Australian telephone numbering plan

The Australian telephone numbering plan describes the allocation of phone numbers in Australia. It has changed many times, the most recent major reorganisating was by the Australian Communications Authority between 1994 and 1998.

Present numbering plan

Australia is divided geographically into four large area codes, some of which cover more than one state and territory. The standard telephone number in Australia has ten digits, of which the first is "0".

Fixed line telephone numbers in Australia consist of the area code (two digits, starting with '0'), and an eight-digit local number. The first four "local" digits generally specify the exchange, and the final four a line at that exchange. (Most exchanges, though, have several four-digit exchange codes - whereas in regional areas they use 5-digit exchange codes and 3-digit line numbers. Some very small exchanges can even have a 6-digit exchange code if there will never be more than 100 lines on that exchange.)

Mobile phone numbers are prefixed with 04, followed by eight digits. e.g. 04yy yxx xxx. The y-digit codes are allocated per network, although with the introduction of number portability, there is no longer a fixed relationship between the mobile phone number and the network it uses. The numbers are still allocated in blocks, so a new number will generally still be on its "home" network.

Overview

The following is the numbering plan in domestic format. Geographic areas are approximate - the area codes do not exactly match political territories. (eg 08 80xx is almost fully in NSW) Domestically, these codes are dialled as shown. Internationally the first 0 is replaced by the the country code (eg +61 2 ... for NSW). End-user numbers are 10 digits length, written in the form 0x xxxx xxxx for geographic and 04xx xxx xxx for mobile numbers.

00 Emergency and International access (See below)
01 Alternate phone services

014 satellite phone services
016 paging or +6D
018 analogue (AMPS) mobile phone - few numbers still in use ^*
0198 data networks or +6D
- 02 Central East region (NSW, ACT)
03 South-east region (VIC, TAS)
04 mobile services (Digital - GSM, CDMA, 3G)
05 Universal/Personal numberings (uncommon)
07 North-east region (QLD)
08 Central and West region (SA, NT, WA)

(Geographical region boundaries do not exactly follow state borders.)

1 Non-geographic numbers (See below)

Geographic Numbers (02, 03, 07, 08)

Geographical areas are identified by the first few digits of the local number:

02 40** Newcastle (new)
02 42** Wollongong
02 43** Gosford
02 44** Moruya, Nowra
02 45** Windsor
02 46** Campbelltown^
02 47** Penrith
02 48** Bowral, Crookwell, Goulburn, Marulan
02 49** Newcastle
02 53** Bathurst, etal (new)
02 55** Kempsey, Taree, etal (new)
02 56** Casino, Coffs Harbour, Lismore, etal (new)
02 57** Armidale, etal (new)
02 58** Bourke, etal (new)
02 59** Adelong, etal (new)
02 60** Albury, Wagga Wagga, etal
02 61** Canberra (new)
02 62** Canberra
02 63** Bathurst, etal
02 64** Bega, Cooma
02 65** Kempsey, Taree, etal
02 66** Casino, Coffs Harbour, Lismore, etal
02 67** Armidale, etal
02 68** Bourke, etal
02 69** Adelong, etal
02 8*** Sydney (new)
02 9*** Sydney

03 40** Mildura, Balranald, etal (new)
03 41** Bairnsdale, etal (new)
03 43** Ballarat, etal (new)
03 44** Bendigo, etal (new)
03 47** Alexandra, etal (new)
03 50** Mildura, Balranald, etal
03 51** Bairnsdale, etal
03 52** Colac, Geelong
03 53** Ballarat, etal
03 54** Bendigo, etal
03 55** Camperdown, etal
03 56** Foster, etal
03 57** Alexandra, etal
03 58** Deniliquin, etal
03 59** Mornington, etal
03 61** Hobart (new)
03 62** Hobart
03 63** Launceston
03 64** Queenstown, etal
03 8*** Melbourne (new)
03 9*** Melbourne

07 3*** Brisbane, Bribie Island
07 40** Cairns
07 41** Bundaberg, Kingaroy, etal
07 42** Cairns (new)
07 44** Townsville, etal (new)
07 45** Toowoomba, Roma, south-west (new)
07 46** Toowoomba, Roma, south-west
07 47** Townsville, etal
07 48** Rockhampton, Mackay, etal (new)
07 49** Rockhampton, Mackay, etal
07 53** Sunshine Coast, Esk^, Nambour, Gatton, etal (new)
07 54** Sunshine Coast, Esk^, Nambour, Gatton, etal
07 55** Gold Coast (Beaudesert) 07 5551
07 56** Gold Coast (Beaudesert) (new)

