[Bahamas] Phone Numbers: Format, Area Code & Validation Guide

Comprehensive Guide to Phone Numbers in the Bahamas

Quick Reference

Overview

This guide provides a detailed examination of the telephone numbering system in the Bahamas. It includes the structure of phone numbers, dialing procedures, and regulatory guidelines, making it an invaluable resource for telecom professionals, developers, and anyone involved in telecommunications within the Bahamas.

Number Structure

General Number Format

Phone numbers in the Bahamas adhere to the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), shared by 20 countries, including the United States and Canada. The standard format consists of a 3-digit area code followed by a 7-digit subscriber number.

  • Format: +1 (Country Code) - NPA (Area Code) - NXX-XXXX (Subscriber Number)
  • Example: +1-242-555-1234

Area Code

  • Area Code for the Bahamas: 242

Subscriber Number

  • Subscriber Number Length: 7 digits

Special Prefixes

  • Toll-Free Numbers: 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, 833
  • Premium Rate Numbers: 900
  • Emergency Numbers: 911

Number Formats

Geographic (Landline) Numbers

  • Format: 242 [2-9]XX-XXXX
  • Example: 242-302-1234
^242[2-9]\d{6}$

Mobile Numbers

  • Format: 242 [3-9]XX-XXXX
  • Example: 242-357-1234
^242[3-9]\d{6}$

Toll-Free Numbers

  • Format: 1-800 [2-9]XX-XXXX
  • Example: 1-800-555-1234
^1(800|888|877|866|855|844|833)[2-9]\d{6}$

Premium Rate Numbers

  • Format: 1-900 [2-9]XX-XXXX
  • Example: 1-900-555-1234
^1(900)[2-9]\d{6}$

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

  • Landline to Landline: Dial 1 + 242 + 7-digit number.
  • Landline to Mobile: Dial 1 + 242 + 7-digit number.
  • Mobile to Mobile: Dial 1 + 242 + 7-digit number.

International Calls

  • Outgoing: Dial 011 + Country Code + Area Code + Local Number.
  • Incoming: Dial +1 + 242 + 7-digit number.

Recent Changes to the Numbering Plan

As of the latest update, there have been no recent changes to the numbering plan in the Bahamas. The country continues to follow the NANP structure, and no new area codes or prefixes have been introduced.

Number Portability

  • Mobile Number Portability: Available since December 2013. Users can retain their mobile numbers when switching between service providers within the Bahamas.

Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

OperatorNumber Ranges (NXX)
BTC (Bahamas Telecommunications Company)302, 364, 376, 424, 426, 427, 428, 429, 431, 433, 434, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 509, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 610, 611, 612, 613, 614, 615, 616, 617, 618, 619, 620, 621, 622, 623, 624, 625, 626, 627, 628, 629, 630, 631, 632, 633, 634, 635, 636, 637, 638, 639, 640, 641, 642, 643, 644, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 650, 651, 652, 653, 654, 655, 656, 657, 658, 659, 660, 661, 662, 663, 664, 665, 666, 667, 668, 669, 670, 671, 672, 673, 674, 675, 676, 677, 678, 679, 680, 681, 682, 683, 684, 685, 686, 687, 688, 689, 690, 691, 692, 693, 694, 695, 696, 697, 698, 699, 700, 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, 706, 707, 708, 709, 710, 711, 712, 713, 714, 715, 716, 717, 718, 719, 720, 721, 722, 723, 724, 725, 726, 727, 728, 729, 730, 731, 732, 733, 734, 735, 736, 737, 738, 739, 740, 741, 742, 743, 744, 745, 746, 747, 748, 749, 750, 751, 752, 753, 754, 755, 756, 757, 758, 759, 760, 761, 762, 763, 764, 765, 766, 767, 768, 769, 770, 771, 772, 773, 774, 775, 776, 777, 778, 779, 780, 781, 782, 783, 784, 785, 786, 787, 788, 789, 790, 791, 792, 793, 794, 795, 796, 797, 798, 799, 800, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, 809, 810, 811, 812, 813, 814, 815, 816, 817, 818, 819, 820, 821, 822, 823, 824, 825, 826, 827, 828, 829, 830, 831, 832, 833, 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, 869, 870, 871, 872, 873, 874, 875, 876, 877, 878, 879, 880, 881, 882, 883, 884, 885, 886, 887, 888, 889, 890, 891, 892, 893, 894, 895, 896, 897, 898, 899, 900, 901, 902, 903, 904, 905, 906, 907, 908, 909, 910, 911, 912, 913, 914, 915, 916, 917, 918, 919, 920, 921, 922, 923, 924, 925, 926, 927, 928, 929, 930, 931, 932, 933, 934, 935, 936, 937, 938, 939, 940, 941, 942, 943, 944, 945, 946, 947, 948, 949, 950, 951, 952, 953, 954, 955, 956, 957, 958, 959, 960, 961, 962, 963, 964, 965, 966, 967, 968, 969, 970, 971, 972, 973, 974, 975, 976, 977, 978, 979, 980, 981, 982, 983, 984, 985, 986, 987, 988, 989, 990, 991, 992, 993, 994, 995, 996, 997, 998, 999
ALIV357, 359, 423, 424, 425, 426, 427, 428, 429, 431, 433, 434, 502, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 509, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 610, 611, 612, 613, 614, 615, 616, 617, 618, 619, 620, 621, 622, 623, 624, 625, 626, 627, 628, 629, 630, 631, 632, 633, 634, 635, 636, 637, 638, 639, 640, 641, 642, 643, 644, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 650, 651, 652, 653, 654, 655, 656, 657, 658, 659, 660, 661, 662, 663, 664, 665, 666, 667, 668, 669, 670, 671, 672, 673, 674, 675, 676, 677, 678, 679, 680, 681, 682, 683, 684, 685, 686, 687, 688, 689, 690, 691, 692, 693, 694, 695, 696, 697, 698, 699, 700, 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, 706, 707, 708, 709, 710, 711, 712, 713, 714, 715, 716, 717, 718, 719, 720, 721, 722, 723, 724, 725, 726, 727, 728, 729, 730, 731, 732, 733, 734, 735, 736, 737, 738, 739, 740, 741, 742, 743, 744, 745, 746, 747, 748, 749, 750, 751, 752, 753, 754, 755, 756, 757, 758, 759, 760, 761, 762, 763, 764, 765, 766, 767, 768, 769, 770, 771, 772, 773, 774, 775, 776, 777, 778, 779, 780, 781, 782, 783, 784, 785, 786, 787, 788, 789, 790, 791, 792, 793, 794, 795, 796, 797, 798, 799, 800, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, 809, 810, 811, 812, 813, 814, 815, 816, 817, 818, 819, 820, 821, 822, 823, 824, 825, 826, 827, 828, 829, 830, 831, 832, 833, 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, 869, 870, 871, 872, 873, 874, 875, 876, 877, 878, 879, 880, 881, 882, 883, 884, 885, 886, 887, 888, 889, 890, 891, 892, 893, 894, 895, 896, 897, 898, 899, 900, 901, 902, 903, 904, 905, 906, 907, 908, 909, 910, 911, 912, 913, 914, 915, 916, 917, 918, 919, 920, 921, 922, 923, 924, 925, 926, 927, 928, 929, 930, 931, 932, 933, 934, 935, 936, 937, 938, 939, 940, 941, 942, 943, 944, 945, 946, 947, 948, 949, 950, 951, 952, 953, 954, 955, 956, 957, 958, 959, 960, 961, 962, 963, 964, 965, 966, 967, 968, 969, 970, 971, 972, 973, 974, 975, 976, 977, 978, 979, 980, 981, 982, 983, 984, 985, 986, 987, 988, 989, 990, 991, 992, 993, 994, 995, 996, 997, 998, 999

Number Allocation and Management

Technical Restrictions or Special Cases

  • Golden Numbers: The Bahamas does not have specific regulations regarding "golden numbers." However, premium numbers may be available at higher costs.
  • Number Blocking: There are no specific number blocking schemes enforced by the regulatory authority.

Technical Considerations for Developers

When working with phone numbers in the Bahamas, developers should consider the following:

  1. Validation: Use regular expressions to validate phone numbers based on the formats provided. For example, use the regex ^242[2-9]\d{6}$ for geographic numbers.
  2. Formatting: Ensure that phone numbers are formatted according to the NANP standard, including the country code when dealing with international systems.
  3. Portability: Implement logic to handle number portability, especially for mobile numbers.
  4. Dialing: Consider the correct dialing procedures for both domestic and international calls, ensuring that applications can handle different scenarios.

For the most up-to-date information on telecommunications regulations in the Bahamas, please consult the official website of the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA).

References

  1. Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) - Official Website
  2. North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) - Official Website
  3. ITU-T Recommendation E.164 - ITU Website