Gain insights into Egypt's telephone numbering plan, including the structure of phone numbers, dialing procedures, and regulatory details. This guide is essential for telecom professionals, developers, and businesses engaging with Egypt's telecommunications infrastructure.
Number Formats and Structure
General Structure
Egyptian phone numbers consist of:
Country Code: +20
Area Code: Specific to regions (e.g., Cairo: 2, Alexandria: 3)
Subscriber Number: Length varies by service type (landline, mobile, etc.)
Detailed Number Formats
Type of Number
Format
Example
Regex Pattern
Landline (Cairo)
+20 2 XXX XXXX
+20 2 2345 6789
^\+20\s2\s\d{4}\s\d{4}$
Landline (Other)
+20 [AreaCode] XXX XXXX
+20 3 234 5678
^\+20\s[3-9]\s\d{3}\s\d{4}$
Mobile
+20 1X XXXX XXXX
+20 10 1234 5678
^\+20\s1[0-5]\s\d{4}\s\d{4}$
Toll-Free
+20 800 XXX XXXX
+20 800 123 4567
^\+20\s800\s\d{3}\s\d{4}$
Premium Rate
+20 900 XXX XXXX
+20 900 123 4567
^\+20\s900\s\d{3}\s\d{4}$
Emergency
XXX
122 (Police)
^\d{3}$
Area Codes
Area codes in Egypt identify specific regions:
Region
Area Code
Example (International Format)
Example (National Format)
Cairo
2
+20 2 XXX XXXX
02 XXX XXXX
Alexandria
3
+20 3 XXX XXXX
03 XXX XXXX
Arish
68
+20 68 XXX XXXX
068 XXX XXXX
Asyut
88
+20 88 XXX XXXX
088 XXX XXXX
Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges
Operator
Mobile Number Range
Example (International Format)
Example (National Format)
Vodafone
10xxxxxxxx
+20 10 XXX XXXX
010 XXXX XXXX
Etisalat
11xxxxxxxx
+20 11 XXX XXXX
011 XXXX XXXX
Orange
12xxxxxxxx
+20 12 XXX XXXX
012 XXXX XXXX
We
15xxxxxxxx
+20 15 XXX XXXX
015 XXXX XXXX
Dialing Procedures
Domestic Calls
Landline to Landline: Dial the area code followed by the subscriber number. Example: 02-XXXX-XXXX for a call within Cairo.
Landline to Mobile: Dial the mobile number directly, preceded by the national prefix 0. Example: 010-XXXX-XXXX.
Mobile to Mobile: Dial the mobile number directly with the national prefix 0. Example: 011-XXXX-XXXX.
International Calls
Outgoing: Dial the international prefix 00, followed by the country code, area code, and subscriber number. Example: 00-1-212-555-1234 for a call to the USA.
Incoming: From abroad, dial +20, followed by the area code and subscriber number, omitting the leading 0. Example: +20-2-XXXX-XXXX for a call to Cairo.
There have been no significant changes to the Egyptian numbering plan in the past five years. Historical changes include adjustments to Telecom Egypt's subscriber numbers.
Number Allocation and Management
The NTRA manages the allocation of telephone numbers in Egypt, ensuring compliance with ITU-T recommendations and overseeing number portability.
Technical Restrictions and Special Cases
Golden Numbers: Vanity or memorable numbers may be available at a premium.
Number Blocking: Certain numbers may be blocked due to regulatory or security reasons.
Technical Considerations
Regular Expressions for Validation
Here are some regex patterns for validating Egyptian phone numbers:
Egypt's numbering system complies with ITU-T E.164 standards, defining the international public telecommunication numbering plan.
For the latest telecommunications regulations in Egypt, visit the NTRA official website.
Conclusion
Understanding Egypt's phone number formats, dialing rules, and regulatory landscape is crucial for telecommunications and international business. This guide equips you with the necessary technical details to navigate Egypt's telecommunication infrastructure effectively.