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Phone Numbers in Bulgaria: A Comprehensive Guide
Quick Reference
- Country: Bulgaria
- Country Code: +359
- International Prefix: 00
- National Prefix: 0
Overview
This guide offers a detailed examination of Bulgaria's telephone numbering plan, including number formats, dialing procedures, and regulatory aspects. It is tailored for telecom professionals, developers, and system administrators seeking accurate and practical information.
Number Structure
General Number Format
Bulgaria's phone numbers are organized as follows:
- Country Code: +359
- National (Trunk) Prefix: 0
- Area Code: 1 to 5 digits
- Subscriber Number: 3 to 7 digits
Number Formats by Type
| Type | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Geographic | 0[2-9]X{5,7} | 029123456, 0321234567 |
| Mobile | 08[7-9]X{7} | 0878123456, 0899123456 |
| Toll-Free | 00800X{5} | 0080012345 |
| Premium Rate | 090X{6} | 0900123456 |
| Shared Cost | 0700X{5} | 070012345 |
| Emergency | 1XX | 112 |
Regular Expressions
Use these regular expressions to validate Bulgarian phone numbers:
- Geographic:
^0[2-9]\d{5,7}$ - Mobile:
^08[7-9]\d{7}$ - Toll-Free:
^00800\d{5}$ - Premium Rate:
^090\d{6}$ - Shared Cost:
^0700\d{5}$ - Emergency:
^1\d{2}$
Examples
- Geographic:
0321234567(Plovdiv) - Mobile:
0878123456(Yettel) - Toll-Free:
0080012345 - Premium Rate:
0900123456 - Shared Cost:
070012345 - Emergency:
112(General emergency)
Dialing Procedures
Domestic Calls
- Landline to Landline: Dial
0+ [Area Code] + [Subscriber Number]- Example:
0321234567
- Example:
- Landline to Mobile: Dial
0+ [Mobile Prefix] + [Subscriber Number]- Example:
0878123456
- Example:
- Mobile to Mobile: Dial [Mobile Prefix] + [Subscriber Number]
- Example:
0899123456
- Example:
International Calls
- Outgoing: Dial
00+ [Country Code] + [Area Code] + [Subscriber Number]- Example (to Germany):
0049 30 1234567
- Example (to Germany):
- Incoming: Dial
+359+ [Area Code] + [Subscriber Number]- Example:
+359 2 9123456
- Example:
Number Portability
Since 2007, Bulgaria has allowed number portability for both mobile and fixed-line numbers, enhancing customer retention and competition in the telecom market.
Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges
| Operator | Mobile Prefixes | Fixed-Line Prefixes |
|---|---|---|
| Vivacom | 087, 088 | 02 (Sofia), 052 (Varna) |
| Yettel (formerly M-Tel) | 087, 088 | 032 (Plovdiv) |
| A1 Bulgaria | 088, 089 | 056 (Burgas) |
| Telenor | 089 |
Regulatory and Numbering Management
Regulatory Body
The Communications Regulation Commission (CRC) manages Bulgaria's numbering plan, ensuring compliance with ITU-T standards like E.164, and oversees number allocation and portability.
Number Allocation and Management
Numbers are allocated based on service type (e.g., geographic, mobile, toll-free) and managed by the CRC to ensure efficient use and prevent number exhaustion.
Recent and Upcoming Changes
Recent updates include reallocating mobile prefixes like 087 and 089 to meet demand. No major upcoming changes are currently announced.
Technical Considerations
For Developers and Systems Administrators
- Validation: Implement the provided regular expressions to validate phone numbers.
- Portability: Check for number portability when routing calls or messages.
- Internationalization: Ensure systems handle the
+359country code and strip the leading0for domestic numbers. - Emergency Numbers: Prioritize and correctly route calls to emergency numbers like
112.
For the latest telecom regulations in Bulgaria, visit the official CRC website.