20/3/23, 0:08 Telephone numbers in Argentina - Wikipedia

Telephone numbers in Argentina

In Argentina, area codes are two, three, or four digits long
(after the initial zero). Local customer numbers are six to eight Argentina telephone
figures long. The total number of digits is ten, for example, numbers
phone number (11) 1234-5678 for Buenos Aires is made up of a Location
2-digit area code number and an 8-digit subscriber's number,
Country Argentina
while (383) 123-4567 would be an example of a Catamarca
number. Continent South
America

Local dialing Regulator ENACOM

Type Open
Local landline phone numbers in Argentina can have 6, 7 or 8 Access codes
digits, depending on where they are located:
Country calling +54
Most of Greater Buenos Aires uses 8 digits code
Second-tier cities use 7 digits International call 00
Remaining towns and cities use 6 digits prefix
Trunk prefix 0
Local numbers usually begin with a 4, although in recent times
numbers having 2, 3, 5, 6, or even 7 as the first digit are not
uncommon.

Thus, for example to call a local number within Buenos Aires, one should dial 1234–5678; within
Mar del Plata, 123-4567 and within Villa Carlos Paz, 12–3456. For mobile phone dialing, see the
corresponding section below.

Recent changes

In March 2011, the National Communications Commission announced changes to be carried out in
21 local areas throughout the country. The reason being the soaring demand in mobile lines
causing lines to be nearly depleted in many areas. The changes will take place in three stages,
starting in November 2011 with the final cities having their numbering plan changed in April 2012.
Users in these areas will have an extra 4 added in front of their subscriber's numbers as well as
having the area code shortened. Thus, they will go from a (xxxx) xx-xxxx format to a more
resourceful (xxx) xxx-xxxx. On 1 April, seven cities had their numbering changed as described
above, thus completing the update process.[1][2][3][4]

Long-distance dialing
To dial a long-distance number in Argentina (whether landline or mobile), the area code must be
dialed before the subscriber's number.

As explained before, area codes can have 2, 3 or 4 digits and must be dialed before the local
subscriber's phone number.

In addition, to place a domestic long-distance call, trunk code 0 must be dialed as well.

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Thus, for example, in order to call a landline phone in Ushuaia from Salta, one should dial: 0 +
2901 + xx-xxxx, where 0 is the trunk code, 2901 is the Ushuaia area code, and xx-xxxx is the local
phone number.

The same rule applies to mobile phone numbers, with the addition of the mobile prefix 15 right in
front of the local subscriber's number. Using the same example above, to reach a Ushuaia mobile
from Córdoba, one should dial: 0 + 2901 + 15 + xx-xxxx

Although trunk code 0 is not part of the long-distance area code, it is normally represented as if it
were part of the long-distance prefix. Thus, when given a long-distance number already including a
0 in front of it, no additional 0 is to be added in order to call domestically.

Mobile phone numbers

Mobile phone numbers in Argentina are assigned the same geographic area codes as fixed lines,
according to the subscriber's choice or residence, and can be 6, 7 or 8 digits long, just as landline
numbers are. The difference with mobile numbers is that a prefix 15, never used for landlines, must
be dialed.

Calling a mobile phone locally requires dialing 15, followed by the subscriber's number. For
example, to call a Villa Carlos Paz mobile number from Villa Carlos Paz, 15 xx-xxxx must be
dialled. To call a mobile phone in a different area code, the area code must be dialed, followed by
the mobile prefix 15 and the number. For example, to call a Mar del Plata mobile from Buenos
Aires, the dialing pattern is 0 223 15 xxx-xxxx, where 0 is the trunk code, 223 is the Mar del Plata
area code, 15 is the mobile prefix, followed by the seven-digit subscriber number.

Here are some examples of mobile phone numbers in Argentina:

(11) 15 1234-5678 Buenos Aires.

(380) 15 123-4567 La Rioja.
(2966) 15 12-3456 Río Gallegos.

The prefix 15 is not part of the number, although users sometimes give out their numbers with the
prefix included. This is not a problem when making calls within Argentina, but can cause confusion
when the mobile prefix must be omitted, as on IVR menus or when calling from abroad.

Mobile prefix 15 and trunk code 0 can be omitted when calling a mobile from another mobile
within Argentina.

