Hong Kong telephone numbering plan
Encyclopedia
Country Code: +852
International Call Prefix: 001 and others.
Trunk Prefix
: none
Telephone numbers in Hong Kong
are mostly eight-digit. Fixed land line numbers start with 2 or 3, cellular
(mobile) phone numbers with 5, 6 or 9, pager numbers with 7 and forwarding service with 8. There are no area codes within Hong Kong.
The International Call Prefix varies depending on IDD provider, however 001 works on all phone lines and uses the IDD service provided by the same carrier as the telephone line that 001 call is dialed from.
There was no standard trunk prefix like '0' - only the area code and phone number were dialed when calling from one area code to another. Thus the Kowloon
number xxx-xxx would have been dialed as follows:
Fixed-line phone numbers were either six- or seven-digit in the 1980s. Area codes were assigned with the following pattern.
Cellular phone numbers are all eight-digit starting with '9'.
For example, one can request a SkypeIn number which is usually in the form of 81xx xxxx.
+ is the access code for an IDD service provider.
Calls to Macau
and the People's Republic of China
are international, as are calls to Taiwan
.
During the years of telephone monopoly, + was 106 (through 1980s) and then 001.
for land or fixed lines.
For mobile and other users:
Some special numbers are three- to five-digit. Some premium rate services, for example for games, are 9-digit.
Numbers beginning with 1 are usually reserved for carrier/operator services. These services are provided by the individual telephone carrier. In general, these numbers can be used across all carriers:
International Call Prefix: 001 and others.
Trunk Prefix
Trunk prefix
A trunk prefix is the number to be dialed in a domestic telephone call, preceding any necessary area codes and subscriber numbers. When the number is called from overseas, the trunk prefix is omitted by the caller. In most countries, such as Australia, Germany and the United Kingdom, the trunk...
: none
Telephone numbers in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
are mostly eight-digit. Fixed land line numbers start with 2 or 3, cellular
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
(mobile) phone numbers with 5, 6 or 9, pager numbers with 7 and forwarding service with 8. There are no area codes within Hong Kong.
The International Call Prefix varies depending on IDD provider, however 001 works on all phone lines and uses the IDD service provided by the same carrier as the telephone line that 001 call is dialed from.
1970s
In the 1970s, area codes were assigned with the following pattern.- 3 KowloonKowloonKowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
, New KowloonNew KowloonNew Kowloon is an area in Kowloon, Hong Kong, bounded in the south by Boundary Street, and in the north by the ranges of the Lion Rock, Beacon Hill, Tate's Cairn and Kowloon Peak...
and Sai Kung - 5 Hong Kong IslandHong Kong IslandHong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
and Outlying Islands - 12 New TerritoriesNew TerritoriesNew Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory. Historically, it is the region described in The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory...
There was no standard trunk prefix like '0' - only the area code and phone number were dialed when calling from one area code to another. Thus the Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
number xxx-xxx would have been dialed as follows:
- xxx-xxx - from within KowloonKowloonKowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
- 3 xxx-xxx - from Hong Kong IslandHong Kong IslandHong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
or New TerritoriesNew TerritoriesNew Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory. Historically, it is the region described in The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory... - +852 3 xxx-xxx - from overseas
1980s
In the mid 1980s, 6-digit numbers starting with '0' became 7-digit numbers starting with '71', making way for subsequent change of the New Territories prefix from '12' to '0'.- 0xxxxx became 71xxxxx
Fixed-line phone numbers were either six- or seven-digit in the 1980s. Area codes were assigned with the following pattern.
- 3 Kowloon, New Kowloon and Sai Kung
- 5 Hong Kong Island and Outlying Islands
- 0 New Territories
Cellular phone numbers are all eight-digit starting with '9'.
Early 1990s
On 1 January 1990, area codes were abolished. Area codes for six-digit numbers became part of subscriber's numbers. Area codes for seven-digit numbers were simply removed. Some six-digit numbers had the first digit changed to 2 digits to make a seven-digit number.- (3) xxx xxx became 3xx xxxx
- (5) xxx xxx became 5xx xxxx
- (0) Nxx xxx became nnx xxxx (N = 8, nn = 46)
- (3) Nxx xxxx became Nxx xxxx (N = 7)
- (5) Nxx xxxx became Nxx xxxx (N = 8 or 9)
- (0) Nxx xxxx became Nxx xxxx (N = 4 or 6)
Mid 1990s
In the mid 1990s, a '2' was prefixed to all fixed line (land line) numbers which are now eight-digit. A '7' was prefixed to existing pager service numbers.- xxx xxxx became 2xxx xxxx
- 11xx xxx became 711xx xxx
- 11xx xxxxx became 7xx xxxxx
- 9xxx xxxx remained unchanged
Late 1990s
Before the introduction of portable fixed line numbers, numbers were assigned in a pattern akin to districts. For example, in addition to the existing 3, 5 and 0 prefixes, a 4 prefix was used for Tuen Mun and Yuen Long, 6 for Tai Po and Sha Tin, and 8 for Island East.2000 onwards
Numbers starting with '3' were introduced when '2' for fixed lines started running out. Cell phone numbers remain eight-digit. The number '6' started to be used when numbers started with '9' were running out. In May 2008, cellular phone numbers with '5' as the beginning were also introduced.- 2xxx xxxx - fixed lines
- 3xxx xxxx - fixed lines and dialup ISPs
- 5xxx xxxx - cellular phones
- 6xxx xxxx - cellular phones
- 7xxx xxxx - pager services
- 8xxx xxxx - forwarding services
- 9xxx xxxx - cellular phones
For example, one can request a SkypeIn number which is usually in the form of 81xx xxxx.
Making international calls
+(Country Code) (Area code) xxxx xxxx+ is the access code for an IDD service provider.
Calls to Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
and the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
are international, as are calls to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
- Macau +853 xxx xxx
- China +86 (Area Code) xxxx xxxx
- Taiwan +886 (Area Code) xxx xxxx
During the years of telephone monopoly, + was 106 (through 1980s) and then 001.
Emergency services and other special numbers
Telephone number for emergency services – Police, Fire Service and Ambulance – is 999999 (emergency telephone number)
999 is an official emergency telephone number in a number of countries which allows the caller to contact emergency services for urgent assistance....
for land or fixed lines.
For mobile and other users:
- 992 - fax on fixed line, SMS on mobile phones (for subcribers with disabilities)
- 112 - mobile phones
Some special numbers are three- to five-digit. Some premium rate services, for example for games, are 9-digit.
Numbers beginning with 1 are usually reserved for carrier/operator services. These services are provided by the individual telephone carrier. In general, these numbers can be used across all carriers:
- Directory services can be reached at 1081 (English) and 1083 (Cantonese).
- Time and temperature information can be reached at 18501 (English) and 18503 (Cantonese).
See also
- Communications in Hong KongCommunications in Hong KongA wide-ranging and sophisticated communications network has developed in Hong Kong, reflecting its thriving commerce and international importance....
- Telephone numbers in China
- Telephone numbers in Macau