Phone Numbers in Albania: A Comprehensive Guide

Quick Reference

• Country: Albania
• Country Code: +355
• International Prefix: 00
• National Prefix: 0

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Overview

This guide offers an in-depth exploration of Albania's telephone numbering system, detailing the structure, dialing procedures, and recent updates. It is crafted for telecom professionals, developers, and system administrators seeking accurate and current information on Albanian phone numbers.

Number Formats

General Number Structure

Albanian phone numbers are composed of the following elements:

• Country Code: +355
• Area Code: 2-5 digits for geographic numbers, 2 digits for mobile numbers
• Subscriber Number: 6-7 digits

Geographic Numbers

Format: 0AA XXX XXXX

• Area Codes:
  • 2: Tirana (e.g., 042)
  • 3: Durrës (e.g., 032)
  • 4: Elbasan (e.g., 045)
  • 5: Shkodër (e.g., 052)
• Subscriber Number: 6-7 digits

Examples:

• 042 123 4567 (Tirana)
• 032 654 3210 (Durrës)

Mobile Numbers

Format: 06X XXX XXXX

• Prefixes:
  • 68: Vodafone
  • 69: Telekom Albania
  • 67: One Telecommunications
• Subscriber Number: 7 digits

Examples:

• 068 123 4567 (Vodafone)
• 069 765 4321 (Telekom Albania)

Toll-Free Numbers

Format: 0800 XXXX

• Prefix: 0800
• Subscriber Number: 4 digits

Examples:

• 0800 1234

Premium Rate Numbers

Format: 0900 XXX XXX

• Prefix: 0900
• Subscriber Number: 6 digits

Examples:

• 0900 123 456

Shared Cost Numbers

Format: 0810 XXXX

• Prefix: 0810
• Subscriber Number: 4 digits

Examples:

• 0810 5678

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Dialing Rules

Domestic Calls

• Landline to Landline: Dial the national prefix 0, followed by the area code and the subscriber number.
  • Example: 042 123 4567 (within Tirana)
• Landline to Mobile: Dial the national prefix 0, followed by the mobile prefix and the subscriber number.
  • Example: 069 765 4321
• Mobile to Mobile: Dial the national prefix 0, followed by the mobile prefix and the subscriber number.
  • Example: 068 123 4567

International Calls

• Outgoing: Dial the international prefix 00, followed by the country code, area code (if applicable), and the subscriber number.
  • Example: 00 49 30 1234567 (to Germany)
• Incoming: The caller should dial +355 followed by the area code (without the leading 0) and the subscriber number.
  • Example: +355 42 123 4567 (to Tirana)

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Recent or Upcoming Changes

• Recent Changes: Introduction of number portability for mobile numbers.
• Upcoming Changes: No known upcoming changes to the numbering plan as of the latest update.

Number Portability

Mobile Number Portability: Available since 2011, allowing subscribers to retain their mobile numbers when switching between operators within Albania.

Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

Operator	Mobile Prefixes	Geographic Coverage
Vodafone Albania	068, 069	Nationwide
Telekom Albania	069	Nationwide
One Telecommunications	067	Nationwide

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ITU-T Recommendations

Albania adheres to the ITU-T E.164 standard, which defines the international public telecommunication numbering plan and ensures global interoperability of numbers.

Number Allocation and Management

The Electronic and Postal Communications Authority (AKEP) is responsible for the allocation and management of telephone numbers in Albania. AKEP oversees the implementation of the national numbering plan and ensures compliance with international standards.

Technical Restrictions or Special Cases

• Golden Numbers: Specific numbers that are considered premium and may be reserved or auctioned by AKEP.
• Number Blocking: Available as a service, allowing subscribers to block unwanted calls from specific numbers.

Technical Considerations

For developers and systems administrators:

Regular Expressions for Validating Albanian Numbers

• Geographic Numbers:
  ^0[2-5]\d{7,8}$
  

• Mobile Numbers:
  ^06[789]\d{7}$
  

• Toll-Free Numbers:
  ^0800\d{4}$
  

• Premium Rate Numbers:
  ^0900\d{6}$
  

Dialing Procedures in Systems

Ensure that your systems correctly handle the national and international prefixes when processing calls or storing phone numbers. For internationalization, always store numbers in the E.164 format (e.g., +355421234567).