Phone Numbers in Palestine: A Comprehensive Guide

Quick Reference

• Country: Palestine
• Country Code: +970
• International Prefix: 00
• National Prefix: 0

Overview

Discover the intricacies of Palestine's telephone numbering plan. This guide details phone number structures, dialing procedures for domestic and international calls, and essential telecom information for professionals, developers, and businesses engaging with Palestine.

Number Formats

General Number Structure

Palestinian phone numbers are organized as follows:

• Country Code: +970
• National (Significant) Number: Includes the area code (or mobile prefix) and the subscriber number.
• Area Codes: Typically 1 to 3 digits.
• Subscriber Number: Length varies based on service type.

Geographic Numbers (Landline)

Geographic numbers are region-specific:

Mobile Numbers

Mobile numbers start with '5', followed by a 2-digit operator prefix and a 7-digit subscriber number.

Toll-Free Numbers

Toll-free numbers begin with '1800', followed by a 6-digit subscriber number.

Shared Cost Numbers

Shared cost numbers start with '1700', followed by a 6-digit subscriber number.

Regular Expressions for Number Validation

For developers, use these regex patterns to validate Palestinian numbers:

Geographic Numbers (Landline)

/^(?:\+970|0)(2|8)\d{7}$/

Mobile Numbers

/^(?:\+970|0)(56|59)\d{7}$/

Toll-Free Numbers

/^(?:\+970|0)1800\d{6}$/

Shared Cost Numbers

/^(?:\+970|0)1700\d{6}$/

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

• Landline to Landline: Dial area code + subscriber number, e.g., 02 298 7654 for Ramallah.
• Landline to Mobile: Dial mobile prefix + subscriber number, e.g., 056 987 6543 for Jawwal.
• Mobile to Mobile: Dial mobile prefix + subscriber number, e.g., 059 123 4567.

International Calls

• Outgoing: Dial 00, then country code, area code, and subscriber number. E.g., 00 1 212 555 1234 for the USA.
• Incoming: Dial +970, area code/mobile prefix, and subscriber number, omitting leading 0. E.g., +970 2 298 7654.

Number Portability

Currently, number portability is unavailable in Palestine. Subscribers cannot retain their numbers when switching operators.

Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

ITU Recommendations

Palestine's numbering plan complies with ITU-T Recommendation E.164, ensuring global telecom compatibility.

Number Allocation and Management

The Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology (MTIT) oversees number allocation and management, ensuring alignment with international standards.

Technical Restrictions and Special Cases

• Golden Numbers: Premium or easy-to-remember numbers may be reserved or sold at a higher cost.
• Number Blocking: Certain ranges may be blocked for security, especially in conflict areas.

Technical Considerations

For developers handling Palestinian numbers:

1. Validation: Use regex for accurate validation.
2. Formatting: Store numbers in E.164 format for international use.
3. Handling Prefixes: Carefully manage prefixes when processing data.
4. Localization: Implement features to adapt number formats based on user location.

References:

1. Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology (MTIT)
2. ITU-T Recommendation E.164