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|an| Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Saint Eustatius (formerly Netherlands Antilles) +599

Number Format

Area Code:            none, except 1 digit for Curacao ('9')
Subscriber Number:    7 digits (6 digits for some St Maarten mobile)
Trunk Prefix:         0
International Prefix: 00

Area code information

30 September 2011 - Sint Maarten changes to +1 721

Sint Maarten will transition to the North American Numbering Plan (+1) where it would leave +599 and migrate its numbers to +1 721 xxxxxxx.

+1 721 will be activated in permissive mode on 30 September 2011 (previously planned for 31 May 2010), allowing calls to St Maarten using the existing +599 numbers until 31 March 2012 (previous plan mandatory date was 30 November 2010). After use of +1 721 becomes mandatory, a recorded announcement would be provided to callers attempting to dial St Maarten with +599 until at least 31 March 2013 (30 November 2011 in previous schedule).

Approval was granted after review by the NANP Industry Numbering Committee from 2008. There was an industry suggestion to consider sharing an area code with one or more other island nations for this case (ATIS, INC101 12-21 August 2008).

There were no details as of June 2011 regarding changes to short codes and international prefixes, if any, with the transition to +1 721. Existing calls to St Martin (French portion of the island) are placed using the international prefix and country code +590.

Known number ranges in Sint Maarten (as of December 2010):

Old range     Region/service
---------     --------------
+599 520xxxx  mobile, Telcell
+599 521xxxx  mobile, Telcell
+599 522xxxx  mobile, Telcell
+599 523xxxx  mobile, Telcell
+599 524xxxx  mobile, Telcell
+599 526xxxx  mobile, Telcell
+599 527xxxx  mobile, Telcell
+599 542xxxx  Philipsburg area
+599 543xxxx  Philipsburg area
+599 544xxxx  Colebay area
+599 545xxxx  Simpson Bay area
+599 546xxxx  DID
+599 547xxxx  Dutch Quarter area
+599 548xxxx  Cul de Sac area
+599 550xxxx  mobile, ECC
+599 551xxxx  mobile, ECC
+599 552xxxx  mobile, ECC
+599 553xxxx  mobile, Radcomm
+599 554xxxx  mobile, Radcomm
+599 555xxxx  mobile, Telcell
+599 556xxxx  mobile, Telcell
+599 557xxxx  mobile, ECC
+599 558xxxx  mobile, ECC
+599 580xxxx  mobile, Radcomm
+599 581xxxx  mobile, Radcomm
+599 586xxxx  mobile, Radcomm
Sources:

NANPA Planning Letter PL-418 (5 January 2011)

"Country code 721 being worked out" (The Daily Herald, 31 October 2010)

NANPA Report to the NANC (December 2010) - announcement confirming Sint Maarten's intention to transition to +1 721.

NANPA Planning Letter PL-396 (2 October 2009, previous plan, superseded by PL-418)

NANPA News, 2nd quarter 2008 (PDF)

Sint Maarten Seeks Participation in North American Numbering Plan (Rural Spectrum Scanner, 1 August 2008, Bennet & Bennet)

ATIS NPA Issue 589 - Sint Maarten Application to Join the NANP (with attachments A, B, C, D)

Wikipedia: Dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles

(News items courtesy Michael Wilson, updates courtesy Mark Cuccia)

10 October 2010 - dissolution of Netherlands Antilles

The Netherlands Antilles was dissolved on 10 October 2010 (previously scheduled for 1 January 2010). Sint Maarten formed an autonomous government under the Netherlands while Bonaire, Saba and Saint Eustace became special island municipalities of the Netherlands. In 2009, Curaçao became a constituent state.

Aruba split from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and was assigned its own country code, +297.

(tip courtesy Mark J. Cuccia)

July 2006 - numbering plan update

The following number ranges are in effect as of July 2006:

Island/Service               Number range
==============               ============
Value-added (Antelecom)      +599 10xxxxx (since January 2005)

Audiotext (Antelcom)         +599 2xxxxxx (discontinued?)

