Phone Numbers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Quick Reference

• Country: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
• Country Code: +971
• International Prefix: 00
• National Prefix: 0

Overview

Discover the comprehensive telephone numbering plan in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This guide covers the structure of phone numbers, dialing procedures, and essential insights for telecom professionals, developers, and anyone working with UAE phone numbers.

Number Structure

General Number Structure

UAE phone numbers are organized as follows:

• Country Code: +971
• Area Codes: Varies by emirate or region.
• Subscriber Number: Length varies based on service type (landline, mobile, toll-free).

Number Format Breakdown

Regular Expressions for Number Validation

# Landline Numbers
\+971[2-9][2-8]\d{6}

# Mobile Numbers
\+9715[024-68]\d{7}

# Toll-Free Numbers
\+971800\d{2,9}

# Premium Rate Numbers
\+971900[02]\d{5}

# Shared Cost Numbers
\+971700[05]\d{5}

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

• Landline to Landline: Dial 0 + [Area Code] + [Subscriber Number].

  • Example: 04 234 5678 (Calling a Dubai landline from within the UAE).

• Landline to Mobile: Dial 0 + [Mobile Number].

  • Example: 050 123 4567 (Calling a mobile number from a landline).

• Mobile to Mobile: Dial the full mobile number directly.

  • Example: 050 123 4567.

International Calls

• Outgoing: Dial 00 + [Country Code] + [Area Code] + [Subscriber Number].

  • Example: 00 1 212 555 1234 (Calling a number in New York, USA from the UAE).

• Incoming: Dial +971 + [Area Code] + [Subscriber Number] (without the leading 0).

  • Example: +971 4 234 5678 (Calling a Dubai landline from abroad).

Number Portability

The UAE supports mobile number portability (MNP), allowing users to retain their mobile numbers when switching between service providers. This initiative fosters competition and enhances service quality.

Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

Etisalat

• Mobile Prefixes: 050, 054, 056, 058
• Landline Prefixes: Varies by region.

du

• Mobile Prefixes: 052, 055, 058
• Landline Prefixes: Varies by region.

Regulatory Authority

The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) manages and regulates telecommunications in the UAE. Visit their official website for more information.

ITU-T Recommendations

The UAE adheres to ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union - Telecommunication Standardization Sector) recommendations, particularly E.164 for international numbering plans. The country code +971 is assigned to the UAE by ITU.

Technical Considerations

Number Allocation and Management

The TDRA oversees the allocation and management of phone numbers in the UAE, ensuring efficient use of number resources and availability for future demand.

Special Cases and Restrictions

• Golden Numbers: Special numbers considered premium and may be sold at a higher cost.
• Number Blocking: Certain numbers may be blocked or restricted based on regulatory requirements.

Developer Considerations

• API Integration: Ensure systems handle specific formats and dialing rules for UAE numbers.
• Validation: Use the provided regular expressions to validate UAE phone numbers in applications.
• Portability Checks: Implement checks for number portability if your service involves mobile numbers.