| Country | Greece |
|---|---|
| Continent | Europe |
| Country code | 30 |
| International access | 00 |
| Long-distance | none |
Map of geographical area codes in Greece
Greece has a national telephone numbering plan with ten-digit telephone numbers. The first digit represents the type of service. 1 is used for short codes, 2 for geographical numbers (3 and 4 are reserved for that purpose too), 5 is used for inter-network routing purposes (non-dialable codes) and VPNs, 6 for mobile services, 7 is reserved for universal access numbers (not active), 8 for reduced-fee services (like 800 toll-free, 801 local call, 89 dial-up and data services), 9 is used for premium rate services (901 for general purpose and 909 for adult-only services). All dialable numbers are ten digits, except for short codes (3–5 digits in the 1 range), 807-XXXX (seven digits) used for calling card access codes, and numbers in the 5 range, used for routing purposes and not dialable by end-subscribers.
Overview
[edit]Geographical area codes start with the digit 2. There are currently two-, three-, and four-digit area codes. The only two-digit area code is 21 for the Athens Metropolitan area; three-digit codes are used for the cities of Thessaloniki, Patras, Larissa, Heraklion, Kavala, and Tripoli. The rest of the codes are four-digit codes.
Generally speaking, the second digit of a geographical area code signifies a broader geographical area of Greece. That is how area codes are sorted in this article.
Two-digit codes are used with eight-digit subscriber numbers, three-digit codes with seven-digit numbers, and four-digit codes with six-digit numbers, so that the full telephone number is always ten digits.
Subscriber numbers in most areas start with 0. That is the digit that was inserted between the area code and the subscriber number to form the new ten-digit numbering plan back in 2002. Thus, many Greeks erroneously think that the area codes include this leading 0. For example, they think that Athens's area code is 210 while, actually, Athens's area code is 21, with 0 being the first digit of the subscriber number.
Subscriber numbers starting with 0 are assigned to the former monopoly OTE. In bigger cities like Athens and Thessaloniki, subscriber numbers starting with digits other than 0 are becoming more and more common, especially amongst business subscribers. In this case, many people think that the area code is different. For example, a subscriber number in Athens might start with 211, with people thinking that 211 is a distinct area code from 210 while, in reality, both numbers are in the 21 area code and the third digit of the number belongs to the subscriber number.
In 2001-2002, Greece moved to a closed ten-digit numbering scheme in two stages, with the result that subscribers' numbers changed twice. For example, before the change, a number in Athens would have been dialed as follows:
| xxx xxxx | (Athens numbers called within Athens) |
| (01) xxx xxxx | (Athens numbers called from within Greece) |
| +30 1 xxx xxxx | (Athens numbers called from outside Greece) |
In 2001, a '0' was added after the area code, which was incorporated into the subscriber number:
| 01 0xxx xxxx | (Athens numbers called from within Greece) |
| +30 1 0xxx xxxx | (Athens numbers called from outside Greece) |
Finally, in 2002, the leading '0' was changed to a '2' (for geographic numbers) :
| 21 x xxx xxxx | (Athens numbers called from within Greece) |
| +30 21 x xxx xxxx | (Athens numbers called from outside Greece) |
For mobile phone numbers, the leading '0' was changed to a '6'.
Number portability may obscure the carrier responsible for geographical and non-geographical (mobile, toll-free, premium rate) numbers. All geographical codes (21x, 231x) end in a number from 0 to 6 (210 or 212 for Athens, 2310 or 2312 for Thessaloniki). Numbers whose code ends in "0" are or were originally operated by OTE. The same applies to mobile phones: All mobile codes (69x) end in 0,3,4,5,7,8 or 9 (690, 698). Mobile code "696" is assigned to OTE pagers. Numbers starting with 690 and 693 were originally assigned to WIND, with 694 and 695 to Vodafone, with 697 and 698 to Cosmote and with 699 to Q-Telecom until 2007 when it merged with WIND.