St Eustatius (general range) +599 3xxxxxx
St Eustatius (Eutel)         +599 3180xxx
St Eustatius (Eutel mobile)  +599 3181xxx (Radcomm)
St Eustatius (Eutel)         +599 3182xxx
St Eustatius (Eutel)         +599 3183xxx
St Eustatius (Eutel mobile)  +599 3184xxx (Radcomm, since January 2005)
St Eustatius (Eutel mobile)  +599 3185xxx (Radcomm, since January 2005)
St Eustatius (Eutel mobile)  +599 3186xxx (Telcell, since January 2005)

Saba (general range)         +599 4xxxxxx
Saba (Satel)                 +599 4160xxx
Saba (Satel mobile)          +599 4161xxx
Saba (Satel, formerly WIC)   +599 4162xxx
Saba (Satel, formerly WIC)   +599 4163xxx
Saba (WIC mobile)            +599 4165xxx
Saba (WIC mobile)            +599 4166xxx
Saba (WIC mobile)            +599 4167xxx (since January 2005)
Saba (WIC mobile)            +599 4168xxx (since January 2005)
Saba (Satel, formerly WIC)   +599 4169xxx

St Maarten (general range)   +599 5xxxxxx
St Maarten (Telcell mobile)  +599 520xxxx
St Maarten (Telcell mobile)  +599 521xxxx
St Maarten (Telcell mobile)  +599 522xxxx
St Maarten (Telcell mobile)  +599 523xxxx
St Maarten (Telcell mobile)  +599 524xxxx
St Maarten (Telem)           +599 525xxxx
St Maarten (Telcell mobile)  +599 526xxxx
St Maarten (Telecell)        +599 527xxxx
St Maarten (Telem)           +599 54xxxxx
St Maarten (ECC mobile)      +599 550xxxx
St Maarten (ECC mobile)      +599 551xxxx
St Maarten (ECC mobile)      +599 552xxxx
St Maarten (Radcomm mobile)  +599 553xxxx
St Maarten (Radcomm mobile)  +599 554xxxx
St Maarten (Telcell mobile)  +599 555xxxx
St Maarten (Telcell mobile)  +599 556xxxx
St Maarten (ECC mobile)      +599 557xxxx
St Maarten (ECC mobile)      +599 558xxxx
St Maarten (Telcell mobile)  +599 559xxxx
St Maarten (Radcomm mobile)  +599 580xxxx
St Maarten (Radcomm mobile)  +599 581xxxx
St Maarten (Smitcoms)        +599 582xxxx
St Maarten (Smitcoms)        +599 583xxxx
St Maarten (Radcomm mobile)  +599 586xxxx (since January 2005)
St Maarten (Antelecom)       +599 589xxxx

Audiotext (Antillephone)     +599 69xxxxx (since January 2005)

Bonaire (general range)      +599 7xxxxxx
Bonaire (Antillano Por)      +599 700xxxx (July 2006)
Bonaire (Antillano Por)      +599 701xxxx (July 2006)
Bonaire (Telbo)              +599 715xxxx
Bonaire (Telbo)              +599 717xxxx
Bonaire (Flamingo TV)        +599 750xxxx (since January 2005)
Bonaire (Telbo mobile)       +599 78xxxxx
Bonaire (PCS mobile)         +599 79xxxxx

Audiotext (Antelcom)         +599 8xxxxxx (discontinued?)

