Understanding Phone Numbers in Finland

Quick Reference

• Country: Finland
• Country Code: +358
• International Prefix: 00|99(?:[01469]|5(?:[14]1|3[23]|5[59]|77|88|9[09]))
• National Prefix: 0

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Overview

This guide offers an in-depth look at Finland's telephone numbering plan, detailing the structure of phone numbers, dialing procedures, and telecommunications regulations. It is an essential resource for telecom professionals, developers, and systems administrators seeking precise information on Finland's numbering system.

Number Formats

General Number Structure

Finland's phone numbers are structured based on service type, such as landline, mobile, or toll-free. Each number begins with the country code (+358) and is followed by a subscriber number, which may include a specific prefix.

Detailed Number Structure

Type of Number	Format	Example	Description
Landline	0X XXXX XXXX	09 1234 5678	Typically 9 digits, starting with 0, followed by an area-specific prefix.
Mobile	04X XXX XXXX or 050 XXX XXXX	040 123 4567	Mobile numbers start with 04X or 050, followed by a 6-7 digit subscriber number.
Toll-Free	0800 XXX XXX	0800 123 456	Toll-free numbers start with 0800.
Premium Rate	0600 XXX XXX or 0700 XXX XXX	0600 123 456	Premium rate numbers start with 0600 or 0700.
Emergency	112	112	Shortcode for emergency services.

Regular Expressions for Number Validation

• Landline:
  ^0[1-9]\d{1,2} \d{4,7}$
  

• Mobile:
  ^(04\d|050)\d{6,7}$
  

• Toll-Free:
  ^0800 \d{3,6}$
  

• Premium Rate:
  ^(0600|0700) \d{3,6}$
  

• Emergency:
  ^112$
  

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Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

• Landline to Landline: Dial the full number, including the area code (e.g., 09 1234 5678).
• Landline to Mobile: Dial the mobile number directly (e.g., 040 123 4567).
• Mobile to Mobile: Dial the mobile number directly.

International Calls

• Outgoing: Dial the international prefix (00), followed by the country code, area code (if applicable), and the subscriber number (e.g., 00 1 212 555 1234 for a call to the USA).
• Incoming: Callers from abroad should dial +358 followed by the subscriber number, omitting the leading 0 (e.g., +358 40 123 4567).

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Number Portability

Finland supports mobile number portability, allowing subscribers to keep their mobile numbers when switching providers. This process is regulated by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) and typically takes a few days, facilitated by the receiving operator.

Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

Operator	Common Prefixes
Elisa	040, 050, 046
Telia	041, 042, 045
DNA Finland	044, 045
Saunalahti	045

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Regulatory Framework and ITU Compliance

The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) oversees the management and allocation of telephone numbers in Finland. The country complies with the ITU-T Recommendation E.164, which standardizes the international public telecommunication numbering plan.

Number Allocation and Management

Traficom is responsible for the allocation and management of phone numbers, ensuring compliance with international standards and coordinating with the ITU for any changes to the numbering plan.

Technical Considerations

For Developers and Systems Administrators

• Number Validation: Use the provided regular expressions to validate Finnish phone numbers in your systems.
• Dialing Prefixes: Ensure that your systems correctly handle both national and international dialing prefixes.
• Portability Management: Implement logic to handle mobile number portability, ensuring that numbers are correctly routed to the appropriate operator.
• Emergency Numbers: Ensure that the emergency number 112 is always routed correctly, regardless of the caller's location within Finland.