World Telephone Numbering Guide

Updated 22 December 2004

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China

+86

Number Format

Area Code:            2-4 digits
Subscriber Number:    4-8 digits
Trunk Prefix:         0
International Prefix: 00

Area code information

Numerous code changes

Cai's Phone Page has been tracking number changes in several regions of China. Check that website for details of recent changes.

7 August 2004 - Fuzhou (Fujian) changes

In Fuzhou (+86 591, Fujian province), subscriber numbers expand from 7-digit to 8-digit format. If the previous 7-digit subscriber number begins with an even-numbered digit, '2' is prepended; otherwise '8' is prepended:

Previous format   New format
===============   ==========
+86 591 2xxxxxx   +86 591 22xxxxxx
+86 591 3xxxxxx   +86 591 83xxxxxx
+86 591 4xxxxxx   +86 591 24xxxxxx
+86 591 5xxxxxx   +86 591 85xxxxxx
+86 591 6xxxxxx   +86 591 26xxxxxx
+86 591 7xxxxxx   +86 591 87xxxxxx
+86 591 8xxxxxx   +86 591 28xxxxxx

Permissive dialling period extends to 7 October 2004, followed by diversion to recorded announcements until 7 January 2005.

Source: AT&T International.

7 August 2004 - Quanzhou (Fujian) changes

In Quanzhou (+86 595, Fujian Province), subscriber numbers expand from 7-digit to 8-digit format. If the previous 7-digit subscriber number begins with digit '2', '3' or '4', then '2' is prepended; otherwise '8' is prepended:

Previous format   New format
===============   ==========
+86 595 2xxxxxx   +86 595 22xxxxxx 
+86 595 3xxxxxx   +86 595 23xxxxxx 
+86 595 4xxxxxx   +86 595 24xxxxxx 
+86 595 5xxxxxx   +86 595 85xxxxxx 
+86 595 6xxxxxx   +86 595 86xxxxxx 
+86 595 7xxxxxx   +86 595 87xxxxxx 
+86 595 8xxxxxx   +86 595 88xxxxxx

Permissive dialling period extends to 7 October 2004, followed by diversion to recorded announcements until 7 January 2005.

Source: AT&T International.

25 June 2004 - Chaoyang (Guangdong) changes

Chaoyang (Guangdong province) area code changed from +86 661 to +86 754. Permissive dialling of both old and new area codes continues through 25 August 2004, after which diversion to recorded announcements continues through 25 November 2004.

Source: AT&T International.

6 December 2003 - Nanjing (Jiangsu) changes

In Nanjing (+86 25, Jiangsu province), subscriber numbers expand from 7-digit to 8-digit format. If the previous 7-digit subscriber number begins with '2', '7' or '8', then '5' is prepended; otherwise '8' is prepended:

Previous format   New format
===============   ==========
+86 25 2xxxxxx    +86 25 52xxxxxx
+86 25 3xxxxxx    +86 25 83xxxxxx
+86 25 4xxxxxx    +86 25 84xxxxxx
+86 25 5xxxxxx    +86 25 85xxxxxx
+86 25 6xxxxxx    +86 25 86xxxxxx
+86 25 7xxxxxx    +86 25 57xxxxxx
+86 25 8xxxxxx    +86 25 58xxxxxx

Permissive dialling period was in effect until 5 February 2004.

6 December 2003 - Xian (Shannxi) changes

In Xian (+86 29, Shannxi province), subscriber numbers expand from 7-digit to 8-digit format. '8' was prepended to the previous 7-digit subscriber numbers:

Previous format   New format
===============   ==========
+86 29 2xxxxxx    +86 29 82xxxxxx 
+86 29 3xxxxxx    +86 29 83xxxxxx 
+86 29 4xxxxxx    +86 29 84xxxxxx 
+86 29 5xxxxxx    +86 29 85xxxxxx 
+86 29 6xxxxxx    +86 29 86xxxxxx 
+86 29 7xxxxxx    +86 29 87xxxxxx 
+86 29 8xxxxxx    +86 29 88xxxxxx

Permissive dialling period was in effect until 5 February 2004.

6 December 2003 - Foshan and Shunde (Guangdong) changes

In Foshan (+86 757) and Shunde (+86 765), in Guangdong province, subscriber numbers expand from 7-digit to 8-digit format. Digit '8' was prepended to existing subscriber numbers in Foshan, while '2' was prepended in Shunde:

Foshan: +86 757 xxxxxxx became +86 757 8xxxxxxx

Shunde +86 765 xxxxxxx became +86 765 2xxxxxxx

Permissive dialling period was in effect until 5 February 2004.

28 June 2002 - Shenzhen subscriber numbers from 7 to 8 digits

8-digit subscriber numbers take effect in Shenzhen in Guangdong Province as of 28 June 2002.

Area code 755 remains unchanged, but the digit '2' will be prepended to existing 7-digit subscriber numbers that begin with '2', '3' or '4'. The digit '8' will be prepended to existing subscriber numbers that begin with '5', '6', '7' or '8'. Existing subscriber numbers beginning with '9' are not changed.

Permissive dialling of either old or new numbering for this change will be allowed until 28 December 2002. After the permissive dialling period ends, attempts to dial old numbers will receive a recorded announcement until 28 June 2003.