Curaçao (Setel)              +599 9 4xxxxxx
Curaçao (general range)      +599 9 5xxxxxx
Curaçao (Setel)              +599 9 50xxxxx
Curaçao (Setel mobile)       +599 9 51xxxxx
Curaçao (Setel mobile)       +599 9 52xxxxx
Curaçao (Setel mobile)       +599 9 54xxxxx
Curaçao (Setel paging)       +599 9 55xxxxx
Curaçao (Setel mobile)       +599 9 56xxxxx
Curaçao (general range)      +599 9 6xxxxxx
Curaçao (CSC mobile)         +599 9 61xxxxx
Curaçao (GSM Caribbean)      +599 9 630xxxx (February 2006)
Curaçao (GSM Caribbean)      +599 9 631xxxx (February 2006)
Curaçao (Digicel mobile)     +599 9 66xxxxx (formerly CT)
Curaçao (Digicel mobile)     +599 9 67xxxxx (since January 2005)
Curaçao (Digicel mobile)     +599 9 69xxxxx (formerly CT)
Curaçao (Flamingo TV)        +599 9 720xxxx (since January 2005)
Curaçao (Smitcoms)           +599 9 721xxxx (since January 2005)
Curaçao (TWI)                +599 9 722xxxx
Curaçao (Setel)              +599 9 73xxxxx (since January 2005)
Curaçao (Setel)              +599 9 74xxxxx (since January 2005)
Curaçao (Setel)              +599 9 763xxxx (since January 2005)
Curaçao (Setel)              +599 9 765xxxx (since January 2005)
Curaçao (ANM/Scarlet)        +599 9 766xxxx
Curaçao (Setel)              +599 9 767xxxx (since January 2005)
Curaçao (Setel)              +599 9 777xxxx (since January 2005)
Curaçao (Setel)              +599 9 8xxxxxx
Audiotext services under +599 2, +599 6 and +599 8 were for off-shore premium/adult services for international access only. Current status of these ranges is unclear.

Sources: Bureau of Telecommunication and Post announcements (28 July 2006, via ITU)

Bert Schreuders, Digicel Bonaire.

(Previous numbering plan list was from Bureau of Telecommunication and Post announcement, 5 January 2005, via ITU. Document no longer available.)

March 2005 - numbering plan update

A new mobile number range was assigned in the numbering plan since January 2005:

St Eustatius (Eutel mobile) +599 3184xxx

Source: Bureau of Telecommunication and Post announcement (18 March 2005, via ITU)

July 2004 - area codes formally absorbed for most islands

Telephone numbers for the islands of Bonaire (+599 7), Saba (+599 4), St Eustatius (+599 3) and St Maarten (+599 5) were formally declared national numbers with the former area codes absorbed into the subscriber numbers.

Area code format remained in effect for Curaçao (+599 2, +599 6, +599 8, +599 9).

Netherlands Antilles number ranges updated as of July 2004:

Old Format     New Format     Service
==========     ==========     =======
+599 2 xxxx... +599 2 xxxx... Curaçao
+599 3 82xxx   +599 3182xxx   St Eustatius - fixed
+599 3 83xxx   +599 3183xxx   St Eustatius - fixed
+599 4 62xxx   +599 4162xxx   Saba - fixed
+599 4 63xxx   +599 4163xxx   Saba - fixed
+599 4 65xxx   +599 4165xxx   Saba - mobile (Windward Island Cellular)
+599 5 51xxxx  +599 51xxxx    St Maarten - mobile (ECC; see Note#2)
+599 5 2xxxxx  +599 52xxxxx   St Maarten - mobile / fixed wireless
+599 5 xxxxx   +599 54xxxxx   St Maarten - fixed (Telem; see Note#1)
+599 5 53xxxx  +599 553xxxx   St Maarten - mobile
+599 5 54xxxx  +599 554xxxx   St Maarten - mobile
+599 5 58xxxx  +599 558xxxx   St Maarten - mobile
+599 5 6xxxx   +599 56xxxx    St Maarten - mobile (TelCel; see Note#2)
+599 5 7xxxx   +599 57xxxx    St Maarten - mobile (ECC; see Note#2)
   ---         +599 580xxxx   St Maarten - mobile (new since Apr 2004)
   ---         +599 581xxxx   St Maarten - mobile (new since Apr 2004)
+599 5 9xxxx   +599 59xxxx    St Maarten - mobile (TelCel; see Note#2)
+599 6 xxxx... +599 6 xxxx... Curaçao
+599 7xxxx     +599 717xxxx   Bonaire - fixed (Telbo)
   ---         +599 78xxxxx   Bonaire - mobile (Telbo)
   ---         +599 79xxxxx   Bonaire - mobile (Cellular One)
+599 8 xxxx... +599 8 xxxx... Curaçao
+599 9 xxxx... +599 9 xxxx... Curaçao
Note#1: only the +599 54xxxxx range for St Maarten allows operator assisted and collect calls.

Note#2: unknown if 5xxxxx subscriber number will still be changing to 55xxxxx as indicated in earlier plans for 1997-2001 (see below).

Source: Regulator Burtel announcement (15 July 2004 via ITU, page no longer available).

