World Telephone Numbering Guide

Updated 5 January 2013

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Malawi

+265

Number Format

Area Code:            none
Subscriber Number:    7-9 digits (6 digits until 1 July 2002)
Trunk Prefix:         n/a
International Prefix: 00 (formerly 101)

Numbering range information

DCCL

November 2011 - mobile renumbering

'11' was prepended to Malawi Telecom (MTL) CDMA mobile subscriber numbers as of 1 November 2011, with permissive use of former numbering until 30 November 2011.

The range +265 1xxxxxx changed to +265 111xxxxxx.

Source: MACRA announcement (2 November 2011, via ITU)

(news courtesy Sergiu Rosenzweig)

31 March 2009 - national renumbering

7-digit subscriber numbers in Malawi changed to 9-digit numbers on 31 March 2009, except for Malawi Telecom numbers in the 1xxxxxx range which remained unchanged. A permissive dialling of old and new formats was scheduled until 30 June 2009.

Old format    New format      Service
----------    ----------      -------  
+265 12xxxxx  +265 12xxxxx    Malawi Telecom, unchanged
+265 13xxxxx  +265 13xxxxx    Malawi Telecom, unchanged
+265 15xxxxx  +265 15xxxxx    Malawi Telecom, unchanged
+265 16xxxxx  +265 16xxxxx    Malawi Telecom, unchanged
+265 17xxxxx  +265 17xxxxx    Malawi Telecom, unchanged
+265 18xxxxx  +265 18xxxxx    Malawi Telecom, unchanged
+265 19xxxxx  +265 19xxxxx    Malawi Telecom, unchanged
+265 3xxxxxx  +265 993xxxxxx  Zain
+265 4xxxxxx  +265 884xxxxxx  TNM
+265 5xxxxxx  +265 995xxxxxx  Zain
+265 8xxxxxx  +265 888xxxxxx  TNM
+265 9xxxxxx  +265 999xxxxxx  Zain
   (new)      +265 21xxxxxxx  Access Communications (ACL)
   (new)      +265 77xxxxxxx  Globally Advanced Integrated Networks

Source: MACRA announcement (15 December 2008, via ITU)

(with report courtesy Sergiu Rosenzweig)

to July 2002 - new exchanges in service

New exchanges opened for service during 2002, with some openings in June and July 2002. These changes were conducted under the Blantyre Rehabilitation and Extension and Southern Region Network Improvement projects.

See list of 2002 exchange openings/changes.

1 July 2002 - national renumbering from 6 to 8 digits

As of 1 July 2002, new 8-digit national numbers took effect by prepending a 2-digit network access code before the existing 6-digit national subscriber numbers. The network access code is initially of the form '0x' as follows:

Prefix
Code    Carrier/reservation
======  ===================
01      MTL (Malawi Telecommunications Limited)
02      Reserved for 2nd fixed carrier
03      Reserved for local network carrier
04      Reserved
05      Reserved
06      Reserved
07      Reserved 3rd cellular/mobile carrier
08      TNM (Telekom Networks Malawi Limited)
09      Celtel (mobile carrier)
00      international prefix

For calls into Malawi from other nations, the international prefix and country code +265 are followed by the last 7 digits of the new national number. The leading digit '0' must be omitted from outside Malawi.

(Note that the original WTNG report of including the lead digit '0' was incorrect).

'00' is now the international prefix, replacing the former 101 prefix. Documentation was unclear whether the change to 00 took effect on 1 July 2002.

Short codes are:

Code    Service
====    =======
100     domestic operator
102     international operator
112     GSM emergency

[12x through 17x are reserved for future use]

1800    internet - Globe internet
1811    internet - Malawi Net
1818    internet - Web and Internet Systems Solutions (WISS)
1820    internet - Celtel
190     phonograms
191     directory enquiries
193     talking clock
197     faults/repair
199     emergency: fire, police, hospital

References:

MACRA announcement (via ITU, 30 January 2003).

MTL notice

(Correction on international format courtesy David Guy).

Other information

Carriers: MTL (Malawi Telecomms)

Telekom Networks Malawi

Regulator: Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority.

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