx

Should the user want to call a cell phone in another province, he/she would have to add the local prefix, e.g:

• 0351 15 xxx-xxxx if it is a Córdoba cell phone
• 0341 15 xxx-xxxx if it is a Rosario cell phone
• 0221 15 xxx-xxxx if it is a La Plata cellphone

Since 2003, the digit 9 had to be dialled when calling mobile phone number in Argentina from abroad:

• +54 9 11 xxxx xxxx

Toll-free numbers in Argentina must be dialed the following way:

• 0-800 xxx-xxxx

Numbers that are paid as local calls countrywide start with 0810. These numbers are mostly used by companies that have branches in different provinces and only one call center:

• 0-810 xxx-xxxx

Dial-up Internet access in Argentina gets a special, reduced-tariff number:

• 0610 xxx-xxxx

However, 0610 tends to be confused with "gaming" phones, where a special 3 pesos + VAT tariff is quoted. These numbers always have to be dialed like this:

• 0609 xxx-xxxx

All 0800, 0810 and 0609 have the same number countrywide. However, 0610 only can be used in the Internet Service Provider's area.

Some of the reserved, toll-free special numbers are:

Emergencies:

• 100 Firehouse
• 101 Police
• 107 Ambulance

Starting in January 2004, in the city of Buenos Aires, the new emergency number will be 911. Unlike 100, 101 and 107, 911 will have people trained for the task of handling emergencies. Sadly, it is not unusual (in small towns) to call police at 101 and be told to "wait a sec while I get pen and paper".

Services:

• 110 Phone Listings
• 112 Customer Care (for telephone customers)
• 113 Current time
• 114 Phone repair
• 115 Ring test
• 121 Phone usage info (delayed 24 or more hours)