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Technical Guide to Phone Numbers in Brazil

Quick Reference

  • Country: Brazil
  • Country Code: +55
  • International Prefix: 00(?:1[245]|2[1-35]|31|4[13]|[56]5|99)
  • National Prefix: 0
  • Regulatory Body: ANATEL (Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações)
  • ITU-T Standard: E.164

Overview

This guide offers a comprehensive analysis of Brazil's telephone numbering plan, detailing number formats, dialing procedures, and regulatory considerations. It is essential for telecom professionals, developers, and systems administrators to understand these aspects for effective communication and system integration.

Number Structure

General Number Structure

  • Country Code: +55
  • Area Code: 2 digits (NN)
  • Subscriber Number: 8 or 9 digits

Number Format Breakdown

TypeFormatExample
Landline(NN) NNNN-NNNN(11) 2345-6789
Mobile(NN) 9NNNN-NNNN(21) 91234-5678
Toll-Free0800 NNN-NNNN0800 123-4567
Premium Rate0300 NNN-NNNN or 0900 NNN-NNNN0300 123-4567
Shared Cost0400 NNN-NNNN0400 123-4567
EmergencyNNN190 (Police)

Regular Expressions for Validation

  • Landline: ^\(?(1[1-9]|2[12478]|3[1-578]|4[1-9]|5[1-5]|6[1-9]|7[1-9]|8[1-9]|9[1-9])\)? ?[2-5]\d{3}-?\d{4}$
  • Mobile: ^\(?(1[1-9]|2[12478]|3[1-578]|4[1-9]|5[1-5]|6[1-9]|7[1-9]|8[1-9]|9[1-9])\)? ?9\d{4}-?\d{4}$
  • Toll-Free: ^0800 \d{3}-?\d{4}$
  • Premium Rate: ^0(?:300|900) \d{3}-?\d{4}$
  • Shared Cost: ^0400 \d{3}-?\d{4}$
  • Emergency: ^\d{3}$

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

  • Landline to Landline: Dial the area code followed by the 8-digit subscriber number. Example: (11) 2345-6789
  • Landline to Mobile: Dial the area code followed by the 9-digit subscriber number. Example: (21) 91234-5678
  • Mobile to Mobile: Dial the area code followed by the 9-digit subscriber number. Example: (31) 98765-4321

International Calls

  • Outgoing from Brazil: Dial 00 followed by the carrier code, the destination country code, and the subscriber number. Example: 00 21 1 234-567-8901 (to the USA)
  • Incoming to Brazil: Dial the international access code (e.g., 011 from the USA), followed by Brazil's country code +55, the area code, and the subscriber number. Example: +55 11 2345-6789

Number Portability

Brazil implemented mobile number portability (MNP) in 2008, allowing users to retain their mobile or fixed-line numbers when switching between service providers. This process is regulated by ANATEL, ensuring a seamless transition between carriers.

Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

Major Operators

  • Claro
  • Vivo
  • TIM
  • Oi

While specific number ranges assigned to each operator are not publicly disclosed, each carrier manages its own set of prefixes across different regions.

Number Allocation and Management

Regulatory Body

ANATEL is responsible for the allocation and management of phone numbers in Brazil. They ensure compliance with ITU-T recommendations and manage the national numbering plan.

Number Allocation

Numbers are allocated based on geographic regions and service types (e.g., landline, mobile, toll-free). Specific blocks are reserved for certain services, such as emergency numbers and premium rate services.

Recent Changes to the Numbering Plan

There have been no significant changes to Brazil's numbering plan in the past five years. However, the migration from iDEN to GSM/3G/4G networks has impacted the allocation and usage of mobile number ranges.

Technical Considerations

For Developers and Systems Administrators

  1. Validation: Implement regular expressions to validate Brazilian phone numbers based on the formats provided.
  2. Number Portability: Ensure systems are capable of handling number portability by querying the correct operator for a given number.
  3. Internationalization: When dealing with international calls, ensure proper formatting by including Brazil's country code (+55) and removing any leading zeros from the area code or subscriber number.
  4. Time Zones: Brazil spans multiple time zones. Ensure systems account for time zone differences when scheduling calls or sending time-sensitive messages.

Info: For the most up-to-date information on Brazil's telecommunications regulations, please consult the official website of ANATEL.

Conclusion

Understanding Brazil's telephone numbering plan is crucial for effective communication within the country and internationally. By adhering to the guidelines and formats provided in this guide, telecom professionals and developers can ensure compliance and optimize their systems for Brazilian phone numbers.