08 61** Perth (new)
08 62** Perth (new)
08 63** Perth (new)
08 64** Perth (new)
08 65** Perth (new)
08 68** Albany, etal (new)
08 71** Adelaide (new)
08 72** Adelaide (new)
08 73** Adelaide (new)
08 74** Adelaide (new)
08 75** Berri, etal (new)
08 76** Ceduna, etal (new)
08 80** Broken Hill
08 81** Adelaide (new)
08 82** Adelaide
08 83** Adelaide
08 84** Adelaide
08 85** Berri, etal
08 86** Ceduna, etal
08 87** Bordertown, etal
08 88** Clare, etal
08 89** Northern Territory (Alice Spings, Darwin)
08 90** Kalgoorlie, etal
08 91** Derby, etal Cocos/Christmas Inslands
08 92** Perth
08 93** Perth
08 94** Perth
08 95** Bullsbrook East, etal
08 96** Moora, etal
08 97** Bridgetown, etal
08 98** Albany, etal
08 99** Camamah, etal

^ means not the entire charge zone
(new) means new since renumbering
0x 5551 reserved for fictitious use. (not including x=3)
0x 7010 reserved for fictitious use.

Mobile Phone numbers (04)

Generally the following numbers apply for the following mobile companies:

04x1; 04x2; 04x3 Optus
04x4; 04x5; 04x6 Vodafone
04x7; 04x8; 04x9 Telstra

However mobile number portability means the number might have been moved. Also, this "rule of thumb" is also not accurate where x is 3 or greater. (eg. 0433 is Hutchinson ("Three Mobile"), 0434 is Optus). There are also many resellers, and many companies buy "air time" off other companies for roaming.

Personal numbers (05)

0500 - "Find me anywhere" - divert the number to a mobile or normal number and the caller pays the bill
0550 - Proposed VOIP range
059 - Enum testing numbers

Other non-geographic numbers (00, 1)

The following codes are not generally dialable from international points, but used in domestic dialing:

000 - Emergency (Police, Fire, Ambulance)
001 International access numbers ^*

0011 international access (default)
0014 international access (Primus)
0015 international access (Telstra - fax)
0016 international access (Telstra)
0018 international access (Telstra - "easy half hours")
0019 international access (Singtel Optus)

(Normally when choosing an international alternate carrier one would dial 14xx 0011 [number.)

106 - TTY emergency (for the hearing-impaired)
11 - Community service

1100 - Dial Before You Dig
112 - Emergency from GSM mobile phones only
114 - Mass calling service ^*
119 - Community service ^* (eg 1194 is time and 1196 is weather)
- 12 - Network services

122 - Operator services (eg 1223 is directory assistance) ^*
126 - Internal network services ^*
127 - Testing numbers (eg 12722123 reads your number) ^*
- 13 - Local rate calls or +6D or +8D
14 - Carrier selection override prefix ^*
15 - Internal network testing ^*
180 - FreeCall or +7D
183 - Control service (prefix) eg: ^*

1831 - Block caller-id sending
1832 - Unblock Caller-id sending
- 188 - Premium SMS ^* (since moved to 19 range)
19 - Premium rate services or +6D or +8D

Some Notes:

These numbers do not have a trunk prefix (0).
The 106 number is believed to be first in the world.
The 13 numbers are generally 6 digits, but are expensive for the number owner (over $1000/month); or 10 digits beginning with 1300.

These numbers provide source-based routing, for things like pizza chains to advertise one number nationwide but customers always get the local store.
Numbers beginning with 1345 are 8 digits and are only for back-to-base monitored alarm systems.
- Virtually all freecall numbers in use are 1800 ^*.
Premium rate services are 190 ^* for voice calling, or 6 or 8 digits total for premium SMS.
Some of these numbers are diallable from overseas, it is up to the individual owner to set this up correctly (for 13 and 180 numbers at least) (eg +61 13x xxx)

The current numbering plan would appear to be sufficient to cope with potential increase in demand for services for quite some time to come. The 06 and 09 area codes are completely unused, plus each current area code has large spaces unallocated.

Historic numbering plans

Renumbering (1994-1998)

As in other countries, due to the increase in subscriber uptake of services such as extra telephone lines in homes, mobile phones and other services, the previous numbering plan was being stretched to its limit. It was decided to reduce the number of area codes and lengthen all subscriber numbers by one or two digits. This occurred between 1994 and 1998, and done progressively to ensure as little inconvenience and/or confusion as possible. The gradual change was also to avoid number clashes, a situation where two subscribers in two completely different locations have technically the same telephone number if dialled in their entirety.

