Phone Numbers in Argentina

Quick Reference

• Country: Argentina
• Country Code: +54
• International Prefix: 00
• National Prefix: 0

Overview

Discover the intricacies of Argentina's telephone numbering plan, including phone number structures, dialing procedures, and regulatory frameworks. This guide is tailored for telecom professionals, developers, and systems administrators seeking detailed and current information.

Number Formats

General Number Structure

Argentina's phone numbers vary by service type (landline, mobile, toll-free). The standard structure includes:

• Country Code: +54
• Area Code (for geographic numbers): 2 to 4 digits
• Subscriber Number: 6 to 8 digits

Numbering Format by Type

Type	Format Example	Description
Landline	+54 11 1234 5678	2 to 4-digit area code followed by a 6 to 8-digit subscriber number.
Mobile	+54 9 11 1234 5678	Includes a "9" prefix after the country code for mobile numbers.
Toll-Free	+54 800 123 4567	Start with 800 followed by 7 to 8 digits.
Premium Rate	+54 600 123 4567	Start with 600 followed by 7 digits.

Regular Expressions for Validation

• Landline Numbers:
  ^\+54\s?([1-9]{1}[0-9]{1,3})\s?[0-9]{6,8}$
  

• Mobile Numbers:
  ^\+54\s?9\s?([1-9]{1}[0-9]{1,3})\s?[0-9]{6,8}$
  

• Toll-Free Numbers:
  ^\+54\s?800\s?[0-9]{7,8}$
  

• Premium Rate Numbers:
  ^\+54\s?600\s?[0-9]{7}$
  

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

• Landline to Landline: Dial 0 + Area Code + Subscriber Number
  • Example: 0 11 1234 5678
• Landline to Mobile: Dial 0 + Area Code + Subscriber Number
  • Example: 0 11 1234 5678
• Mobile to Mobile: Dial 0 + Area Code + Subscriber Number
  • Example: 0 11 1234 5678

International Calls

• Outgoing: Dial 00 + Country Code + Area Code (if any) + Subscriber Number
  • Example: 00 1 212 555 1234 (calling New York, USA)
• Incoming: Dial +54 + Area Code + Subscriber Number (omit the national prefix 0)
  • Example: +54 11 1234 5678

Number Portability

Argentina supports mobile number portability (MNP), enabling users to keep their numbers when switching providers. This is regulated by the national telecommunications authority, ENACOM.

Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

Operator	Number Range (Example)	Description
Telecom Argentina	+54 11 4XXX XXXX	Covers Buenos Aires and surrounding areas.
Movistar	+54 9 11 5XXX XXXX	Major mobile network operator.
Claro	+54 9 11 6XXX XXXX	Another major mobile network operator.
Personal	+54 9 11 7XXX XXXX	Also a significant mobile network operator.

ITU-T Standards and Recommendations

Argentina's numbering system complies with the ITU-T E.164 standard, ensuring global interoperability and consistency.

Number Allocation and Management

The Ente Nacional de Comunicaciones (ENACOM) oversees phone number allocation and management in Argentina, ensuring compliance with regulations and managing new number ranges.

Technical Restrictions and Special Cases

• Golden Numbers: Often come with higher acquisition costs due to their memorability.
• Number Blocking: Premium service numbers may be blocked by default on some networks due to high costs.

Technical Considerations

For Developers and Systems Administrators

1. Validation: Use provided regex patterns to validate Argentine phone numbers.
2. Formatting: Store numbers in international format (+54) for consistency.
3. Portability: Consider number portability when designing systems involving user authentication or communication.