Different prefixes are required when calling mobile numbers from outside Argentina.

Number portability
In 2000 President Fernando De La Rúa signed a decree[5] deregulating the telephone service in
Argentina, thus allowing number portability to be implemented. In December 2011, Argentine
authorities postponed number portability once again—allegedly due to lobbying from operators—
until March 2012.[6]

The intention is that users of landline and mobile telephones in Argentina will be able to switch
providers while keeping their phone number, so long as they remain in the same subscriber local
area."International Union of Local Authorities" (http://www.iula-emme.org/). Retrieved 10 April
2014.

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Number portability is expected to bring lower rates and better service quality, since operators will
have to carry out additional efforts, both to keep their existing customers from leaving and to
attract other operators' users to their networks.

International calls

Inbound

Inbound international calls to landline numbers follow the same rules as calls within the country.
International access code +54 must be used in order to call Argentina, followed by the area code
and then the local phone number. The "+" sign must be replaced by an international call prefix
specific to the country originating the call, e.g. 00 from the UK, 011 from the US, etc.

For example, to call the number (351) 123–4567 in the city of Córdoba from Mexico, the dialing
sequence is 00 54 351 123–4567.

Mobile phone numbers follow a different pattern. The prefix 9 must be added before the area code,
leaving out the 15 after the area code, which is only used when calling domestically. The inbound
dialing pattern for mobiles is then: +54, 9, area code, mobile subscriber's number (notice how the
15 domestic prefix is omitted). For example, to call mobile number (223) 15 123-4567 (in Mar del
Plata) from outside Argentina, the dialling sequence is: +54 9 223 123–4567.

Non-geographic numbers such as 0800 or 0810 cannot be called from outside Argentina. Some
companies do not publish their geographic number, and can only be called internationally by
obtaining it some other way.

Inbound SMS

To send an SMS text message to an Argentine cell phone from another country, the 9 used
internationally when dialing the number for a voice call (and the 15 used for calls within Argentina)
is omitted. For example, if the mobile number in Argentina is (11) 15 1234–5678, a voice call from
abroad would be dialled as +54 9 11 1234 5678, but a text message would require +54 11 1234 5678,
with +54 9 11 1234 5678 usually being invalid. If a text message is received from Argentina, the
reply can be sent to the number displayed as the sender. Not all mobile providers in Argentina
have SMS agreements with every carrier in the world,[7] so it may not be possible to send an
international SMS.

Outbound

Outbound international calls use a trunk prefix 00 followed by the international code for the
country being called, and then the area code (if any) and local phone number.

For example, to call the number (9) 123–4567 in Auckland, New Zealand, the dialing sequence will
be: 00 64 9 123–4567; where 00 is the international trunk code, 64 is the country code for New
Zealand, 9 is the Auckland area code, and 123-4567 is the local number.

Collect calls
Domestic collect calls are placed by dialing 19 from any landline or payphone; the caller then states
their name, which is announced with a message stating that a collect call has been requested when
the call is answered. If the called party accepts the reverse charges, the call is connected.

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International collect calls are placed by dialling 000 for the international operator; this number
also provides international assistance, such as country and area codes, rates, etc.

Non-geographic numbers
Non-geographic numbers have a three-digit prefix followed by a seven-digit number. They are
usually represented in the format 0ppp-nnn-nnnn.

Prefixes allocated as of 2013 include:

0800: toll-free telephone numbers

0810: calls from any area chargeable at local rate
0822: toll-free numbers used for calling card access
0600: premium-rate telephone numbers
0609: premium, fixed-rate gaming numbers
0610: dial-up Internet access numbers, usually cheaper than a local call, less frequently used
as dial-up Internet access decreased
0605: premium-rate telephone numbers for charity donations

Public utility numbers

The format for public utility service phone numbers is mostly 1xx. They can be accessed from any
landline, mobile or pay phone within the country.

