Phone Numbers in South Sudan: A Comprehensive Guide

Quick Reference

• Country: South Sudan
• Country Code: +211
• International Prefix: 00
• National Prefix: 0

Overview

Discover the essentials of South Sudan's telephone numbering plan. This guide is tailored for telecom professionals, developers, and businesses, offering insights into phone number structures, dialing procedures, number portability, and regulatory oversight. Gain a comprehensive understanding of South Sudan's telecommunications framework.

Number Formats

South Sudan's telephone numbering system supports various services, including geographic, mobile, and special services numbers. Below is a detailed breakdown of these formats.

General Number Structure

• Country Code: +211
• National Number Length: 9 digits
• Format: CC-XXXXXXX (where CC is the country code and XXXXXXX is the national number)

Geographic (Landline) Numbers

• Format: 18X-XXXXXXX
• Area Codes: 18
• Subscriber Number Length: 7 digits

Examples:

• 189-1234567
• 188-7654321

^18[0-9]{7}$

Mobile Numbers

• Format: 12X-XXXXXXX or 9[1257-9]X-XXXXXXX
• Prefixes: 12, 91, 92, 95, 97, 98, 99
• Subscriber Number Length: 7 digits

Examples:

• 129-1234567
• 912-3456789

^(12[0-9]|9[1257-9])[0-9]{7}$

Special Services

• Format: 1XX
• Use Cases: Emergency services, customer support, etc.
• Subscriber Number Length: 3 digits

Examples:

• 112 (Emergency)
• 100 (Operator Assistance)

^1[0-9]{2}$

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

• Landline to Landline: Dial 0 followed by the geographic number (e.g., 018X-XXXXXXX).
• Landline to Mobile: Dial 0 followed by the mobile number (e.g., 091X-XXXXXXX).
• Mobile to Mobile: Dial the mobile number directly (e.g., 091X-XXXXXXX).

International Calls

• Outgoing: Dial 00 followed by the country code, area code, and local number (e.g., 00 1 212-555-1234 for a call to the U.S.).
• Incoming: Callers from abroad should dial +211 followed by the local number without the leading 0 (e.g., +211 912-3456789).

Number Portability

Currently, mobile number portability (MNP) is not available in South Sudan, meaning subscribers cannot retain their mobile numbers when switching between different mobile network operators.

Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

South Sudan's major telecom operators include:

• Zain South Sudan
• MTN South Sudan
• Gemtel

These operators manage number allocations based on the prefixes outlined in the mobile number format section.

Regulatory Body

The telecommunications sector in South Sudan is regulated by the National Communication Authority (NCA). The NCA oversees phone number allocation, telecom operator compliance, and adherence to international standards.

ITU-T Recommendations and Standards

South Sudan follows the ITU-T E.164 standard for international telephone numbering, ensuring global interoperability.

Number Allocation and Management

The National Communication Authority is responsible for the efficient allocation and management of phone numbers in South Sudan, supporting the country's expanding telecommunications needs.

Technical Restrictions and Special Cases

Currently, there are no publicly available details on golden numbers or specific technical restrictions. Special numbers, such as emergency services (e.g., 112), are reserved for critical use.

Technical Considerations for Developers

When developing systems for South Sudanese phone numbers, consider the following:

1. Validation: Use regular expressions to validate phone numbers based on the provided formats.
2. Normalization: Store phone numbers consistently, preferably in the international format (+211XXXXXXXXX).
3. Error Handling: Implement error handling for incorrect or invalid number formats, especially in user input fields.
4. Internationalization: Ensure your system can handle international dialing formats and prefixes.