World Telephone Numbering Guide

Updated 21 November 2005

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East Timor

+670

Number Format

Area Code:            none (see note below)
Subscriber Number:    7 digits (see note below)
Trunk Prefix:         none
International Prefix: 00

The interim access when +670 country code was introduced was +670 390 then 6-digit subscriber number. This is to be changed to +670 then 7-digit national subscriber number without area code.

Area code information

DCCL

31 July 2012 - Timor Telecom mobile number expansion

Certain 7-digit national Timor Telecom mobile numbers were expanded to 8-digit format by prepending '7' on 31 July 2012. Specifically, +670 7xxxxxx became +670 77xxxxxx. This was changed in a splash cut, with attempts to dial the old format numbers diverted to a recorded message advising to redial with the extra '7' digit.

A new +670 78xxxxxx mobile range was also assigned for new numbers.

Source: Ministry of Infrastructure announcement (6 June 2012, via ITU).

2005 - East Timor ISO/TLD code now .tl

The national internet suffix for East Timor has changed from .tp to .tl. This will affect Internet URLs such as for Timor Telecom's website, but not telephone calling itself.

(report courtesy Ken Westmoreland)

July 2004 - report on service outside Dili

Ken Westmoreland reported July 2004: "Although a wireline service is being rebuilt outside Dili, there are no reports of numbers in use (eg: Baucau 41x xxxx)."

28 September 2003 - uniform 7-digit numbering plan

On 28 September 2003, East Timor moves to a uniform 7-digit national numbering plan.

For fixed / wireline numbers, the interim 390 prefix to subscriber numbers will be removed. 390 was only for use from other nations, it was not used for calls within East Timor. If the remaining subscriber number has 6 digits, '3' will be prepended to form a standardised 7-digit number.

Old format        New format
==========        ==========
+670 390 31xxxx   +670 331xxxx
+670 390 32xxxx   +670 332xxxx
+670 390 333xxxx  +670 333xxxx

Mobile numbers were established as +670 72xxxxx and do not change.

Internet services are of the form +670 900 11xx.

Short codes are of the form 1xx e.g. 128 number enquiries, 172 customer support, 177 internet support.

Source: Timor Telecom numbering information.

April 2003 - situation update

Ken Westmoreland reports on the East Timor situation in April 2003:

"Timor Telecom (no website yet) has introduced mobile phoe services, using 7 digit numbers prefixed with the digit 7, eg the UN Civilian Police (UNPOL) emergency number is (+670) 7230686." "International telephone calls are possible into and out of Dili where local lines are operational. East Timor's country code is 670 and the area code for Dili is 390. Calls to Timor Telecom mobiles from Australia require only the country code prefix (670) and not the area code. Mobile telephone services are available in Dili through the Timor Telecom network, although at present there is no global roaming. Travellers can purchase prepaid SIM cards from Timor Telecom. Mobile telephone coverage is expected to become available in some areas outside Dili over the next few months (e.g. Baucau, Balibo, Suai, Los Palos and Oecussi) but in many areas communications are possible only by satellite phone."

(Reference made to Australian advisory on East Timor travel.

February 2001 - new numbering plan approved

The East Timor Transitional Administration, Department of Infrastructure decided on a closed 7-digit national numbering plan.

The precise time frames of implementation were unknown, although a communication of 26 February 2001 indicated that the new numbering plan implementation would commence once East Timor's Official Gazette publishes the numbering plan decision.

Initially, geographic numbers will begin with the digit 2, 3 or 4, with initial digits according to the region within East Timor.

The digit 3 will be prepended before the interim subscriber numbers (generally in Dili) to convert these to the approved 7-digit national numbering plan.

Non-geographic numbers, such as freephone, premium charge, mobile, paging, and personal numbering will begin with the digit 7, 8 or 9.

The standard emergency number will be 112, although existing emergency codes may continue to operate for some time.

Short codes in the 2001 numbering plan:

112 - emergency
120 - operator assistance
121 - fault reports (repair)
123 - customer service (business office)
128 - directory enquiries

A permissive period of 3 months will be provided, to allow use of the new numbering plan and the interim (+670 390 xxxxxx) plan.

The interim +670 390 xxxxxx format replaced the temporary +672 9 access via the Australian External Territories country code.

(Detail courtesy Erik MacKinlay of East Timor Transitional Administration's Information Technology, Post and Telecommunications department, with additional detail posted through ITU).

March 2000?: +670 activated for East Timor

An article in the ITU Operational Bulletin #713, 1 April 2000, indicated country code +670 was activated, with traffic reouted via Telstra Australia's network. The communication was dated 20 March 2000, implying +670 was in service for East Timor by that time.

(courtesy B.B.)

January 2000?: +670 country code assigned

An Australian telecom company restored communications services in East Timor, as it prepared to function as an independent nation after years of Indonesian control.

A January 2000 announcement indicated that country code +670 was assigned to East Timor. The actual date that ITU assigned +670 for East Timor was uncertain.

+670 was formerly used by the Northern Marianas until it was discontinued in favour of North American Numbering Plan access via +1 670.

+670 (formerly CNMI) and +671 (Guam) were available for reassignment on 1 July 1998, as the permissive calling period for their transition to the North American Numbering Plan (as +1 670 and +1 671 respectively) ended 30 June 1998.

Source: ETAN

Prior to 2000: +672-9: Towards an independent East Timor

Dial access into Dili, the major centre, was temporarily provided through the Australian External Territories country code (+672), followed by island code 9, then area code 390 for Dili.

390 was the area code for Dili when East Timor was under the Indonesian telecom system (+62), prior to independence; 399 was for Baucau, the second largest city in East Timor i.e. +62 390 Dili, +62 399 Baucau.

Areas outside Dili did not have active wireline communications at this point. Satellite phone access was available, however.

Source: Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade web page regarding East Timor, 2000.

Australian carrier Telstra was rebuilding telecommunications facilities in East Timor.

There were no details available at the time on subscriber number formats.

For an announcement on the temporary +672-9 numbering assignment, and the East Timor telecom rebuilding process, see the Telstra press release.

(tip courtesy Geoffrey Dyer)

1964: Original Portuguese Timor country code +672

Among the early country code assignments in the 1964 CCITT Blue Book, Portuguese Timor (East Timor) was assigned country code +672. This was unassigned as of the 1980 CCITT Yellow Book, presumably due to the Indonesian occupation and telephone network annexation into +62.

See History of Country Codes.

(Tip courtesy Mark Cuccia)

Other information

Carrier is Timor Telecom.

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