Comprehensive Guide to Montserrat Phone Numbers

Quick Reference

• Country: Montserrat
• Country Code: +1-664
• International Prefix: 011
• National Prefix: 1

Overview

Discover the intricacies of Montserrat's telephone numbering system. This guide covers phone number structures, dialing procedures, and regulations, catering to telecom professionals and developers.

Number Structure

General Number Structure

Montserrat uses the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) format:

• Country Code: +1
• Area Code (NPA): 664
• Subscriber Number: 7 digits

Number Format Breakdown

Type	Format	Example	Description
Landline	+1 664 XXX XXXX	+1 664 491 2345	Standard 7-digit subscriber number following the area code 664.
Mobile	+1 664 49X XXXX	+1 664 493 5678	Mobile numbers typically start with 49X, where X can be any digit.
Toll-Free	+1 800 XXX XXXX	+1 800 234 5678	Toll-free numbers start with 800, followed by a 7-digit subscriber number.
Premium Rate	+1 900 XXX XXXX	+1 900 234 5678	Premium rate numbers start with 900, followed by a 7-digit subscriber number.

Regular Expressions

Validate Montserrat phone numbers using these regular expressions:

• Landline Numbers:

  ^\+1-664-(491|492|493|494|495|496|497|498|499)-\d{4}$
  

• Mobile Numbers:

  ^\+1-664-49[0-9]-\d{4}$
  

• Toll-Free Numbers:

  ^\+1-800-\d{3}-\d{4}$
  

• Premium Rate Numbers:

  ^\+1-900-\d{3}-\d{4}$
  

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

• Landline to Landline: Dial 1 + 664 + 7-digit subscriber number.
• Landline to Mobile: Dial 1 + 664 + 7-digit mobile number.
• Mobile to Mobile: Dial 1 + 664 + 7-digit mobile number.

International Calls

• Outgoing: Dial 011 (International Prefix) + 1 (Country Code) + 664 (Area Code) + 7-digit subscriber number.
• Incoming: The caller should dial their international access code, followed by 1-664 and the 7-digit subscriber number.

Recent and Upcoming Changes

Currently, there are no significant changes to Montserrat's numbering plan. The country continues to operate under the NANP without new area codes or major updates.

Number Portability

Montserrat supports mobile number portability (MNP), allowing users to retain their numbers when switching providers. This is regulated by the national telecommunications authority.

Major Telecom Operators

The primary telecom operator in Montserrat is:

• Flow Montserrat: Offers both mobile and fixed-line services.

ITU-T Recommendations

Montserrat's numbering plan adheres to these ITU-T recommendations:

• E.164: Defines international public telecommunication numbering plans.
• E.123: Provides guidelines for the notation of national and international telephone numbers.

Number Allocation and Management

The Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) oversees the allocation and management of phone numbers in Montserrat, ensuring efficient use of numbering resources.

Technical Restrictions and Special Cases

• Golden Numbers: Reserved for premium services, these numbers may have specific restrictions or higher costs.
• Number Blocking: Certain ranges may be blocked to prevent misuse or fraud.

Technical Considerations for Developers

When handling Montserrat phone numbers, developers should consider:

• Validation: Use regular expressions to ensure correct formatting.
• Portability: Implement support for mobile number portability.
• Internationalization: Ensure systems handle the +1-664 format for both domestic and international contexts.