Comprehensive Guide to Phone Numbers in Afghanistan

Quick Reference

• Country: Afghanistan
• Country Code: +93
• International Prefix: 00
• National Prefix: 0

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Overview

Gain a detailed understanding of Afghanistan’s telephone numbering plan, including formats, dialing procedures, and regulatory considerations. This guide is essential for telecom professionals, developers, and anyone needing precise information on Afghanistan's telecommunication system.

Numbering Plan Structure

Afghanistan's telephone numbering plan is structured and regulated by the national authority. It includes a country code, area code, and subscriber number.

Structure Overview

• Country Code: +93
• Area Codes: 2 digits, specific to regions or operators
• Subscriber Number: 6 digits for landlines, 7 digits for mobile numbers
• National Prefix: 0 (for domestic dialing)
• International Prefix: 00 (for international dialing)

Number Format Breakdown

Type	Format	Example	Regex Pattern
Landline	0AA XXXXXX	020 123456	^0[2-6][0-9] \d{6}$
Mobile	07X XXXXXXX	070 1234567	^07[0-9] \d{7}$
International	+93 AA XXXXXX	+93 20 123456	^\+93 [2-6][0-9] \d{6}$
Special Services	1XX	119 (Emergency)	^1\d{2}$

• AA: Area code (e.g., 20 for Kabul)
• X: Subscriber number digits

Mobile and Landline Number Formats

• Mobile Numbers: Begin with 07 followed by 7 digits, specific to operators.
• Landline Numbers: Use a 2-digit area code followed by a 6-digit subscriber number, indicating geographic regions.

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

• Landline to Landline: Dial 0 + Area Code + Subscriber Number (e.g., 020 123456)
• Landline to Mobile: Dial 0 + Mobile Number (e.g., 070 1234567)
• Mobile to Mobile: Dial Mobile Number directly (e.g., 070 1234567)

International Calls

• Outgoing: Dial 00 + Country Code + Area Code + Subscriber Number (e.g., 00 44 20 123456)
• Incoming: Dial +93 + Area Code + Subscriber Number (e.g., +93 20 123456)

Number Portability

Currently, Afghanistan does not support mobile number portability (MNP). Subscribers cannot retain their phone numbers when switching between operators.

Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

Operator	Prefix	Number Range
Areeba	077	077 XXXXXXX
Etisalat	078	078 XXXXXXX
Roshan	079	079 XXXXXXX
AWCC	070	070 XXXXXXX

Recent Changes to the Numbering Plan

No significant changes have occurred in Afghanistan's numbering plan over the past five years. The current system was standardized in 2002 and remains consistent.

Regulatory Authority

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) oversees telecommunications in Afghanistan, ensuring compliance with regulations and standards.

Technical Considerations

Number Validation

For developers, validating Afghan phone numbers can be achieved using these regular expressions:

• Landline: ^0[2-6][0-9] \d{6}$
• Mobile: ^07[0-9] \d{7}$
• International: ^\+93 [2-6][0-9] \d{6}$

Special Numbers

Afghanistan uses short codes for emergency services, typically in the format 1XX (e.g., 119 for emergencies).

Number Allocation and Management

The MCIT manages number allocation, ensuring compliance with ITU-T recommendations.

ITU-T Recommendations

Afghanistan’s numbering plan adheres to ITU-T E.164 standards, ensuring global interoperability of telecommunication networks.

Conclusion

Understanding Afghanistan's phone number structure and dialing rules is crucial for effective communication and system integration. For official updates and guidelines, refer to the MCIT official website or ITU-T documentation.