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Virginia Phone Numbers: Formats, Dialing Rules, and Technical Insights
Quick Reference
Country: United States
Country Code: +1
International Prefix: 011
National Prefix: 1
Overview
Discover the comprehensive details of Virginia's telephone numbering plan. This guide is essential for telecom professionals, developers, and systems administrators, offering insights into number formats, dialing procedures, and regulatory aspects.
Number Structure
Virginia phone numbers adhere to the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) format:
Country Code: +1
Area Code: Three digits identifying specific regions in Virginia.
Subscriber Number: A unique seven-digit number within an area code.
General Number Format
+1 NXX-NXX-XXXX
N: Digits 2-9
X: Digits 0-9
Example
+1 804-123-4567: A typical Virginia phone number.
Number Formats by Type
Type
Format
Example
Geographic
+1 NXX-NXX-XXXX
+1 540-555-1234
Mobile
+1 NXX-NXX-XXXX
+1 571-555-5678
Toll-Free
+1 8XX-NXX-XXXX
+1 800-555-1234
Premium Rate
+1 900-NXX-XXXX
+1 900-555-9876
Emergency
911
911
Suicide Hotline
988
988
Regular Expressions
Use these regex patterns to validate Virginia phone numbers:
Geographic/Mobile:
^\+1[2-9]\d{2}[2-9]\d{2}\d{4}$
Toll-Free:
^\+18(00|44|55|66|77|88)[2-9]\d{2}\d{4}$
Premium Rate:
^\+1900[2-9]\d{2}\d{4}$
Emergency:
^911$
Suicide Hotline:
^988$
Dialing Procedures
Domestic Calls
Landline to Landline: Dial the 10-digit number.
Example: 804-123-4567
Landline to Mobile: Dial the 10-digit number.
Example: 571-555-5678
Mobile to Mobile: Dial the 10-digit number.
Example: 703-555-6789
International Calls
Outgoing (from VA): Dial 011 + Country Code + Area Code + Subscriber Number.
Virginia supports number portability, allowing users to keep their numbers when changing providers. This applies to both landline and mobile numbers, implemented since 2003 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Regulatory Body
The State Corporation Commission (SCC) oversees telecommunications in Virginia. For the latest updates, visit the SCC official website.
Recent or Upcoming Changes
Recent Changes
686 Area Code: Added as an overlay to 804 in January 2024.
948 Area Code: Added as an overlay to 757.
Upcoming Changes
No upcoming changes announced.
Special Number Formats
Emergency Numbers
911: Universal emergency number.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
988: Dedicated for mental health crisis support.
Toll-Free Numbers
Prefixes: 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, 833.
Premium Rate Numbers
Prefix: 900
ITU-T Recommendations
Virginia's numbering plan complies with ITU-T E.164, ensuring global telecommunication compatibility.
Number Allocation and Management
The North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) manages Virginia's area codes and phone numbers.
Technical Restrictions or Special Cases
Golden Numbers
Highly desirable numbers, easy to remember, may be subject to special allocation rules.
Number Blocking
Subscribers can block specific numbers through telecom providers.
Technical Considerations for Developers
Validation
Implement regex for validating Virginia phone numbers. Consider using APIs adhering to NANP standards for robust validation.
Number Formatting
Ensure systems can format and store numbers according to NANP, including area code overlays.
Portability Handling
Design systems to handle number portability, ensuring seamless transitions when users switch providers.