Understanding Phone Numbers in Portugal

Quick Facts

• Country: Portugal
• Country Code: +351
• International Prefix: 00
• National Prefix: None
• Regulatory Authority: ANACOM (Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações)

Overview

Discover the intricacies of Portugal's telephone numbering system with this comprehensive guide. Perfect for telecom professionals, developers, and business operators, this resource covers number formats, dialing rules, and regulatory guidelines to help you manage Portuguese phone numbers efficiently.

Number Structure

Portugal's numbering plan adheres to the ITU-T E.164 standard, ensuring a consistent 9-digit length for all subscriber numbers:

• Country Code: +351
• National Significant Number (NSN): 9 digits
  • Area Code/Prefix: 1-2 digits
  • Subscriber Number: 7-8 digits

Number Formats

Type of Number	Format	Example	Prefix/Area Code	Subscriber Number Length
Geographic (Landline)	2X XXXXXXX	213456789	21 (Lisbon)	7 digits
Mobile	9X XXXXXXX	912345678	91, 92, 93, 96	7 digits
Toll-Free	800 XXXXXX	800123456	800	6 digits
Shared Cost	808 XXXXXX	808123456	808	6 digits
Premium Rate	6X XXXXX	6012345	60, 64, 76	5 digits
Audiotext	646 XXXXX	6461234	646	5 digits

Regular Expressions for Validation

• Geographic (Landline):
  /^2\d{8}$/
  

• Mobile:
  /^9[1236]\d{7}$/
  

• Toll-Free:
  /^800\d{6}$/
  

• Shared Cost:
  /^808\d{6}$/
  

• Premium Rate:
  /^6[046]\d{5}$/
  

• Audiotext:
  /^646\d{5}$/
  

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

• Landline to Landline: Dial the full 9-digit number (e.g., 213456789).
• Landline to Mobile: Dial the full 9-digit number (e.g., 912345678).
• Mobile to Mobile: Dial the full 9-digit number (e.g., 932345678).

International Calls

• Outgoing from Portugal: Dial 00, followed by the country code and national number (e.g., 00 44 2071234567 for the UK).
• Incoming to Portugal: Dial your international access code, 351, and the 9-digit Portuguese number (e.g., +351 213456789).

Number Portability

Since 2004, Portugal has enabled number portability for both mobile and fixed-line numbers, allowing users to switch providers without changing their numbers.

Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

Operator	Number Range
Telecel	91XXXXXXXX
Optimus	93XXXXXXXX
TMN	96XXXXXXXX

ITU-T Recommendations

Portugal complies with these ITU-T recommendations:

• E.123: Notation for national and international telephone numbers.
• E.164: The international public telecommunication numbering plan.

Number Allocation and Management

ANACOM oversees the allocation and management of phone numbers in Portugal, ensuring an efficient and equitable numbering plan that meets future demands.

Technical Restrictions and Special Cases

• Golden Numbers: No specific regulations on golden numbers.
• Number Blocking: Available for certain premium-rate services to prevent unauthorized charges.

Technical Considerations for Developers

When integrating Portuguese phone numbers into your systems, consider:

1. Validation: Utilize the provided regex patterns for accurate validation.
2. Portability: Ensure systems accommodate number portability for seamless call routing.
3. Internationalization: Store numbers in E.164 format for global compatibility.
4. Prefix Handling: Remember, Portuguese numbers lack a national prefix.