|bh| Bahrain +973

 

Number Format

Area Code:            none
Subscriber Number:    8 digits (formerly 6-7 digits; special services 5 digits)
Trunk Prefix:         n/a
International Prefix: 00 (formerly 0)

Numbering range information

September 2009 - numbering plan update

Short codes are classified as Type A (emergency services), Type B (commonly available on all networks, or "off-net") and Type C (available only within a carrier's network, or "on-net"). Carriers may also activate short codes in the 10x and 12x ranges for their own customers, except for the standard 100 and 121 codes.

The following are domestic number ranges (excluding country code or carrier selection prefixes):

 

Number range   Service
------------   -------
00             international prefix
01             protected
02xxx          carrier pre-selection
03             protected
04xx           carrier access
05             protected
06xxx          short code (Type B)
07xxx          short code (Type B)
08             protected
09             protected
100            operator (local call assistance, Type C short code)
112            emergency short code
121            fault report (Type C short code)
13xxxxxx       wireline/fixed
140            time (English, Type C short code)
141            time (Arabic, Type C short code)
151            operator (international, Type C short code)
16xxxxxx       wireline/fixed
17xxxxxx       wireline/fixed
181            directory enquiries (national, Type C short code)
188            directory enquiries (carrier-specific, Type C short code)
191            directory enquiries (international, Type C short code)
196            customer service (Type C short code)
199            police - traffic collisions
3xxxxxxx       mobile (except protected 30xxxxxx range)
6xxxxxxx       universal numbers (except protected 60xxxxxx range)
7xxxxxxx       universal numbers (except protected 70xxxxxx range)
80xxxxxx       freephone
81xxx          short code - freephone (Type B)
82             protected
83             protected
84xxxxxx       shared cost
85xxx          short code - shared cost (Type B)
86             protected
87xxxxxx       premium service
88xxx          short code - premium service (Type B)
89             protected
90xxxxxx       premium service (low charges)
91xxx          short code - premium service (Type B, low charges)
92             protected
93             protected
94xxx          short code - premium service (Type B, medium charges)
95xxxxxx       premium service (medium charges)
96             protected
97xxxxxx       premium service (high charges)
98xxx          short code - premium service (Type B, high charges)
99x            short codes range (Type A)
990            casualty bureau
991            protected
992            CID (criminal investigation)
993            protected
994            CGD (coast guard)
995            protected
996            protected
997            protected
998            protected
999            emergency (national call centre)

Source: National Numbering Plan (TRA, 10 September 2008, PDF format)

(with report courtesy Jaffar A.)

 

1 July 2004 - special numbers in 8-digit format

Effective 1 July 2004:

  • Special services numbers will have format 800xxxxx
  • Audiotext/premium numbers will have format 900xxxxx

Source: TRA announcement (5 May 2004, via ITU).

 

1 December 2003 - expansion to 8-digit national numbering

National regulator TRA announced in July 2003 that Bahrain would expand to an 8-digit national numbers with new numbering effective 1 December 2003.

Old and new numbering formats ran in parallel for a permissive period of six months (ending 1 June 2004). After that time, a recorded message advised the subscriber number should be dialled in the new 8-digit format. At some unspecified time after that, the recorded message will be removed.

Existing 6-digit fixed/wireline national subscriber numbers were prefixed by '17' to form new 8-digit numbers.

Existing 7-digit mobile/wireless national subscriber numbers were prefixed by '3' to form new 8-digit numbers.

MTC Vodafone is expected to commence service in Bahrain on 31 December 2003; it has an allocation of numbers in the new 36xxxxxx range. Existing wireless operator Batelco will have numbers in the 39xxxxxx range (9xxxxxx prior to the national numbering expansion).

The payphone maintenance short code 177 was changed to accommodate migration of the new fixed/wireline numbering range.

6-digit number ranges such as Freephone and Home Country Direct (80xxxx) and Premium/Audiotext (900xxx and 901xxx) were to remain in their 6-digit format; no changes to these were announced.

Old format Integrated Messaging System (IMS) of the form 910xxxx will become 1717xxxx.

International prefix changes from '0' to '00'.

New short codes will generally be a five-digit format (1xxxx). Existing 3-, 4-, and 6-digit short codes will be retained.

Emergency number 999 remains unchanged.

Number ranges 8990xxxx through 8992xxxx are reserved for carrier internal routings. Number ranges 8993xxxx through 8999xxxx are reserved for carrier inbound routings.

The existing geographic number ranges at conversion were: 2xxxxxx, 30xxxxx through 35xxxxx, 40xxxxx through 47xxxxx, 53xxxxx through 59xxxxx except 56xxxxx, 6xxxxxx, 7xxxxxx, 8xxxxxx.

Leading digits of the new 8-digit national numbers signify service as follows:

 

Lead Digit(s)  Service
=============  =======
  1xxxxxxx     geographic numbers (except short codes: 1xxxx, etc.)
  17xxxxxx     conversion from existing geographic numbers
  2xxxxxxx     reserved for geographic numbers
  3xxxxxxx     non-geographic (personal, mobile, paging)
  30xxxxxx     protected
  31xxxxxx     personal numbering
  32xxxxxx     paging
  33xxxxxx     reserved
  34xxxxxx     reserved
  35xxxxxx     reserved
  36xxxxxx     mobile (MTC Vodafone)
  37xxxxxx     mobile
  38xxxxxx     mobile
  39xxxxxx     mobile (Batelco)
  4xxxxxxx     reserved
  5xxxxxxx     corporate numbers
  6xxxxxxx     reserved
  7xxxxxxx     reserved for geographic numbers
  8xxxxxxx     special services
  8x0xxxxx     freephone (no charge to caller)
  8x1xxxxx     protected
  8x2xxxxx     Internet for schools
  8x3xxxxx     protected
  8x4xxxxx     shared cost with operator
  8x5xxxxx     protected
  8x6xxxxx     protected
  8x7xxxxx     caller pays cost (up to normal national rate)
  8x8xxxxx     reserved
  8x9xxxxx     protected
  9xxxxxxx     premium rate
  9x0xxxxx     premium Rate - with content
  9x00xxxx     up to specified maximum charge
  9x01xxxx     up to specified maximum charge
  9x02xxxx     protected
  9x03xxxx     protected
  9x04xxxx     protected
  9x05xxxx     unlimited rate
  9x06xxxx     unlimited rate
  9x07xxxx     product purchase
  9x08xxxx     protected
  9x09xxxx     protected
  9x1xxxxx     premium rate - without content
  9x2xxxxx     broadband
  9x3xxxxx     broadband
  9x4xxxxx     broadband
  9x5xxxxx     broadband
  9x6xxxxx     broadband
  9x7xxxxx     broadband
  9x8xxxxx     broadband
  9x9xxxxx     reserved

Sources:

  1. TRA announcement (July 2003, via ITU)
  2. Regulator TRA, specific documents such as national numbering plan details (Sept 2003) or their National Numbering Plan FAQ.

Additional report on changed international prefix courtesy Risto Nykänen.

 

Other Information

Regulator is Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) Major carrier is Batelco (Bahrain Telecommunications Company).