During the period of changeover, Australians were often told they were required to dial the entire telephone number they were calling, including the area code, even though the number may have been within the same area code. For example, a caller in Sydney with the number (02) 9xxx xxxx would need to dial (02) 49xx xxxx to call a number in Newcastle, despite the area code being the same. This was in order to avoid possible number clashes. Although this practice officially ceased on March 1, 1999, many still believe they are required to dial an area code outside their own telephone book area, but this is not the case.

Previous numbering plan

Prior to reorganisation, the Australian numbering plan was as follows:

00z xxx xxx Tasmania (z=2, 3, 4)
0055 xx xxx Premium rate
008 xxx xxx Freecall
01z xxx xxx Mobile phone services. (z=4, 6, 8, 9)
02 xxx xxxx Sydney
03 xxx xxxx Melbourne
04x xxx xxx New South Wales regional areas - ~ within 250 km of Sydney
05x xxx xxx Victoria regional areas
06 2xx xxxx Australian Capital Territory
06x xxx xxx New South Wales regional areas ~ outside the 04x codes and the ACT
07 zxx xxxx Brisbane (z=2,3,8)
07x xxx xxx Queensland regional areas
08 zxx xxxx Adelaide (z=2,3,4)
08x xxx xxx South Australia regional areas
089 xxx xxx Northern Territory
09 zxx xxxx Perth (z=2,3,4)
09x xxx xxx Western Australia regional areas
091 62x xxx Christmas Island*
091 64x xxx Cocos Keeling Islands*

Until 1994, these territories were not part of the Australian numbering plan, and instead used the code 672, for the Australian External Territories of Norfolk Island and the Australian Antarctic Territory.'' They have changed to 08 9162 and 08 9164 respectively, but other ranges are now used on the islands (at least in theory).

List of fomer area codes and changes (links by state at the bottom of the page)

International access codes

The main international prefix is 0011 (there are others for special purposes, such as 0018, for charging in half-hour blocks, 0015, for fax traffic, and 0014, for discounted rates). However, carrier selection codes (14xx) are now also used, and carrier pre-selection is widely used.

Emergency services number

000 is the emergency telephone number in Australia, but the international GSM mobile emergency telephone number 112 also works on mobile phones.

Increased awareness of the 112 emergency number in Australia has led to the potential for confusion over which number to call in an emergency. 112 does not work from land lines, but confers special benefits when dialed from GSM mobiles (use of any carrier, preferential routing, etc). The ACA has worked to ensure that the benefits of 112 also extend to 000 on mobile phones; however, this can not be guaranteed on privately imported (eg. roaming) telephones.

106 is for the hearing-impaired for use with a TTY terminal.

Freecall, local and premium-rate numbers

Australia also uses the free call area code 1800. This is copied from the U.S. prefix 1-800, but while in North America, the 1 is the long-distance prefix and 800 is the area code, 1800 in Australia is itself an area code (prior to the introduction of 8-digit numbers, the area code was 008).

Similarly, '190x' (NOTE: not to be confused with '0198' - see below !!) is the code for charging services (i.e. recorded information, competition lines, psychics, phone sex, etc). (Prior to the introduction of 8-digit numbers, the area code was 0055.) 190 numbers incur a rate as charged by the provider - either at a per-minute rate (limited at $5.50 per minute) or a fixed rate (up to $38.50 per call). The latter method is most often used for fax-back services, where a timed charge is not appropriate. Costs of 190 calls for competitions involving chance are also often limited by state legislation to $0.55 per call. (In the previous numbering plan, 0055 numbers were limited to three bands: Premium Rate, Value Rate and Budget Rate, with per minute rates of $0.75, $0.60 and $0.40 respectively.)

Other numbers beginning with '19' are used for premium-rate SMS services. These were originally trialled using the '188' prefix.

There are also 13 and 1300 numbers, known as Local Rate Numbers. These work across large areas (up to across Australia) and only charge a local call, routing the call to the appropriate place in a given area. (For example, a company could have the number 139999 and have the telephone company set it up so that calls made in Melbourne would route to their Melbourne number, calls made in Brisbane to their Brisbane number, and calls made anywhere else in Australia route to their Sydney number, all at a local charge cost to the caller.)

All calls to 0198 numbers are similarly a "local call" cost to '13' and '1300' numbers but are used for internet service provider access numbers. They are used both with "dial up modems" modems and ISDN.

Other numbers

014 numbers are for satellite phones. There is some cross-over with 04 numbers, however.

Telephone numbering plans

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