Liberia Phone Numbers: Technical Overview and Numbering Plan

Quick Reference

Country: Liberia
Country Code: +231
International Prefix: 00
National Prefix: 0
ITU-T Standard: E.164

Overview

This comprehensive guide delves into Liberia's telephone numbering plan, detailing its structure, formats, and dialing procedures. It is essential for telecom professionals, developers, and system administrators to understand these technical considerations, which adhere to the ITU-T E.164 standard for international compatibility.

Number Structure

Liberia's telephone numbers are composed of several components:

Country Code: +231
National (Significant) Number: Includes the area code (if applicable) and the subscriber number.
Area/City Codes: May vary by geographic region.
Subscriber Number Length: Ranges from 7 to 9 digits, depending on the service type (landline or mobile).

Number Format Breakdown

Type	Example Format	Regex Pattern	Notes
Geographic	2X XXX XXXX	`^2\d{7}$`	Fixed-line numbers, 7 digits.
Mobile	77X XXX XXXX, 88X XXX XXXX	`^(77	88)\d7$`
Premium Rate	332 XXX XXXX	`^332\d{6}$`	Premium rate services, 9 digits.
Toll-Free	Not Available	N/A	Currently, no toll-free numbers exist.
Special Services	3XX	`^3\d{2}$`	Short codes for emergency and special services.

Example Numbers

Geographic: 2212345
Mobile: 771234567, 881234567
Premium Rate: 332123456

Dialing Procedures

Domestic Calls

Landline to Landline: Dial the full 7-digit number directly.
Landline to Mobile: Dial the mobile number directly.
Mobile to Mobile: Dial the mobile number directly.
Mobile to Landline: Dial the landline number directly.

International Calls

Outgoing: Dial 00 (International Prefix) + Country Code + Local Number (omit the leading 0).
Incoming: Dial +231 followed by the local number.

Example Dialing Scenarios

Calling from Liberia to the USA: 00 1 XXX XXX XXXX
Calling from the USA to Liberia: +231 77X XXX XXXX

Number Portability

Currently, Liberia does not support mobile number portability. There are no announced plans or timelines for its implementation.

Telecom Operators and Number Ranges

Liberia's major telecom operators manage specific number ranges:

Operator	Number Range	Service Type
Liberty Communications	77X XXX XXXX	Mobile
Orange Liberia	88X XXX XXXX	Mobile
Lonestar Cell MTN	22X XXX XXXX	Mobile

Number Allocation and Management

The Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) oversees the allocation and management of telephone numbers, ensuring compliance with ITU-T recommendations and national regulations.

Regulatory Body: Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA)
Official Website: Liberia Telecommunications Authority

Technical Considerations

Regular Expression Validation

For developers and systems managing Liberia's phone numbers, use these regex patterns to validate different number types:

// Geographic Numbers
^2\d{7}$

// Mobile Numbers
^(77|88)\d{7}$

// Premium Rate Numbers
^332\d{6}$

// Special Services (Short Codes)
^3\d{2}$

// Full International Format
^\+231\d{7,9}$

Special Cases

Golden Numbers: No public regulations on golden numbers exist in Liberia.
Number Blocking: Managed at the operator level, with no specific restrictions from the regulatory authority.

Recent and Upcoming Changes

Currently, there are no recent or upcoming changes to Liberia's numbering plan. The LTA reviews the plan periodically to meet demand and technological advancements.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information on Liberia's telecommunications regulations, please consult the official website of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority.

Conclusion

This guide provides a detailed technical overview of Liberia's telephone numbering plan, including structure, formats, and dialing procedures. Staying informed about regulatory updates and technical standards is crucial for professionals working with Liberia's telecommunications infrastructure.

For further details, refer to the Liberia Telecommunications Authority's official documentation and ITU-T recommendations.