N11 code
Encyclopedia
An N11 code or N11 number (said as "N-one-one") is a special abbreviated dialing
telephone number
within the North American Numbering Plan
, which allows access to special services. Each of these eight numbers prevents 10,000 telephone numbers (from N11-0000 to N11-9999) from being used. Only non-geographic area codes, such as toll-free
800/888/877/866/855 numbers and 900 numbers may use N11 as the telephone exchange
prefix
, since the area code must always be dialed for these numbers.
Usage is generally assigned as follows:
9-1-1 and 4-1-1 work from nearly every telephone in the U.S.
and Canada
, while the others vary from place to place. Generally, only 4-1-1 calls incur a toll. 9-1-1 access is mandated by law
, even on lines with no service (a "soft" dial tone
). 6-1-1 (formerly 8-1-1) may also be accessible to activate service on such lines, and 3-1-1 may be available as well for urgent (but non-emergency) calls to police
, or any call to local government in some places.
Other community services are provided through 2-1-1, but only if a non-profit organization such as the United Way operates it locally. Likewise, local or state/provincial government may or may not operate traffic information through 5-1-1. 8-1-1 was made mandatory in the U.S. in 2007, as is 7-1-1. Unlike 9-1-1, these may or may not be available on a phone without paid service.
0-1-1 followed by a country code
is used to dial internationally, but this use is not considered an N11 code. 1-1-1 is not available in the NANP, because 11 is the prefix used to access vertical service code
s from rotary phones, and is essentially meaningless to the system otherwise.
Abbreviated dialing
Abbreviated dialing is the use of a very short telephone number to reach public services. Typically these are two or three digits, and are most commonly known as being emergency telephone numbers like 9-9-9, 1-1-2 and 9-1-1. Other services may also be available this way, such as the N11 codes in...
telephone number
Telephone number
A telephone number or phone number is a sequence of digits used to call from one telephone line to another in a public switched telephone network. When telephone numbers were invented, they were short — as few as one, two or three digits — and were given orally to a switchboard operator...
within the North American Numbering Plan
North American Numbering Plan
The North American Numbering Plan is an integrated telephone numbering plan administered by Neustar which encompasses 24 countries and territories, including the United States and its territories, Canada, Bermuda, and 16 nations of the Caribbean...
, which allows access to special services. Each of these eight numbers prevents 10,000 telephone numbers (from N11-0000 to N11-9999) from being used. Only non-geographic area codes, such as toll-free
Toll-free telephone number
A toll-free, Freecall, Freephone, 800, 0800 or 1-800 number is a special telephone number which is free to the calling party, and instead the telephone carrier charges the called party the cost of the call...
800/888/877/866/855 numbers and 900 numbers may use N11 as the telephone exchange
Telephone exchange
In the field of telecommunications, a telephone exchange or telephone switch is a system of electronic components that connects telephone calls...
prefix
Telephone prefix
A telephone prefix is the first set of digits of a telephone number; in the North American Numbering Plan countries , it is the first three digits out of a seven-digit phone number...
, since the area code must always be dialed for these numbers.
Usage is generally assigned as follows:
- 2-1-12-1-12-1-1 is a special abbreviated telephone number reserved in Canada and the United States as an easy-to-remember three-digit telephone number meant to provide quick information and referrals to health and human service organizations.-United States:...
: communityCommunityThe term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
services, United Way - 3-1-13-1-1The non-emergency telephone number 3-1-1 is a special N-1-1 telephone number in many communities in Canada and the United States that provides quick, easy-to-remember access to non-emergency municipal services or a Citizen Service Center...
: municipal government services, non-emergency - 4-1-14-1-14-1-1 is the telephone number for local directory assistance in the United States and Canada. One exception is the Pacific Northwest, which used 1-1-3 until the mid-1980s. Until the early 1980s, 4-1-1 calls were free in most states....
: directory assistanceDirectory assistanceIn telecommunications, directory assistance or directory enquiries is a phone service used to find out a specific telephone number and/or address of a residence, business, or government entity.-Technology:... - 5-1-15-1-15-1-1, initially designated for road weather information, is a transportation and traffic information telephone hotline in some regions of the United States and Canada. Travelers can dial the three-digit telephone number 5-1-1 on traditional landline telephones and most mobile phones. It is an N11...
: trafficTrafficTraffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel...
informationInformationInformation in its most restricted technical sense is a message or collection of messages that consists of an ordered sequence of symbols, or it is the meaning that can be interpreted from such a message or collection of messages. Information can be recorded or transmitted. It can be recorded as...
or police non-emergency services - 6-1-16-1-1For customers of some telephone companies in Canada and in the U.S., 611 is the abbreviated dialing telephone number used to report a problem with telephone service, or with a payphone...
: telephone company (telco)Telephone companyA telephone company is a service provider of telecommunications services such as telephony and data communications access. Many were at one time nationalized or state-regulated monopolies...
customer serviceCustomer serviceCustomer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.According to Turban et al. , “Customer service is a series of activities designed to enhance the level of customer satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has met the customer...
and repair - 7-1-17-1-1In Canada and the U.S., the 711 telephone number is used for the Telecommunications Relay Service to translate from TDD for the deaf to speech, and vice versa. The relay service allows deaf people to converse with the hearing over the phone through an operator. 711 is one of eight N11 codes for...
: TDD relayTelecommunications Relay ServiceTelecommunications Relay Service, also known as TRS, Relay Service, or IP-Relay, or Web-based relay services, is an operator service that allows people who are Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, Speech-Disabled, or DeafBlind to place calls to standard telephone users via a keyboard or assistive device...
for the deaf - 8-1-18-1-1In the North American Numbering Plan , particularly in Canada and the U.S., the telephone number 811 has traditionally been a direct line to the business office of the telephone company providing service on the line...
: underground public utility location, in Canada 8-1-1 is assigned for non-emergency health information and services - 9-1-19-1-19-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
: emergency serviceEmergency serviceEmergency services are organizations which ensure public safety and health by addressing different emergencies. Some agencies exist solely for addressing certain types of emergencies whilst others deal with ad hoc emergencies as part of their normal responsibilities...
s
9-1-1 and 4-1-1 work from nearly every telephone in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, while the others vary from place to place. Generally, only 4-1-1 calls incur a toll. 9-1-1 access is mandated by law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, even on lines with no service (a "soft" dial tone
Dial tone
A dial tone is a telephony signal used to indicate that the telephone exchange is working, has recognized an off-hook, and is ready to accept a call. The tone stops when the first numeral is dialed...
). 6-1-1 (formerly 8-1-1) may also be accessible to activate service on such lines, and 3-1-1 may be available as well for urgent (but non-emergency) calls to police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, or any call to local government in some places.
Other community services are provided through 2-1-1, but only if a non-profit organization such as the United Way operates it locally. Likewise, local or state/provincial government may or may not operate traffic information through 5-1-1. 8-1-1 was made mandatory in the U.S. in 2007, as is 7-1-1. Unlike 9-1-1, these may or may not be available on a phone without paid service.
0-1-1 followed by a country code
Country code
Country codes are short alphabetic or numeric geographical codes developed to represent countries and dependent areas, for use in data processing and communications. Several different systems have been developed to do this. The best known of these is ISO 3166-1...
is used to dial internationally, but this use is not considered an N11 code. 1-1-1 is not available in the NANP, because 11 is the prefix used to access vertical service code
Vertical service code
A vertical service code or VSC is a special code dialed prior to a telephone number that engages some type of special telephone service...
s from rotary phones, and is essentially meaningless to the system otherwise.