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|zm| Zambia +260

Number Format

Area Code:            1-2 digits
Subscriber Number:    5-6 digits (see note below)
Trunk Prefix:         0
International Prefix: 00
Area Code plus Subscriber Number totals 7 digits (excluding trunk prefix).

Area code information

2007 - national renumbering

Zambia migrates to a consistent 2-digit area code and 7-digit subscriber number format throughout 2007.

Most mobile area codes remain unchanged, except Celtel will be consolidated into +260 97. A digit is prepended to all mobile subscriber numbers according to the previous area code.

Fixed/wireline numbers will be prepended by '21' in international format, that is +260 x xxxxxx becomes +260 21 x xxxxxx. Within Zambia, subscriber numbers become 7 digits by combining the previous area code digit with the previous 6-digit subscriber number. It will not be necessary to use an initial "021" for calls between fixed/wireline numbers, but a consistent 7-digit subscriber number format will be used for domestic calls.

Both old and new formats may be permissively dialled from 1 May 2007, with mandatory use of new format on 30 October 2007.

Old format      New format       Place/service
----------      ----------       -------------
+260 1  xxxxxx  +260 21 1xxxxxx  Lusaka
+260 2  xxxxxx  +260 21 2xxxxxx  Ndola
+260 3  xxxxxx  +260 21 3xxxxxx  Livingstone
+260 4  xxxxxx  +260 21 4xxxxxx  Kasama
+260 5  xxxxxx  +260 21 5xxxxxx  Kabwe
+260 6  xxxxxx  +260 21 6xxxxxx  Chipata
+260 7  xxxxxx  +260 21 7xxxxxx  Solwezi
+260 8  xxxxxx  +260 21 8xxxxxx  Mongu
+260 95 xxxxxx  +260 95 5xxxxxx  mobile, CellZ
+260 96 xxxxxx  +260 96 6xxxxxx  mobile, MTN
+260 97 xxxxxx  +260 97 7xxxxxx  mobile, Celtel
+260 98 xxxxxx  +260 97 8xxxxxx  mobile, Celtel
+260 99 xxxxxx  +260 97 9xxxxxx  mobile, Celtel
Source: Communications Authority of Zambia - National Numbering Plan Change (2007) .

(report courtesy Anne-Catherine Gay des Combes)

2000 - New cellular area codes

Cellular subscriber numbers were moved from the geographic number ranges into their own area codes, with the new area codes mandatory by the end of the year 2000. The following area code changes were implemented on 6-digit mobile subscriber numbers:

Former          New             Former        New         Mobile
International   International   Domestic      Domestic    Carrier
-------------   -------------   -----------   --------    -------
+260 1 70xxxx   +260 95 70xxxx  01 70xxxx     095 70xxxx  Zamtel MTS
+260 1 75xxxx   +260 96 75xxxx  02 75xxxx     096 75xxxx  Telecel
+260 2 78xxxx   +260 96 78xxxx  02 78xxxx     096 78xxxx  Telecel
+260 1 77xxxx   +260 97 77xxxx  02 77xxxx     097 77xxxx  CelTel
+260 1 78xxxx   +260 97 78xxxx  02 78xxxx     097 78xxxx  CelTel

Reference for the mobile codes change: http://www.caz.gov.zm/publ_4.html.

Other Information

Carrier is Zamtel.

Regulator is Communications Authority of Zambia (CAZ).

Numbering plan page from CAZ.

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