24 June 2004 - new number ranges for Curaçao

+599 9 610xxxx and +599 9 611xxxx took effect around 24 June 2004 in Curaçao.

Source: Regulator Burtel announcement (24 June 2004 via ITU, page no longer available).

23 April 2004 - new mobile range for Curaçao

+599 9 693xxxx took effect 23 April 2004 for mobile numbers in Curaçao.

Source: Regulator Burtel announcement (23 April 2004 via ITU, page no longer available).

20 April 2004 - St Maarten area code eliminated

Regulator Burtel confirmed numbering changes for the island of St Maarten, which eliminated the area code '5' (former format +592 5 xxxxx) and integrated the digit into the subscriber number (new format +592 5xxxxx or +592 5xxxxxx).

Subscriber numbers will be 6 or 7 digits long, depending on range and service. Collect and operator-assisted calls to St Maarten were only allowed for the +592 54xxxxx fixed/wireline number range.

Number format  Type of service
=============  ===============
+592 51xxxx    mobile
+592 52xxxxx   mobile, fixed wireless (WLL)
+592 54xxxxx   fixed
+592 553xxxx   mobile
+592 554xxxx   mobile
+592 558xxxx   mobile
+592 56xxxx    mobile
+592 57xxxx    mobile
+592 59xxxx    mobile
Source: Regulator Burtel announcement (20 April 2004 via ITU, page no longer available).

The announcement indicated that the island of Curaçao continues to structure its numbers with area codes (+592 2, +592 6, +592 8, +592 9).

1997-2001 (?) - national 7-digit subscriber numbering plan

Netherlands Antilles has completed a transition to a national 7-digit numbering plan. Area codes as such were eliminated, except for Curacao which retains area code 9 (+599 9) before the 7-digit subscriber number.

Calls from one island to another reportedly still require use of the trunk prefix 0. Local calls within an island apparently require 7-digit dialling.

Some details were available in a document from the telecom regulator as filed with ITU as of September 2000 (page no longer available).

Information on Numbering Plan (as of 1st July 2000) is also available on a Cyserve page.

However, there have been conflicting reports and unclear information among various sources as to timing and details of the various changes.

Some details are also confirmed in a report courtesy Greg Monti (December 2002).

The following table indicates the migration from former to current number formats, according to island and service type, based on consensus of available information:

Island        Old Format       New Format      Service/Carrier
======        ==========       ==========      ===============
Bonaire       +599 7 xxxx      +599 717xxxx    Telbo fixed/wireline
              (unknown)        +599 78xxxxx    mobile (Telbo Cellular)
              (unknown)        +599 79xxxxx    mobile (Cellular One)

Curacao       +599 9 xxxxxx    +599 9 xxxxxxx  Setel fixed/wireline
              +599 9 xxxxxx ?  +599 9 6xxxxxx  Curacao Telecom  (Cellular)

Saba          +599 4 62XXX     +599 4162xxx    fixed/wireline
Saba          +599 4 63XXX     +599 4163xxx    fixed/wireline
Saba          +599 4 65XXX     +599 4165xxx    Windward Island Cellular

St. Eustatius +599 3 8xxxx     +599 318xxxx    all numbers

St. Maarten   +599 5 xxxxx     +599 54xxxxx    Telem fixed/wireline
St. Maarten   +599 51xxxx      +599 551xxxx    mobile (ECC)
St. Maarten   +599 56xxxx      +599 556xxxx    mobile (TelCel)
St. Maarten   +599 57xxxx      +599 557xxxx    mobile (ECC)
St. Maarten   +599 59xxxx      +599 559xxxx    mobile (TelCel)

2000? - St Eustatius - change to national 7-digit format

According to information filed with ITU in September 2000, numbers in St. Eustatius (Statia) had been converted from the previous +599 3 8xxxx format to the national 7-digit format +599 318xxxx.

The exact date of the St Eustatius change is unknown.

The area code was eliminated, and '31' prepended to the subscriber number to form the new national 7-digit number.

Examples of the new 318xxxx format numbering have been found on various sources.

before July 2000 - Saba changes from 5 to 7 digits

Saba was reportedly converted to 7-digit format of 416xxxx (formerly in the format +599 4 6xxxx) just before July 2000.

