Telephone numbers in China
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|
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Country | China |
| Continent | Asia |
| Regulator | MIIT |
| Type | Open |
| Access codes | |
| Country calling code | +86 |
| International call prefix | 00 |
| Trunk prefix | 0 |
Telephone numbers in China are organized and assigned according to the Chinese Telephone Code Plan of mainland China. Land lines and mobile telephone numbers have different structures: land lines use area codes, while mobile phones do not. Land line phone numbers in major cities have 8 digits after the two digit area code, whereas in other areas no less than 7 digits after a three digit area code. Mobile phone numbers have 11 digits without area codes.
Dialing a land line from another land line within the same area does not require dialing the area code. When making a domestic long distance call from a land line phone, the trunk prefix "0" must be dialed first, followed by the area code and the telephone number. Calling a mobile phone from a land line requires the addition of the "0" in front of the mobile phone number if they are not in the same area as well. Mobile to land line calls require the "0" and the area code, if the land line is not within the same area. Mobile to mobile calls does not require the "0". The "0" is never needed when dialing from outside mainland China.
The Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau are not part of this numbering plan, and use the country codes +852 and +853, respectively.
In addition, the PRC numbering plan reserves space for Taiwan, but they are not currently used. PRC claims Taiwan and several islands off Fujian which are under the control of the Republic of China. Currently phone numbers in these areas are under the separate international calling code of +886. See Telephone numbers in Taiwan.
In mainland China, mobile phone numbers have 11 digits in the format 1xx-xxxx-xxxx, in which the first three digits (e.g. 13x, 14x,15x,17x and 18x) designate the mobile phone service provider.
As new numbers were introduced over time, it is possible to recognize the age of a number: The oldest GSM numbers start with 1390…, the second oldest 1380… and 1300… Keeping the same number over time is somewhat associated with stability and reliability of the owner. As the fourth digit was introduced later, thus it is 0 for all old numbers. In further extensions, non-139,138,130 numbers were introduced. The fifth to seventh digit sometimes relates to age and location.
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