Area code 246


The area code 246 in the North American Numbering Plan is a composite part of the telephone numbering plan for Barbados. It is regulated by the government's Telecommunications Unit, which holds responsibility for telecommunications. The number 246 spells, a nickname for the island.
Due to a long established affiliation with the NANP, telephone numbers in Barbados are often styled as NXX-xxxx. However, this can cause confusion with Diego Garcia which is assigned the country code 246 under the International Telecommunications Union standard E.164. As such, other international standards like E.123 advocate the inclusion of the prefix +1 to indicate 246 is a part of the NANP.

History

Area code 246 was created during a split from the original area code 809, which used permissive dialing from 1 July 1996 to 15 January 1997 at which time all calls placed to Barbados required the use of the prefix 1 246 prefix.

Dialing to Barbados

When calling Barbados from elsewhere in the North American Numbering Plan, callers dial as if undertaking regular ten-digit dialing within those countries. Callers must simply dial 1 + 246 + seven digit phone number.
When calling to Barbados from outside the NANP, callers must dial their international dialling prefix followed by 1 to access the North American Numbering Plan. For example, a call placed from the United Kingdom would be dialled as 00 + 1 + 246 + local seven digit phone number. Failure to include the prefix "1" results in accessing country calling code 246 of British Indian Ocean Territory.

Dialing within Barbados

When placing a phone call from Barbados, also known as HPNA, callers simply use seven-digit dialling. Unlike in some other Caribbean islands, most residential landline subscribers have unlimited/un-metered rates for calling other local landlines.
When calling to other places in the North American Numbering Plan, calls are dialed as if undertaking regular ten-digit dialing in those countries. Callers must simply dial 1 + NPA + seven digit phone number.
Though usually toll-free when dialled from the US, not all 1-800, 1-888, 1-877, or 1-866 are toll-free when being dialled from Barbados, and may be treated as a toll call. If the number is not toll-free a recording will give directions of how to place a fee based call.
When calling to areas outside the NANP, callers dial 011 + country calling code + phone number. In the case of the UK, a user would dial 011 + 44 + area code + UK phone number.

General

Central office codes

In the NANP telephone format 1-NPA-NXX-xxxx, the central office codes fall in the position of NXX. In 1996 the following central office numbering plan was put in place by the incumbent local exchange carrier.
Location
Numbers
Christ Church418, 420, 428
Grazettes417, 421, 424, 425, 438
St. James432
St. John433
St. Lucy439
St. Philip423
Telebarbados620-629
Special services978
Speightstown419, 422
Windsor Lodge228, 426, 427, 429, 430, 431, 434, 435, 436, 437
Cellular230
Spare220

Mobile operators

Following liberalisation of the telecommunications industry in Barbados, various central office codes were implemented for local mobile carriers. The following COs were outlined in 2004 by the Minister of Energy and Public Utilities. In most cases Barbados numbers beginning with the following central office codes do not permit incoming collect calls. This list was updated to include allocations for Ozone Wireless from 2014.

VoIP providers

Geographic

Other landline central office codes which have been activated include the following: