Understanding Phone Numbers in Papua New Guinea

Quick Reference Guide

• Country: Papua New Guinea
• Country Code: +675
• International Prefix: 00, 140[1-3]
• National Prefix: None

Overview of Papua New Guinea's Phone Number System

Papua New Guinea follows the ITU-T Recommendation E.164 for its telephone numbering plan. This comprehensive guide offers insights into PNG's phone number structures, dialing procedures, and regulatory framework, catering to telecom professionals, developers, and systems administrators seeking to understand the intricacies of Papua New Guinea's telecommunications landscape.

Phone Number Formats

General Number Structure

Papua New Guinea's phone numbers include a country code (+675) and a subscriber number. The absence of traditional area codes means the first digit of the subscriber number often indicates the service type, such as mobile or landline.

• Country Code: +675
• Subscriber Number Length: 7 to 8 digits
• Total Length: 10 to 11 digits (including the country code)

Number Structure by Service Type

Detailed Examples

• Landline:
  • 3201234 (Format: 3[0-2]XXXX)
  • 4201234 (Format: 4[257]XXXX)
• Mobile:
  • 7123456 (Format: 7XXXXXXX)
  • 8123456 (Format: 8[1-38]XXXX)
• Toll-Free:
  • 18001234 (Format: 1800XXXX)

Regular Expressions for Validation

For developers and systems administrators, use the following regular expressions to validate phone numbers in Papua New Guinea:

# Landline
^3[0-2]\d{5}$|^4[257]\d{5}$|^5[34]\d{5}$

# Mobile
^7\d{6}$|^8[1-38]\d{5}$

# Toll-Free
^1800\d{4}$

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

• Landline to Landline: Dial the 7-digit subscriber number directly.
• Landline to Mobile: Dial the 7-digit mobile number directly.
• Mobile to Mobile: Dial the 7-digit mobile number directly.

International Calls

• Outgoing: Dial the international access code 00 or 140[1-3], followed by the country code, and then the subscriber number. For example, to call Australia: 0061 XXXXXXX.
• Incoming: From abroad, dial +675 followed by the 7-digit subscriber number.

Number Portability

Papua New Guinea offers mobile number portability (MNP), allowing users to retain their mobile numbers when switching providers. However, detailed information on fixed-line number portability is not available.

Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

Regulatory Body

The National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA) oversees telecommunications in Papua New Guinea. Visit their official website for the most up-to-date information.

Recent or Upcoming Changes

As of the latest update, there have been no significant changes to the numbering plan in Papua New Guinea. Future changes will likely align with ITU-T recommendations.

Number Allocation and Management

NICTA is responsible for the allocation and management of numbering resources in Papua New Guinea, ensuring compliance with ITU-T standards.

Technical Restrictions and Special Cases

There are no known special cases such as golden numbers or number blocking in Papua New Guinea. All numbers follow the standard E.164 format.

Technical Considerations for Developers

• Validation: Use the provided regular expressions to validate phone numbers in your applications.
• Normalization: Ensure numbers are stored in the E.164 format for consistency.
• Portability: Implement support for mobile number portability if dealing with telecom services in PNG.

Note: Always refer to the official NICTA website for the latest regulations and updates on Papua New Guinea's telecommunications framework.