In international format, the summary of changes for Shenzhen are:

Existing number   New number (19 Apr 2002)
===============   ========================
+86 755 2xxxxxx       +86 755 82xxxxxx
+86 755 3xxxxxx       +86 755 83xxxxxx
+86 755 4xxxxxx       +86 755 84xxxxxx
+86 755 5xxxxxx       +86 755 25xxxxxx
+86 755 6xxxxxx       +86 755 26xxxxxx
+86 755 7xxxxxx       +86 755 27xxxxxx
+86 755 8xxxxxx       +86 755 28xxxxxx

Reference: China Telecom announcement (via ITU)

19 April 2002 - changes in various places

Qinghai Province - subscriber numbers from 6 to 7 digits

7-digit subscriber numbers take effect in some places in Qinghai Province as of 19 April 2002.

Area codes in Huangyuan and Huangzhong change from 972 to 971, while digit '2' is prepended to existing 6-digit subscriber numbers to form new 7-digit subscriber numbers.

Area codes do not change for Geermu, Guoluozhou, Haibeizhou, Haidong, Hainanzhou, Haixizhou, Huangnanzhou and Yushuzhou, but the digit '8' will be prepended to existing 6-digit subscriber numbers to form 7-digit subscriber numbers.

Permissive dialling of either old or new numbering for this change will be allowed until 20 October 2002. After the permissive dialling period ends, attempts to dial old numbers will receive a recorded announcement until 20 April 2003.

In international format, the summary of changes are:

Place         Existing number   New number (19 Apr 2002)
=====         ===============   ========================
Geenmu        +86 979 xxxxxx        +86 979 8xxxxxx
Guoluozhou    +86 975 xxxxxx        +86 975 8xxxxxx
Haibeizhou    +86 970 xxxxxx        +86 970 8xxxxxx
Haidong       +86 972 xxxxxx        +86 972 8xxxxxx
Hainanzhou    +86 974 xxxxxx        +86 974 8xxxxxx
Haixizhou     +86 977 xxxxxx        +86 977 8xxxxxx
Huangnanzhou  +86 973 xxxxxx        +86 973 8xxxxxx
Huangyuan     +86 972 xxxxxx        +86 971 2xxxxxx
Huangzhong    +86 972 xxxxxx        +86 971 2xxxxxx
Yushuzhou     +86 976 xxxxxx        +86 976 8xxxxxx

Reference: China Telecom announcement (via ITU)

Chengdu - subscriber numbers from 7 to 8 digits

8-digit subscriber numbers take effect in Chengdu in Sichuan Province as of 19 April 2002.

Chengdu area code remains 28, but digit '8' will be prepended to existing 7-digit subscriber numbers. That is, in international format, the change will be from +86 28 xxxxxxx to +86 28 8xxxxxxx.

Reference: China Telecom announcement (via ITU)

Suzhou - subscriber numbers from 7 to 8 digits

8-digit subscriber numbers and some area code changes take effect in the Suzhou area in Jiangsu Province as of 19 April 2002.

Many places in area code 520 will change to area code 512. New 8-digit subscriber numbers will be formed by prepending digit '6' to existing subscriber numbers in Suzhou and Wujiang, and digit '5' for the other affected places.

Permissive dialling of either old or new numbering for this change will be allowed until 19 October 2002. After the permissive dialling period ends, attempts to dial old numbers will receive a recorded announcement until 19 April 2003.

In international format, the summary of changes are:

Place         Existing number   New number (19 Apr 2002)
=====         ===============   ========================
Changshou       520 xxxxxxx           512 5xxxxxxx
Kunshan         520 xxxxxxx           512 5xxxxxxx
Suzhou          512 xxxxxxx           512 6xxxxxxx
Suzhou          520 xxxxxxx           512 6xxxxxxx
Taicang         520 xxxxxxx           512 5xxxxxxx
Wujiang         512 xxxxxxx           512 6xxxxxxx
Zhangjiagang    520 xxxxxxx           512 5xxxxxxx

References: China Telecom announcement (via ITU)

Suzhou Telecom announcement

15 March 2002 - Guangshui area code changes from 712 to 722

As of 15 March 2002, new area code 722 will take effect in Guangshui in Hubei Province. Use of existing area code 712 be allowed until 16 September 2002.

Reference: China Telecom announcement (via ITU)

17 May 1998 - Wuhan and Shenyang: 8-digit subscriber numbers

In Wuhan (+86 27), '8' was prepended to former 7-digit subscriber numbers.

In Shenyang (+86 24), '2' was prepended to former 7-digit subscriber numbers that began with 2, 3, 4 or 5. Former 7-digit subscriber numbers that began 6, 7, 8 or 9 were prepended with the digit '8'.

Source: KDD announcement.

7 May 1996 : Beijing - subscriber numbers expanded

7-digit subscriber numbers were to 8 digits as of 7 May 1996.

Nov 1995 : Shanghai - 7 to 8 digit subscriber numbers

In Shanghai: A conversion from 7-digit to 8-digit subscriber numbers took place in November 1995.

26 Mar 1995 : Beijing - area code change

Beijing's former area code of 1 changed to 10 as of 26 March 1995.

Other information (changes, etc.)

Information on China telephone numbering changes is available on Cai's Phone Page. Regional numbering changes and area code information is also available there.

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