Qatar +974

Number Format

Area Code:            none
Subscriber Number:    7 digits (formerly 6 digits)
Trunk Prefix:         n/a
International Prefix: 00

Numbering range information

• DCCL

28 July 2010 - national expansion from 7 to 8 digits

On 28 July 2010, many Qatar subscriber numbers were flash cut to prepend an extra digit to the old 7-digit numbers. Callers who used the former numbers from that point received a recorded message for three months.

Old numbers   New numbers    Service
-----------   -----------    ------- 
+974 3xxxxxx  +974 33xxxxxx  mobile, Qtel
+974 4xxxxxx  +974 44xxxxxx  fixed, Qtel
+974 5xxxxxx  +974 55xxxxxx  mobile, Qtel
+974 6xxxxxx  +974 66xxxxxx  mobile, Qtel
+974 7xxxxxx  +974 77xxxxxx  mobile, Vodafone

However, the following number ranges remained unchanged:

• 1xx short codes
• 20xx short codes (generally domestic access only)
• 21xxxxx, 22xxxxx, 261xxxx paging (being phased out)
• 23xxxxx Ministry of Interior
• 800xxxx freephone
• 900xxxx audiotext/premium
• 92xxx SMS (Qtel)
• 97xxx SMS (Vodafone)
• 99x emergency shortcodes (generally domestic access only)

Sources:

ictQATAR announcement following renumbering

ictQATAR announcement (2 June 2010, via ITU)

(with report courtesy Sergiu Rosenzweig)

January 2007 - new GSM mobile number ranges; updated numbering plan

+974 65xxxxx and +974 66xxxxx were introduced for Q-TEL GSM service.

The Qatar number ranges as updated:

Number range   Service
------------   -------
+974 20xxxxx   pager
+974 21xxxxx   pager
+974 22xxxxx   pager
+974 4xxxxxx   fixed/wireline (except 40xxxxx)
+974 5xxxxxx   mobile, GSM
+974 65xxxxx   mobile, GSM
+974 66xxxxx   mobile, GSM
+974 67xxxxx   mobile, GSM
+974 80xxxxx   freephone
+974 900xxxx   audiotext

Special codes:

Code         Service
----         -------
112          emergency
124 5xxxxxx  voicemail/SMS access
174 4xxxxxx  voicemail/SMS access

Source: report from Howard Laker, Qatar Telecom (Q-TEL) announcement (31 January 2007, via ITU).

Date unknown - expansion to 7-digit national numbers

At an unknown date, possibly before mid-2004, Qatar telephone numbers were expanded to a 7-digit national numbering format from the previous 6-digit format. Conventional fixed/wireline numbers were apparently prepended with digit '4'. Other details are unknown.

(Courtesy report from Howard Laker)

10 March 2004 - prepaid GSM range in effect

+974 56xxxxx began service for prepaid GSM functions on 10 March 2004.

(report courtesy Pat O'Connor)

Other information

National carrier is Q-TEL.

Regulator is Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR), established as an independent regulator by Emir Decree Law # 36 of 2004. Previously, Q-TEL held a monopoly on telecommunication service and policy.