According to information filed with ITU in September 2000, the conversion was as follows:

Fixed/wireline subscriber numbers of form +599 4 62xxx and +599 4 63xxx were changed to +599 4162xxx and +599 4163xxx respectively.

Mobile numbers of form +599 4 65xxx were changed to +599 4165xxx.

Item on the phone number changes: article on www.seasaba.com.

1999-2001 (?) - Sint Maarten subscriber number expansion (+599 5)

Sint Maarten (+599-5) was converted from 5-digit to 7-digit subscriber numbers by 2001.

Eastern Caribbean Cellular (ECC) reported that cellphone reprogramming would be required from 9 April 2001 to 14 May 2001, by prepending digit '5' to ECC and TelCell 6-digit numbers. The existing 6-digit format for cellphones was reported to be temporary, in preparation for eventual completion of transition to 7-digit numbering throughout the Netherlands Antilles. All mobile phones in St. Maarten would be 7 digits as 14 May 2001.

Source: Daily Herald article.

Information filed with ITU in September 2000 indicated that fixed/wireline telephones were already functioning as 7-digit numbers for the ranges +599 52xxxxx and +599 54xxxxx.

Greg Monti reported (December 2002) that the former +599 5 xxxxx format was converted to +599 54xxxxx (prepend '54' to subscriber number, and eliminate the area code).

According to an earlier article in the Daily Herald, the digits '52' were to be prepended to existing 5-digit subscriber numbers to form new 7-digit numbers. This was a change from an even earlier plan to prepend the digits '46' before Sint Maarten subscriber numbers. The new 7-digit Netherlands Antilles plan will be compatible with the North American Numbering Plan, of which there are rumours about joining.

An early report of this was received from John Boteler.

JMB mentioned a plan to expand from 5 to 6 digits, by prepending the digit '2', although that plan was obviously abandoned or unconfirmed. (tip courtesy Ray Chow)

18 October 1999 - Bonaire subscriber number expansion (+599 7)

As of 18 October 1999, Bonaire subscriber numbers were expanded to 7 digits from 4 digits, and the area code digit (7) incorporated into the subscriber number. International calls to Bonaire should now be dialled as +599 then the new 7-digit format.

Source: Info Bonaire.

Within Bonaire, a prefix 717 was added to the previous 4-digit non-wireless subscriber numbers. If the old number was 2345, the number after 18 October 1999 would be 717.2345.

From abroad, the first 7 of the 717 prefix signifies Bonaire island. But area codes as such have been eliminated in the Netherlands Antilles. International calls to 2345 in Bonaire are now dialed as +599 717 2345 (formerly +599 7 2345).

According to information filed with ITU in September 2000, Bonaire mobile number ranges are +599 78xxxxx and +599 79xxxxx.

See also Bonaire E-News (September 1999) for another report on Bonaire changes.

Previous reports originally announced various subscriber number expansion lengths: 5, 6 or 7 digits from 4. Earlier reports are available from: Info Bonaire, and Bonaire E-News (June 1999).

An early news report on the change claimed that the first digit of the prefix to be added to Bonaire subscriber numbers was practically guaranteed to be '3', to allow for a transitional period between old and new numbering plans.

Bonaire cell numbers were to be moved from the Curacao numbering range (+599 9) into Bonaire's range (+599 7) when this change takes effect. Confirmation of change dates was unavailable, but Cyserve reports that Telbo Cellular numbers will be of the form 78xxxxx, while Cellular One subscriber numbers are of format 79xxxxx.

1 February 1997 (?) - Curacao subscriber number expansion

An extra digit was added to Curacao numbers (previously in the +599 9 xxxxxx format) in 1997. 7-digit numbers were formed from previously 6-digit numbers. The area code digit '9' was retained, therefore the format became +599 9 xxxxxxx (with +599 9 before the 7-digit subscriber number).

An information article is available. (Thanks to a reader whose tip led to more details on this change.)

See also article from SETEL (Curacao telephone company).

There is also a Curacao on-line directory (courtesy Micael Sandstrom).

Other information

Regulator is Bureau of Telecommunication and Post. Website has limited information.

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