Telephone numbers in Belize

The Belize telephone numbering plan is the system used for assigning telephone numbers in Belize.

• Country calling code: +501
• International call prefix: 00
• National significant numbers (NSN): seven digits.

Changes in late 2005

International dialing format: +501 ZNY XXXX, where:

Changes in early 2005

Two new User Group/Platform classifications for N were introduced in 2005 in the National Destination Code (NDC) for the implementation of Speednet’s CDMA mobile cellular network:

6 = Prepaid

7 = Postpaid Mobile

Mobile service

The format is: ZNY + XXXX, where: ZNY = Destination Code

Z = 6 – Countrywide Mobile Roaming

N = 6 – Prepaid/Payphone

N = 7 – Postpaid Mobile

Changes in 2004

Fixed network

GSM mobile prepaid services

The format is: ZNY + XXXX, where:

ZNY = National Destination Code (NDC)

Z = 6 (countrywide mobile roaming)

N = 2 (prepaid)

Y = 0, 1

The PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) with “0” as second digit, and mobile numbers with “0”or “2” as second digit, are restricted from accepting collect calls.

Changes in 2002

National numbering plan

The revised national numbering plan was designed and designated with:

+CCC + NDC + SN or +CCC + ZNY + XXXX

where:

CCC = Country Code

ZNY = National Destination Code (NDC)

Z = (1 – 9) Geographic or District Code

N = (0 – 9) User Group / Platform Code

Y = (0 – 9) (Carry over first digit from existing and virtual five-digit number – YXXXX)

XXXX = Subscriber Number (SN) [(0)0000 – (9)9999]

Assignment

+CCC + ZNY + XXXX

ZNY where:
Z = Geographic or district code (1 – 9)

0 – Reserved

1 – Reserved

2 – Belize District

3 – Orange Walk District

4 – Corozal District

5 – Stann Creek District

6 – Countrywide Mobile Roaming by all mobile service providers

7 – Toledo District

8 – Cayo District (including Belmopan, San Ignacio and Benque Viejo)

9 – Reserved

N = User Group/Platform classification/Identification for the respective service providers, where N = 0 – 9

For example:

0 = PrePay (e.g. Prepaid/Pay phone for a specified service provider)

1 = Mobile (e.g. Mobile for a specific service provider)

2 = PSTN (e.g. Public Switched Telecommunication Network for a specific service provider)

3 = Reserved

4 = Reserved

5 = Reserved

6 = Reserved

7 = Reserved

8 = Reserved

9 = Reserved

Y = First digit of a virtual five-digit subscriber number and/or first digit of present five-digit subscriber numbers – (0 – 9)

XXXX = Subscriber numbers (0000 – 9999)

Potential numbers with 0000 and 9999 will be reserved

Assigned numbers will start from 00010

Assigned numbers will stop at 99998

Subscribers/Customers will be required to dial seven (7) digits for all local calls whether within the same area or district or to another area or district.

Application and examples

Present number for

Customer in Belize City – 02 24940

Belmopan – 08 22692

Service being provided by BTL’s – PSTN

New number

Belize City – 222 4940

Belmopan – 822 2692

Middle digit “2” identifies BTL’s Public Switch Telecommunication Network (PSTN).

Present number for

Customer in Belize City – 02 24940

Belmopan – 08 22692

Service being provided by the PSTN of another service provider

New Number

Belize City – 242 4940

Belmopan – 842 2692

Middle digit “4” identifies other service provider’s Public Switch Telecommunication Network (PSTN).

Mobile Cellular

Belize Telecommunication Ltd present number: 0149076

New number will be 614 9076 – Country wide.

Number digit “1” identifies Belize Telecommunication Ltd.

Mobile cellular service by another service provider for same subscriber will be 654 9076.

Number digit “5” identifies the other service provider.

The choice of dialling the middle digit “1” or middle digit “5” will be that of the consumer and would be based on service cost and interconnection arrangements.

Changes prior to spring 1996

Approx 1996 to April 2002

As of early 1996, AT&T and other reliable sources indicated that Belize had recently changed its switching arrangements for incoming international calls so that all locations in the country required an area code to be dialed.

The area codes were still of varying length, followed by numbers of a more fixed length than before. Belize City now required an area code of 2 in order to be dialed, while the digit 0 was deleted from all other area codes when calling from outside the country.

Belize City was 2, Caye Caulker was 22, Ladyville was 25, San Pedro was 26, Burrell Boom was 28, and other outlying areas around Belize City were 21. Presumably, no Belize City number would begin with 1, 2, 5, 6 or 8 in order to avoid confusion in the switch (e.g. 28-8012 could be mistaken as 2-88012).

Pre 1996 (approximate)

Prior to this change, and starting at least no later than 1980, Belize City was dialed as +501 then the local five digit number. Other locations were dialed as +501, then an area code starting with 0, then the local number. The arrangement indicated that incoming international calls reached the Belize City exchange, from which a further call was dialed as if the international caller was in Belize City.

The telephone network was developed during the late 1960s and 1970s with installation of modern exchanges to replace older networks, and to tie them together into a long distance network using area codes. Neither the local numbers nor the area codes were of standard length, though larger towns tended to have a single digit after the 0.

Rural areas outside of a town usually had a separate area code, longer than that of the town, but beginning with the same digit.

For example, Orange Walk Town was 03, but its suburbs and outlying area was 031; no Orange Walk telephone number would begin with 1.

See also

• Telecommunications in Belize

References