Lebanon Phone Numbers: Format, Area Code & Validation Guide - phone-number-standards -

Lebanon Phone Numbers: Format, Area Code & Validation Guide

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of Lebanese phone number formats, validation, and best practices for developers. It covers key aspects of working with Lebanese phone numbers, from basic structure to advanced implementation considerations, including carrier information and number portability.

Quick Reference

  • Country: Lebanon
  • Country Code: +961
  • International Prefix: 00 (from landlines) / + (from mobiles)
  • National Prefix: 0
  • Regulatory Authority: Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) (http://www.tra.gov.lb/)
  • NSN Length: 8 digits

Understanding Lebanese Phone Number Formats

Lebanon's phone numbering system blends fixed-line and mobile networks, regulated by the TRA. Adhering to the ITU-T E.164 standard, Lebanese international numbers have a maximum length of 15 digits.

Core Structure

  • International Format: +961 X XXXXXX (Example: +961 1 234567)
  • National Format: 0X XXXXXX (Example: 01 234567)

Best Practice: Store phone numbers in your database using the international format (+961XXXXXXXX) without spaces or special characters. This ensures consistency and simplifies processing.

Number Categories and Prefixes

Lebanese numbers are categorized by their prefix, indicating the type of service:

TypePrefix(es)FormatExampleUsage Context
Landline01, 04-07, 090X XXXXXX01 234567Business and residential fixed lines
Mobile03, 70, 71, 76, 78, 79, 07x (where x is 0-9), 081x (where x is 2-8)0X XXXXXX03 123456Personal and business mobile communications
Premium Rate0909 XXXXXX09 123456Value-added services, premium content
Shared Cost0808 XXXXXX08 123456Customer service and support lines

Note: While prefixes generally indicate service type, number portability can make these less reliable. Always validate using a comprehensive approach.

Implementing Robust Validation

Accurate validation is crucial for handling Lebanese phone numbers. Avoid relying solely on prefixes due to number portability.

Regular Expressions for Validation

Here are refined regular expressions for validating different number types:

javascript
// International format validation
const internationalPattern = /^\+961[1-9]\d{6,7}$/;

// National format validation (more complex due to prefix variations)
const nationalPattern = /^0(?:[14-79][\d]{6}|3(?:[\d]{6}|[0-9][\d]{7})|7(?:0|1|6|8|9)[\d]{6}|81[2-8]\d{5})$/;

// Example usage
function isValidLebaneseNumber(number) {
  return internationalPattern.test(number) || nationalPattern.test(number);
}

Formatting and Sanitization

Consistent formatting improves data quality and user experience.

javascript
function sanitizePhoneNumber(input) {
  return input.replace(/\D/g, ''); // Remove all non-digit characters
}

function formatLebaneseNumber(number) {
  const cleaned = sanitizePhoneNumber(number);
  return cleaned.length === 8 ? `+961${cleaned}` : (cleaned.startsWith('961') ? `+${cleaned}` : null);
}

Carrier Considerations and Number Portability

Lebanon has two main mobile operators:

  • Alfa (MIC1): Prefixes 03, 70, 71, and some 07x numbers.
  • Touch (MIC2): Prefixes 76, 78, 79, and some 07x, 03x, and 081x numbers.
  • Ogero Telecom: Primarily handles landlines (01, 04, 05, 06, 07, and 09).

Number Portability: Subscribers can switch operators while keeping their number. This makes relying solely on prefixes for carrier identification unreliable.

Best Practices for Number Portability

  • Real-time Lookup: Integrate a carrier lookup API for accurate identification.
  • Caching: Cache carrier lookup results with a reasonable Time-To-Live (TTL) to balance accuracy and performance.
  • Database Design: Store carrier information as a separate field in your database, allowing for updates.

Troubleshooting and Common Errors

  • Leading Zero: Ensure the leading zero is included in national format but removed in international format.
  • Invalid Area Codes: Refer to the prefix table for valid area codes.
  • Incorrect Carrier Assumptions: Avoid assuming carrier based on prefix.

Best Practices for Developers

  • Input Sanitization: Always sanitize user input to remove non-digit characters.
  • Comprehensive Validation: Use robust regular expressions and consider carrier lookup APIs.
  • Error Handling: Implement proper error handling to manage invalid numbers gracefully.
  • Internationalization: Design your system to handle both national and international formats.
  • Stay Updated: Monitor TRA regulations and updates for any changes to the numbering plan.

Additional Resources

  • TRA Official Website: http://www.tra.gov.lb/
  • ITU Allocations List: (Refer to the ITU website for the latest allocations.)

Conclusion

By following these guidelines, you can effectively manage Lebanese phone numbers in your applications, ensuring data integrity and a smooth user experience. Remember to prioritize accurate validation, handle number portability correctly, and stay informed about regulatory changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

The country code for Lebanon is +961. This code is required when dialing Lebanese numbers from outside the country. It precedes the area code and subscriber number.
Store Lebanese phone numbers in the international format (+961XXXXXXXX) without spaces or special characters. This ensures consistency and simplifies processing, regardless of the original input format.
Lebanese phone numbers follow the ITU-T E.164 standard, with a maximum length of 15 digits in the international format (+961 X XXXXXX) and 8 digits in the national format (0X XXXXXX).
Use regular expressions like `^\+961[1-9]\d{6,7}$` for international format and `^0(?:[14-79][\d]{6}|3(?:[\d]{6}|[0-9][\d]{7})|7(?:0|1|6|8|9)[\d]{6}|81[2-8]\d{5})$` for national format for accurate validation and to account for variations in prefixes.
Number portability allows users to change carriers while keeping their number, making prefix-based validation unreliable. A comprehensive approach including regular expressions and carrier lookup APIs is recommended.
The national prefix for calls within Lebanon is 0. It precedes the area code when dialing landlines or mobile numbers domestically.
Remove all non-digit characters from user input using a function or regular expression like `replace(/\D/g, '')` to ensure data consistency and prevent errors during validation and processing.
The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) regulates Lebanon's fixed-line and mobile networks, ensuring compliance with international standards and managing the numbering system.
Due to number portability, relying on prefixes for carrier identification is unreliable. Integrate a real-time carrier lookup API or consider caching lookup results with a reasonable TTL.
Use a carrier lookup API when accurate carrier identification is crucial, such as for routing calls or applying carrier-specific logic. Balance real-time lookups with caching for performance.
Lebanon has two main mobile carriers: Alfa (MIC1) with prefixes 03, 70, 71 and some 07x numbers and Touch (MIC2) using prefixes 76, 78, 79 and some 07x, 03x and 081x numbers.
No, relying solely on prefixes to identify carriers is unreliable due to number portability. Subscribers can switch operators while retaining their existing number.
Lebanese National Significant Numbers (NSNs) have 8 digits. These digits follow the national prefix (0) and the area code when dialing within Lebanon.
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