Understanding Phone Numbers in Greece

Quick Reference Guide

• Country: Greece
• Country Code: +30
• International Prefix: 00
• National Prefix: None

Comprehensive Overview

This article provides an in-depth look at Greece's telephone numbering system, focusing on number formats, dialing procedures, and regulatory standards. It's tailored for telecom professionals, developers, and system administrators seeking precise and current data on Greece's telecom infrastructure.

Number Formats in Greece

General Structure

Greece employs a closed ten-digit numbering plan. Here's how numbers are structured:

• Geographic Numbers: Begin with 2 and consist of 10 digits.
• Mobile Numbers: Start with 6 or 9 and are 10 digits long.
• Toll-Free Numbers: Begin with 800 and range from 10 to 12 digits.
• Premium Rate Numbers: Start with 90 and are 10 digits.
• Shared Cost Numbers: Begin with 80 or 81 and are 10 digits.
• Short Codes: Typically 3 to 5 digits, starting with 1.

Detailed Number Formats

Regular Expressions for Validation

Use these regex patterns to validate Greek phone numbers:

# Geographic Numbers
^2\d{9}$

# Mobile Numbers
^69\d{8}$|^94\d{8}$

# Toll-Free Numbers
^800\d{7,9}$

# Premium Rate Numbers
^90[19]\d{7}$

# Shared Cost Numbers
^80[16]\d{6}$|^8012\d{6}$

# Short Codes
^1\d{2,4}$

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

• Landline to Landline: Dial the full 10-digit number (e.g., 2101234567).
• Landline to Mobile: Dial the full 10-digit mobile number (e.g., 6941234567).
• Mobile to Mobile: Dial the full 10-digit number directly.

International Calls

• Outgoing International Calls: Dial 00, followed by the country code and local number (e.g., 00 1 202 555 0125 for the USA).
• Incoming International Calls: The caller should dial +30 followed by the 10-digit Greek number (e.g., +30 2101234567).

Number Portability

Greece allows number portability for both mobile and fixed-line numbers, enabling users to keep their numbers when changing service providers. This fosters competition and offers flexibility to consumers.

Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

Major Operators

• OTE (Hellenic Telecommunications Organization): Largest fixed-line and mobile operator.

  • Geographic Numbers: 210, 231, etc.
  • Mobile Numbers: 69X, 94X

• Vodafone Greece: Major mobile operator.

  • Mobile Numbers: 694, 695, 697

• Wind Hellas: Mobile and fixed-line operator.

  • Mobile Numbers: 693, 698

Number Ranges

Relevant ITU Standards

Greece adheres to the ITU-T Recommendation E.164, ensuring global consistency in numbering schemes.

Number Allocation and Management

Regulatory Body

The Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission (EETT) oversees the allocation, management, and regulation of telephone numbers in Greece.

Number Allocation

Numbers are assigned based on service type and geographic region. EETT updates the numbering plan regularly to ensure efficient use of resources.

Technical Considerations for Developers

• Validation: Use the provided regex patterns to validate Greek phone numbers in applications.
• Formatting: Store and display phone numbers in a standardized format to prevent inconsistencies.
• Portability: Implement checks for number portability to manage routing and billing accurately.
• Time Zone Awareness: Greece operates in the Eastern European Time (EET) zone, which is crucial for scheduling calls or sending time-sensitive communications.