Telephone numbers in New Zealand


The New Zealand telephone numbering plan describes the allocation of telephone numbers in New Zealand and the Pitcairn Islands.

History

By the 1970s, New Zealand's telephone network consisted primarily of step-by-step telephone exchanges or, in the main centres, a mixture of rotary and step-by-step exchanges, with a few rural areas still served by manual exchanges. Local telephone number lengths varied from 3 to 6 digits depending on the size of exchange and population of the local calling area. Numerous complex dialling instructions appeared in the front of telephone books explaining the number sequences needed to reach subscribers in local "free calling" areas, and in a few cases for short distance toll calls, which were recorded on manually read meters in some step-by-step local exchanges. Local calls were free. Long distance calls required the manual intervention of an operator, who had access to toll circuits, either via an operator's cord board or a toll exchange. Access to the toll operator was by dialling 0. Local directory service could be accessed via 100, telephone faults via 120, and emergency services by dialling 111.
Crossbar exchanges were installed from the 1970s, and electronic exchanges from 1982.

Subscriber toll dialling (the historic codes)

was introduced in the New Zealand telephone network in the mid 1970s, a result of the introduction of NEC crossbar-based toll exchanges and their ability to perform number translation. One still needed to dial 0 to make a toll call, but instead of calling the operator, one could then dial the STD number directly. Access to the operator was via 010, while other service numbers remained unchanged.
The original STD codes were numbered roughly south to north, with a few exceptions. Some of the STD codes were:
STD codes were assigned with larger areas having short STD codes, while smaller areas had longer STD codes and shorter local numbers. The total number length, that is STD code and local number excluding the first 0, usually totalled seven digits, but could vary up to nine, often as exchanges increased the length of local numbers to accommodate new lines.

Reorganisation

With the introduction of NEC stored program control exchanges in the New Zealand telephone network during the 1980s, and the rapid growth in demand, the breakup of the New Zealand Post Office and the creation of Telecom, local telephone numbers were standardised to seven digits. In many parts of the country, the old area code was incorporated into the new number, however in some areas the numbers changed completely.
Town/CityOld numberNew number
Whangarei xx-xxx 43x-xxxx
New Plymouth xx-xxx 75x-xxxx
Upper Hutt
Porirua
Lower Hutt
Wellington north
Wellington south		 2xx-xxx
3xx-xxx
6xx-xxx
7xx-xxx
8xx-xxx		 52x-xxxx
23x-xxxx
56x-xxxx
47x-xxxx
38x-xxxx
Nelson xx-xxx 54x-xxxx
Kaikoura xxxx 319-xxxx
Dunedin xxx-xxx 4xx-xxxx
Invercargill xx-xxx 21x-xxxx

At the same time, the opportunity was taken to move directory service from 100 to 018 and charge for directory service calls. The justification for doing so was the introduction of a directory service computer system that gave access to current New Zealand telephone number listings, not just those printed in the telephone book, and the need for a separate user pays revenue stream for Telecom Directory Services, which was separate to the 5 regional telephone companies, TNI and Telecom Mobile that Telecom had split itself into, as part of the sale of Telecom and deregulation of New Zealand telecommunications services.
Since 1993, land-line telephone numbers in New Zealand consist of a single-digit area code and a seven-digit local number, of which the first three digits generally specify the exchange and the final four specify the subscriber's unique line at that exchange.

International number lengths

The long distance trunk prefix, 0, which is prepended to national numbers, is not part of the international number.
The minimum number length after the international prefix is three digits. Most numbers, other than service numbers have at least eight digits.
The maximum number length after the international prefix is nine digits, except numbers starting with 210.

Present numbering plan

New Zealand follows an open numbering plan. The country code is 64. The long distance dialing prefix is 0 and the international prefix is 00.

Landlines

New Zealand landline phone numbers have a total of eight digits excluding the leading 0: a one-digit area code, and a seven-digit phone number, beginning with a digit between 2 and 9.
There are five regional area codes: 3, 4, 6, 7, and 9. These must be dialled, along with the domestic trunk prefix, when calling a recipient outside the local calling area of which the caller is located. For example, one calling Dunedin from Christchurch must dial 03, even though Christchurch is 03 as well.
The combined domestic trunk prefix and area codes are:
The first few digits of the local number can specify the general area of the telephone numbers. Note the names below are of the local calling areas.
Telephone numbers for mobile phones begin with 02, followed by seven to nine digits. The first few digits after the 02 indicate the original mobile network that issued the number.
Telephone numbers must always be dialled in full for mobile phones. In the late 1990s however, Telecom mobile phones could dial other Telecom mobile phones without the 025 prefix, making 025 act like a landline area code.
PrefixNetworkNumber lengthNotes-
0201OrconOrcon no longer provide mobile services; these prefixes are now under Skinny.-
0202OrconOrcon no longer provide mobile services; these prefixes are now under Skinny.
0203Voyager
Formerly owned by Accelero		-
0204Skinny6 or 7 digits-
0205Vodafone-
0206Voyager Internet-
0207TeamTalkUnallocatable as of 5 December 2013-
0208TeamTalkUnallocatable as of 5 December 2013-
0209TeamTalkUnallocatable as of 5 December 2013-
021Vodafone6 to 8 digits6 digits were originally assigned to on account customers only; 7 digits are assigned to prepay customers only.-
0222degrees7 digits2degrees was launched in August 2009.-
023UnusedOwned by Vodafone-
024UnusedProtected by Management Committee 30.01.09 to preserve the potential code expansion option.-
025Unused6-7 digitsWas used by Telecom New Zealand until it was shut down on 31 March 2007. All numbers have now migrated to 027, with older 025 numbers prefixed with 4.-
026Spark New Zealand,
Team Talk		7 digitsUsed for calling Fleetlink or other trunked radios from a phone line-
027Spark New Zealand7 digitsFormerly Telecom New Zealand-
028 0Compass Communications-
028CallPlus or Black + White-
028 4Warehouse MobileOwned by The Warehouse group, this network launched on 28 November 2015 as an MVNO on 2Degrees Mobile-
028 85VodafonePreviously allocated to M2 Limited and was transferred to Vodafone on 6/11/13-
028 86VodafonePreviously allocated to M2 Limited and was transferred to Vodafone on 6/11/13-
028 892Talk7 digits-
028 96NOWPreviously called Airnet NZ Ltd-
029TelstraClear Vodafone acquired TelstraClear in 2012-

The introduction of mobile number portability on 1 April 2007 meant that an increasing number of mobiles will be operating on a different network to that which originally assigned the number.
To find out whether a particular number belongs to a specific network provider, one can text the mobile number of interest to 300. It is a free service provided by 2degrees. A reply will be sent to verify whether the number is operating on their network or not. , this service will work for Vodafone and Spark Active.

Other numbers

Toll-free and premium-rate calls

Toll-free numbers begin with 0508 or 0800, followed by usually six but sometimes seven digits.
Premium rate services use the code 0900 followed by five digits.
Local rate numbers, such as Internet access numbers, have the prefix 08xx, and are usually followed by five digits.
Numbers beginning with 01 are for operator services.
The "1" codes are used for local services, including activating exchange features. The emergency services number is "111".
The mobile network also recognises telephone numbers starting with *, including:
Text message numbers for mobile phones are 3 or 4 digits long.

Other useful numbers

New Zealand has no dedicated series of fictional telephone numbers. Television shows and movies generally use any available range of numbers.