Understanding Phone Numbers in Saint Lucia

Quick Reference

Country: Saint Lucia
Country Code: +1 (758)
International Prefix: 011
National Prefix: 1

Overview

This technical guide offers a detailed look into the telephone numbering plan of Saint Lucia. It includes phone number structures, dialing procedures, telecom regulations, and essential technical insights for developers and telecom professionals.

Number Structure

Saint Lucia is part of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), sharing its structure with several countries. Here's how phone numbers are organized:

Country Code: +1 (common to all NANP countries)
Area Code: 758 (unique to Saint Lucia)
Subscriber Number: 7 digits

Number Format Overview

Type	Format	Example
Geographic (Landline)	+1 758 XXX XXXX	+1 758 456 7890
Mobile	+1 758 XXX XXXX	+1 758 284 1234
Toll-Free	+1 800 XXX XXXX	+1 800 123 4567
Premium Rate	+1 900 XXX XXXX	+1 900 234 5678
Emergency Services	911	911

Detailed Number Formats

Geographic (Landline) Numbers

Format: 758 NXX XXXX
NXX: The first three digits after the area code, where N can be any digit from 2-9.
XXXX: The last four digits, representing the individual subscriber number.

Mobile Numbers

Format: 758 NXX XXXX
NXX: Mobile numbers typically start with specific prefixes such as 284, 384, 460, 484, 520, 584, 712, 812, etc.
XXXX: The last four digits, representing the individual subscriber number.

Toll-Free Numbers

Format: 800 XXX XXXX
XXX: The first three digits after the toll-free prefix, where X can be any digit from 2-9.
XXXX: The last four digits, representing the individual subscriber number.

Premium Rate Numbers

Format: 900 XXX XXXX
XXX: The first three digits after the premium rate prefix, where X can be any digit from 2-9.
XXXX: The last four digits, representing the individual subscriber number.

Regular Expressions for Validation

For developers and telecom system administrators, the following regular expressions can be used to validate Saint Lucia phone numbers:

Geographic (Landline) Numbers:
```
/^1-758-[2-9]\d{2}-\d{4}$/
```

Mobile Numbers:

/^1-758-(284|384|460|484|520|584|712|812)\d{4}$/

Toll-Free Numbers:
```
/^1-800-[2-9]\d{2}-\d{4}$/
```
Premium Rate Numbers:
```
/^1-900-[2-9]\d{2}-\d{4}$/
```

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

Landline to Landline: Dial 1 + 758 + NXX XXXX
Landline to Mobile: Dial 1 + 758 + NXX XXXX
Mobile to Mobile: Dial 1 + 758 + NXX XXXX

International Calls

Outgoing from Saint Lucia: Dial 011 + Country Code + Area Code + Local Number
Incoming to Saint Lucia: Dial +1 758 + NXX XXXX

Number Portability

Saint Lucia supports mobile number portability (MNP), allowing subscribers to retain their mobile numbers when switching between service providers. This enhances competition among telecom operators and provides flexibility for consumers.

Major Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

Operator	Number Ranges
Digicel Saint Lucia	284, 384, 460, 520, 584
Flow Saint Lucia	712, 812, 484

ITU-T Recommendations

Saint Lucia adheres to the ITU-T E.164 standard, which defines the international public telecommunication numbering plan. This standard ensures that telephone numbers are globally unique and can be dialed from anywhere in the world.

Number Allocation and Management

The National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) of Saint Lucia is responsible for the allocation and management of telephone numbers. They ensure that the numbering plan is efficiently administered and that sufficient numbers are available for future growth.

Technical Restrictions and Special Cases

There are no specific technical restrictions or special cases such as golden numbers or number blocking mentioned in the public domain for Saint Lucia. However, telecom operators may offer custom services under specific agreements.

Technical Considerations

For Developers

Number Validation: Use the provided regular expressions to validate phone numbers in Saint Lucia.
Formatting: Ensure that phone numbers are correctly formatted according to the NANP standards.
Integration: When integrating with international systems, consider the E.164 format for global interoperability.

For Telecom Systems

Routing: Ensure that routing tables are updated to reflect the latest number allocations and ported numbers.
Billing: Implement correct billing procedures for different number types, including toll-free and premium rate numbers.
Compliance: Adhere to NTRC regulations and ITU-T standards when managing phone numbers in Saint Lucia.

For the most up-to-date information on telecommunications regulations in Saint Lucia, please consult the official website of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC).

This guide ensures you have the essential information on Saint Lucia's phone number formats and regulations, crucial for professionals in the telecommunications field.