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|et| Ethiopia +251

Number Format

Area Code:            2 digits (formerly 1 digit)
Subscriber Number:    7 digits (formerly 6 digits)
Trunk Prefix:         0
International Prefix: 00

Area code information

17 September 2005 - national renumbering

Ethiopia moved its national telephone numbering to a consistent format of 2-digit area codes followed by 7-digit subscriber numbers.

A closed dialling plan was also implemented. Trunk prefix 0 and area code are always included for calls to subscriber numbers within Ethiopia, or a constant 10-digit format.

These changes occurred in a flash cut, where no permissive dialling period was used.

In Addis Ababa, area code +251 1 (01 domestically) changed to +251 11 (011 domestically). In most cases, a digit was prepended to the existing 6-digit subscriber number. This digit varied according to the number's particular district. There are some exceptions which involve changing the first three digits of the former 6-digit subscriber number before prepending the new district digit.

Outside Addis Ababa, the leading digit of fixed geographic numbers was doubled to expand to 7-digit format. Area codes were converted from 1 to 2 digits according to region.

GSM mobile area code changed from +251 9 to +251 91, with subscriber number prepended by a digit according to region.

VSAT area code changed from +251 9 to +251 98.

The following table indicates the general migration from old to new number formats. For a detailed list of changes, see the announcement (12 September 2005, via ITU) 

Old format      New format       Place/Service
----------      ----------       -------------
+251 1 xxxxxx   +251 11 1xxxxxx  Addis Ababa North
+251 1 xxxxxx   +251 11 2xxxxxx  Addis Ababa West
+251 1 xxxxxx   +251 11 3xxxxxx  Addis Ababa Southwest
+251 1 xxxxxx   +251 11 4xxxxxx  Addis Ababa South
+251 1 xxxxxx   +251 11 5xxxxxx  Addis Ababa Central
+251 1 xxxxxx   +251 11 6xxxxxx  Addis Ababa East
+251 1 251xxxx  +251 11 651xxxx  WLL Addis Ababa East
+251 1 252xxxx  +251 11 652xxxx  WLL Addis Ababa South
+251 1 253xxxx  +251 11 653xxxx  WLL Addis Ababa Southwest
+251 1 254xxxx  +251 11 654xxxx  WLL Addis Ababa West
+251 1 255xxxx  +251 11 655xxxx  WLL Addis Ababa Central and North
+251 2 axxxxx   +251 22 aaxxxxx  Southeast region (Nazareth)
+251 3 axxxxx   +251 33 aaxxxxx  Northeast region (Assab, Dessie)
+251 4 axxxxx   +251 34 aaxxxxx  North region (Mekele)
+251 5 axxxxx   +251 25 aaxxxxx  Eastern region (Dire Dawa)
+251 6 axxxxx   +251 46 aaxxxxx  South region (Awassa, Shashamane)
+251 7 axxxxx   +251 47 aaxxxxx  Southwest region (Jimma)
+251 7 axxxxx   +251 57 aaxxxxx  Western region (Ghedo)
+251 8 axxxxx   +251 58 aaxxxxx  Northwest region (Gonder)
+251 9 xxxxxx   +251 91 1xxxxxx  GSM mobile Addis Ababa and area
+251 9 xxxxxx   +251 91 4xxxxxx  GSM mobile Northern region
+251 9 xxxxxx   +251 91 5xxxxxx  GSM mobile East region
+251 9 xxxxxx   +251 91 6xxxxxx  GSM mobile Southern region
+251 9 xxxxxx   +251 91 7xxxxxx  GSM mobile Western region
+251 9 xxxxxx   +251 91 8xxxxxx  GSM mobile Northwestern region
+251 9 11xxxx   +251 98 111xxxx  VSAT Faraway
+251 9 19xxxx   +251 98 119xxxx  VSAT Dialaway
(WLL = wireless local loop)

Short codes for emergency and special services remain mostly unchanged, except for 2-digit short codes 97, 98, 99 which became 997, 998, 999 respectively:

Code  Service
---   -------
900   internet dialup
901   Time (Amharic)
902   Time (English)
903   Fixed prepaid
904   Prepaid mobile refill/info.
905   EEPCO
906   Water and sewers
907   Red Cross
908   voice mail
911   Police information
912   Fire
913   HIV/AIDS Council
914   Orthodox Church
915   Federal police
916   Federal police commission
918   Capacity building
919   Family planning
920   Mobile call centre
929   Number change information
951   Commercial Bank of Ethiopia
952   HIV Prevention Office
953   Insurance Enterprise
954   water and sewers
955   water and sewers
956   water and sewers
957   water and sewers
958   water and sewers
959   water and sewers
960   telephone faults
961   telephone faults
962   telephone faults
963   telephone faults
964   telephone faults
965   telephone faults
966   telephone faults
967   telephone faults
969   mobile faults
997   ETC call centre [was 97]
998   international operator [was 98]
999   national operator [was 99]
Details: Ethiopian Telecommunications Agency (ETA) announcement (12 September 2005, via ITU). News, additional background courtesy Sergiu Rosenzweig.

Other information

Ethiopia numbering plan document is available (Word format) on an ITU numbering page.

See carrier Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation website.

Also, regulator Ethiopian Telecommunications Agency website.

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