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|cg| Congo (Brazzaville) +242


Number Format

Area Code:            none
Subscriber Number:    7 digits (was 6 digits until March 2004)
Trunk Prefix:         n/a
International Prefix: 00
Republic of Congo, capital is Brazzaville (not to be confused with the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly known as Zaire, with capital Kinshasa).

Numbering range information

15 October 2010 - expansion to 9-digit national numbers

Congo subscriber numbers were expanded in a flash cut process on 15 October 2010, with two digits prepended to existing subscriber numbers.

Fixed/wireline numbers changed as follows:

Old numbering  New numbering   Location
-------------  -------------   --------
+242 21xxxxx   +242 2221xxxxx  Basin West, Equator 1 zone
+242 22xxxxx   +242 2222xxxxx  Sangha-Likouala, Equator 2 zone
+242 23xxxxx   +242 2223xxxxx  Pool, Centre 2 zone
+242 24xxxxx   +242 2224xxxxx  Plateau, Centre 3 zone
+242 25xxxxx   +242 2225xxxxx  Bouenza, Lekoumou, Niairi, Atlantic 2 zone
+242 28xxxxx   +242 2228xxxxx  Brazzaville, Centre 1 zone
+242 29xxxxx   +242 2229xxxxx  Pointe-Noire, Atlantic 1 zone
Mobile/wireless numbers changed as follows:

Old numbering  New numbering   Carrier(s)
-------------  -------------   ----------
+242 3xxxxxx   +242 0M3xxxxxx  various
+242 4xxxxxx   +242 044xxxxxx  Warid
+242 5xxxxxx   +242 055xxxxxx  Celtel/Zain
+242 6xxxxxx   +242 066xxxxxx  MTN
+242 7xxxxxx   +242 0M7xxxxxx  various
+242 8xxxxxx   +242 0M8xxxxxx  various
+242 9xxxxxx   +242 0M9xxxxxx  various
The M digit following '0' identifies the mobile carrier:

Mobile number   Carrier
-------------   -------
+242 01xxxxxxx  Equateur Telecom
+242 04xxxxxxx  Warid
+242 05xxxxxxx  Celtel/Zain
+242 06xxxxxxx  MTN
Common short codes for all carriers:

Short code  Service
----------  -------
111         customer service
112         constabulary
116         children's help
117         police
118         fire
GSM wireless short codes in the 30xxx, 31xxx, 35xxx and 39xxx ranges are also reserved.

800xxxxxx numbers are for freephone or other special services.

810xxxxxx numbers are for shared cost access.

8300xxxxx numbers are for internet access.

8800xxxxx numbers are for shared revenue access (premium).

8900xxxxx numbers are for future NGN access.

900xxxxxx and 999xxxxxx are reserved for future nomadic services.

Sources:

ARPCE numbering plan (in French)

ARPCE announcement (1 October 2010, via ITU) (with report courtesy Sergiu Rosenzweig)

Details of the expansion to 7-digit national numbering were announced 3 March 2004.

Mobile carriers Celtel Congo and Libertis Telecom were indicated as a first phase of number changes taking effect 30 March 2004. The second phase was for SOTELCO (fixed/wireline numbers) and Cyrus S.A. (mobile) - no date was specified for second phase, making it unclear if those changes also took effect 30 March 2004.

On 30 March 2004, existing 6-digit numbers were converted to new ranges (assuming a digit is prepended for each location or type of service):

Old     New      Location/Service
===     ===      ================
41xxxx  441xxxx  mobile/wireless (Cyrus)
42xxxx  442xxxx  mobile/wireless (Cyrus)
2xxxxx  52xxxxx  mobile/wireless (Celtel Congo)
3xxxxx  53xxxxx  mobile/wireless (Celtel Congo)
5xxxxx  55xxxxx  mobile/wireless (Celtel Congo)
6xxxxx  66xxxxx  mobile/wireless (Libertis)
7xxxxx  67xxxxx  mobile/wireless (Libertis)
81xxxx  281xxxx  Brazzaville
82xxxx  282xxxx  Brazzaville
94xxxx  294xxxx  Pointe-Noire
The new assigned numbering ranges are as follows (some may enter service in the future), differing substantially from the previously announced ranges of 2002:

21xxxxx : Equator zone 1 (Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest; SOTELCO formerly ONPT)
22xxxxx : Equator zone 2 (Sangha, Likouala)
23xxxxx : Centre zone 2 (Pool)
24xxxxx : Centre zone 3 (Plateaux)
25xxxxx : Atlantic zone 2 (Niari, Lékoumou, Bouenza)
28xxxxx : Centre zone 1 (Brazzaville)
29xxxxx : Atlantic zone 1 (Pointe-Noire)
44xxxxx : mobile/paging (CYRUS S.A.)
5xxxxxx : mobile/paging (Celtel Congo)
6xxxxxx : mobile/paging (Libertis Telecom)
800xxxx : freephone
820xxxx : shared cost
844xxxx : shared revenue
860xxxx : personal numbers
880xxxx : internet access
Number ranges not listed above are unassigned at this time.

1x short codes change to 11x ('1' was prepended). 1xxx short codes not beginning with '11' are available for carrier purposes (operator, assistance).

February 2002: new national numbering plan proposal

An announcement of 5 February 2002 (via ITU) indicated that the Republic of Congo would be switching from a 6-digit to a 7-digit national numbering plan at some unspecified time.

The existing 6-digit plan number ranges, according to carrier or service, are: 

1x     short codes
2xxxxx Celtel
3xxxxx Celtel
4xxxxx Cyrus
5xxxxx Celtel
6xxxxx Libertis
7xxxxx (unused)
8xxxxx ONPT
9xxxxx ONPT
The migration to 7-digit national numbering is expected to be done by migrating existing 6-digit numbers to conform to these new number ranges:

0xxxxxx (initially unused)
1x      short codes
2xxxxxx ONPT - Central area
3xxxxxx ONPT - Equator area
4xxxxxx Cyrus
5xxxxxx Celtel
6xxxxxx Libertis
7xxxxxx Congo Mobile
8xxxxxx ONPT - Atlantic area
9xxxxxx (initially unused)

The proposed new 7-digit geographic numbering ranges for ONPT services were:

Range              Place
=================  =====
20xxxxx - 25xxxxx  Brazzaville
26xxxxx            Plateaux
27xxxxx            Pool
28xxxxx            Brazzaville
29xxxxx            Pool
30xxxxx            Likouala
31xxxxx            Sangha  
32xxxxx - 34xxxxx  Cuvette 
35xxxxx - 39xxxxx  reserved ranges
80xxxxx - 82xxxxx  Pointe Noir
83xxxxx            Lékoumo    
84xxxxx            Kouilou    
85xxxxx, 86xxxxx   Niari      
87xxxxx, 88xxxxx   Bouenza    
89xxxxx            Pointe Noir

Other information

ARPCE is the national regulator.

Celtel is a cellular carrier in the Republic of Congo.

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