Phone Numbers in American Samoa: A Comprehensive Guide

Quick Reference

  • Country: American Samoa
  • Country Code: +1
  • International Prefix: 011
  • National Prefix: 1

Overview

Discover the intricacies of American Samoa's telephone numbering plan. This guide provides detailed insights into phone number structures, dialing procedures, and telecommunications regulations. Ideal for telecom professionals, developers, and anyone involved in phone number validation or routing.

Number Structure

General Number Format

American Samoa utilizes the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), sharing the country code +1 with the United States and other territories. The phone number structure is as follows:

  • Country Code: +1
  • Area Code: 684
  • Subscriber Number: 7 digits

Number Format Breakdown

Type of NumberFormatExample
General Numbers+1 684 XXX XXXX+1 684 622 1234
Landline Numbers+1 684 [2-9]XX XXXX+1 684 622 1234
Mobile Numbers+1 684 [7]XX XXXX+1 684 733 4567
Toll-Free Numbers800 XXX XXXX800 555 1234
Premium Rate Numbers900 XXX XXXX900 555 1234

Regular Expressions

For validation purposes, use the following regular expressions:

  • General Numbers: ^\+1 684 [2-9]\d{2} \d{4}$
  • Landline Numbers: ^\+1 684 [2-9]\d{2} \d{4}$
  • Mobile Numbers: ^\+1 684 7\d{2} \d{4}$
  • Toll-Free Numbers: ^800 \d{3} \d{4}$
  • Premium Rate Numbers: ^900 \d{3} \d{4}$

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

  • Landline to Landline: Dial 1 + 684 + Subscriber Number
  • Landline to Mobile: Dial 1 + 684 + Subscriber Number
  • Mobile to Mobile: Dial 1 + 684 + Subscriber Number

International Calls

  • Outgoing: Dial 011 + Country Code + Area Code + Subscriber Number
  • Incoming: Dial +1 + 684 + Subscriber Number

Number Portability

Currently, mobile number portability (MNP) is not available in American Samoa. Subscribers cannot retain their numbers when switching providers.

Major Telecom Operators

  • American Samoa Telecommunications Authority (ASTCA): The primary telecom operator, managing both mobile and landline services.
  • Bluesky Communications: A key player in the telecommunications market, offering mobile services.

Number Ranges

Specific number ranges for each operator are not publicly disclosed due to security considerations, but the area code 684 is used uniformly across all operators.

Regulatory Body

The telecommunications sector in American Samoa is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in conjunction with local authorities. The FCC oversees numbering resources under the North American Numbering Plan (NANP).

ITU-T Standards

American Samoa adheres to the ITU-T E.164 standard for international numbering and dialing procedures, ensuring global telecommunications compatibility.

Technical Considerations

Number Allocation and Management

Number allocation is managed under the guidelines of the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), with oversight from the FCC to ensure efficient use.

Technical Restrictions

  • Golden Numbers: No specific regulations regarding golden numbers.
  • Number Blocking: Generally prohibited unless mandated by law enforcement or regulatory bodies.

Developer Considerations

When developing systems for American Samoa phone numbers:

  1. Validation: Use regular expressions to validate phone number formats.
  2. Routing: Ensure correct routing based on the +1 country code and 684 area code.
  3. Handling Non-Geographic Numbers: Be aware of toll-free and premium-rate numbers with specific formats.

Recent Changes

No significant changes to the numbering plan have been announced. The structure remains consistent with the North American Numbering Plan.

For the latest telecommunications regulations in American Samoa, visit the FCC's official website.