Understanding Barbados Phone Numbers

Quick Facts

• Country: Barbados
• Country Code: +1 246
• International Prefix: 011
• National Prefix: 1

Introduction

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the telephone numbering plan in Barbados. This guide is essential for telecom professionals, developers, and systems administrators who require in-depth knowledge of Barbados' telecommunication system, including number formats, dialing procedures, and regulatory frameworks.

Barbados Phone Number Formats

General Structure

Barbados uses the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), where phone numbers are structured as follows:

• Country Code: +1
• Area Code: 246 (specific to Barbados)
• Subscriber Number: 7 digits

Detailed Number Formats

Regular Expressions for Validation

To ensure phone numbers conform to the expected structure, use these regular expressions:

^(\+1\s?246\s?[2-9]\d{2}\s?\d{4})$  # General format
^(\+1\s?800\s?[2-9]\d{2}\s?\d{4})$  # Toll-free numbers
^(\+1\s?900\s?[2-9]\d{2}\s?\d{4})$  # Premium-rate numbers

Dialing Procedures in Barbados

Domestic Calls

• Landline to Landline: Dial 1 + 7-digit local number.
• Landline to Mobile: Dial 1 + 7-digit mobile number.
• Mobile to Mobile: Dial 1 + 7-digit mobile number.
• Mobile to Landline: Dial 1 + 7-digit local number.

International Calls

• Outgoing: Dial 011 + Country Code + Area Code + Subscriber Number.
• Incoming: Dial +1 246 + 7-digit local number.

Special Services

• Toll-Free: Dial 1 + 800 + 7-digit number.
• Premium Rate: Dial 1 + 900 + 7-digit number.

Number Portability

Barbados supports mobile number portability, enabling users to retain their phone numbers when switching service providers. This process is managed by local telecom operators and regulated by the Telecommunications Unit under the Ministry of Transport and Works.

Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

Note: Specific number ranges are not publicly disclosed and may vary.

ITU-T Standards Compliance

Barbados complies with the following ITU-T recommendations:

• E.164: International public telecommunication numbering plan.
• E.123: Notation for national and international telephone numbers.

Number Allocation and Management

The Telecommunications Unit under the Ministry of Transport and Works oversees phone number allocation and management in Barbados, including number portability and compliance with ITU-T standards.

Technical Restrictions and Special Cases

• Golden Numbers: High-demand numbers require special approval and allocation criteria.
• Number Blocking: Certain ranges may be blocked for security or regulatory reasons.

Developer Considerations

• Normalization: Store phone numbers in E.164 format for consistency.
• Validation: Utilize provided regular expressions for input validation.
• Portability: Implement checks for number portability to accommodate provider switches.
• Number Formatting: Consider internationalization for user display.