The most common public utility service numbers are:[8][9]

100: Firefighters
101: Police
102: Child services
103: Civil defense
106: Naval Prefecture
107: Ambulance
110: Phone directory
112: Customer service
113: Official time[10]
114: Phone repair service [11]
115: Ring test
121: Phone usage info (subject to availability)
125: Assistance service for the hearing-impaired
911: Emergency (only in cities where 100, 101 and 107 have been merged into one emergency
number, such as the Buenos Aires Metro Area and Buenos Aires Province[12])

References
1. "Comisión Nacional de Comunicaciones" (https://web.archive.org/web/20110719224447/http://
www.cnc.gov.ar/infotecnica/numeracion/cambnum.asp). Archived from the original (http://www.
cnc.gov.ar/infotecnica/numeracion/cambnum.asp) on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2011-08-03.

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2. Día, DaD - Día a. "Ruidito en la línea: cambian varios prefijos" (http://www.diaadia.com.ar/?q=c

ontent/ruidito-en-la-linea-cambian-varios-prefijos). diaadia.com.ar. Archived (https://web.archiv
e.org/web/20120328052818/http://www.diaadia.com.ar/?q=content%2Fruidito-en-la-linea-camb
ian-varios-prefijos) from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
3. "Cambios en los prefijos telefónicos" (http://www.cba24n.com.ar/content/cambios-en-los-prefijo
s-telef%C3%B3nicos). cba24n.com.ar. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2016033104402
3/http://www.cba24n.com.ar/content/cambios-en-los-prefijos-telef%c3%b3nicos) from the
original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
4. "Cambiarán los prefijos numéricos de la telefonía: Resistencia será 372 y Sáenz Peña 374" (ht
tp://www.novachaco.com/nota.asp?n=2011_6_28&id=19794&id_tiponota=11). novachaco.com.
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20160313132555/http://novachaco.com/nota.asp?id=19
794&id_tiponota=11&n=2011_6_28) from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 4 May
2018.
5. "Telecomunicaciones" (https://web.archive.org/web/20130615181402/http://infoleg.mecon.gov.
ar/infolegInternet/anexos/60000-64999/64222/norma.htm). Archived from the original (http://inf
oleg.mecon.gov.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/60000-64999/64222/norma.htm) on 2013-06-15.
Retrieved 2010-08-27.
6. http://www.mdzol.com/mdz/nota/352497-la-portabilidad-numerica-se-aplicaria-en-marzo/
7. "Personal | cada persona es un mundo" (https://web.archive.org/web/20110830182420/http://w
ww.personal.com.ar/roaming/sms/cobertura.html). Archived from the original (http://www.perso
nal.com.ar/roaming/sms/cobertura.html) on 2011-08-30. Retrieved 2011-08-30.
8. "Comisión Nacional de Comunicaciones" (https://web.archive.org/web/20110824170815/http://
www.cnc.gov.ar/ciudadanos/telefonia_fija/nrosespeciales.asp). Archived from the original (htt
p://www.cnc.gov.ar/ciudadanos/telefonia_fija/nrosespeciales.asp) on 2011-08-24. Retrieved
2011-08-24.
9. "Buenos Aires Ciudad - S.S Derechos Humanos" (https://web.archive.org/web/2011081711173
7/http://www.buenosaires.gov.ar/areas/com_social/tel_utiles/index.php). Archived from the
original (http://www.buenosaires.gov.ar/areas/com_social/tel_utiles/index.php) on 2011-08-17.
Retrieved 2011-08-04.
10. "Servicio de la Hora" (https://web.archive.org/web/20110824225857/http://www.hidro.gob.ar/ob
servatorio/quehorautiliza.asp). Archived from the original (http://www.hidro.gob.ar/observatorio/
quehorautiliza.asp) on 2011-08-24. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
11. "Telecom, líder en servicios de telecomunicaciones para empresas" (http://www.telecom.com.a
r/hogares/inconvenientes_tecnicos.html). Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/201109280521
47/http://www.telecom.com.ar/hogares/inconvenientes_tecnicos.html) from the original on
2011-09-28. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
12. "Archived copy" (https://web.archive.org/web/20111005075320/http://www.cnc.gov.ar/normativ
a/sc0011_05.pdf) (PDF). Archived from the original (http://www.cnc.gov.ar/normativa/sc0011_0
5.pdf) (PDF) on 2011-10-05. Retrieved 2011-08-03.

External links
Argentina Telephone system (https://www.itu.int/oth/T0202000009/en) explained by
International Telecom Union (JNTO)
Whitepages.com.ar (https://whitepages.com.ar/) Argentina Whitepages in English

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