Zone 21: Greater Athens Metropolitan Area
[edit]Zone 22: Central Greece and the Aegean Islands
[edit]222x - Evia
[edit]223x - Evrytania and Phthiotis
[edit]224x - Dodecanese
[edit]225x - Lesbos, Lemnos
[edit]226x - Boeotia, eastern Phocis
[edit]227x - Chios, Samos and Icaria islands
[edit]228x - Cyclades
[edit]229x - Attica, excluding the area that uses 21
[edit]Zone 23: Central Macedonia and Florina
[edit]231 - Thessaloniki
[edit]232x - Serres prefecture
[edit]233x - Imathia prefecture
[edit]234x - Kilkis prefecture
[edit]235x - Pieria prefecture
[edit]237x - Chalkidiki prefecture
[edit]238x - Pella and Florina prefectures
[edit]239x - parts of Chalkidiki and Thessaloniki prefectures
[edit]236x is not used.
Zone 24: Thessaly and West Macedonia (excluding Florina)
[edit]241 - Larissa area
[edit]242x - Magnesia including the Northern Sporades
[edit]243x - Trikala prefecture
[edit]244x - Karditsa
[edit]246x - West Macedonia excluding the Florina area
[edit]249x - Larissa prefecture except for the Larissa area
[edit]245x, 247x and 248x are not used. 6
Zone 25: East Macedonia and Thrace
[edit]251 - Kavala area
[edit]252x - Drama prefecture
[edit]253x - Rhodope prefecture
[edit]254x- Xanthi prefecture
[edit]255x - Evros Prefecture
[edit]259x - Kavala prefecture except for the Kavala area
[edit]256x through 258x are not used.
Zone 26: West Greece, Ionian Island and Epirus
[edit]261 - Patras and Area
[edit]262x - Ileias Prefecture
[edit]263x - Aetolia and western Phocis
[edit]264x - Acarnania, Lefkada
[edit]265x - Ioannina Prefecture
[edit]266x - Corfu prefecture and Thesprotia
[edit]267x - Kefalonia
[edit]268x - Arta and Preveza
[edit]269x - Achaea (except Patras) and Zakynthos
[edit]Zone 27: Peloponnese and Kythera
[edit]271 - Tripoli and area
[edit]271: Tripoli (and area)
272x - southern and eastern part of Messenia
[edit]273x - Laconia and Kythera
[edit]274x - Corinthia
[edit]275x - eastern Arcadia and Argolis
[edit]276x - Messenia
[edit]279x - Western Arcadia
[edit]277x and 278x are not used.
Zone 28: Crete
[edit]281 - Heraklion prefecture
[edit]282x - Chania prefecture
[edit]283x - Rethymno prefecture
[edit]284x - Lasithi
[edit]289x - rest of Heraklion prefecture
[edit]285x through 288x are not used.
Non-geographic numbers
[edit]Note: emergency numbers in bold.
100 - Hellenic Police 101x up to 103x 105x up to 107x 102xx up to 107xx 108 - Hellenic Coast Guard 109 - Hellenic Police - Drug Enforcement 110xx 11085 - Thessaloniki Urban Transport Organization (OASTH) 111xx 11188 - Cyber Crime Division of Hellenic Policy 11185 - Transport for Athens 110x, 111x 112 - European emergency number 113xx up to 116xx 113x up to 118x 116xxx - Pan-European numbers[1] 117xx 118xx - Directory services 119 12x, 12xx, 13x, 13xx - Network customer services (specific to each carrier) 137xx - Toll Free Technical Support (free from all carriers) 13777 Yuboto Telephony Support [1] 138xx - Customer service and sales for telephone companies (accessible from all networks) 13890 - Inter Telecom 14xx - Telephone companies' music voice portals 140xx 142xx up to 149xx- Information services (weather, news etc.) 15xx - National public services (public sector numbers) 151xx up to 156xx 1591 - Forest Protection Coordination Centre of the General Directorate of Forests and Forest Environment[2] 1571 - Hellenic Police. A service available in Greek, English, French and German. Greek and foreign tourists can use it to solve problems they may encounter. 159xx 166 - EKAV (National Immediate Assistance Centre) [2] 170 - Special Suppressive Anti-Terrorist Unit 171 - Tourist Police 186x up to 189x 181xx, 182xx, 183xx - Short codes for private companies 188xx - Short codes for private companies 196x - National public services (public sector numbers) 190xx up to 195xx 197 - National Centre for Social Solidarity (EKKA) [3] 199 - Hellenic Fire Service 50x xxx xxxx - VPNs 54xxx 559xx 685 185 xxxx - CYTA Hellas 685 19x xxxx - CYTA Hellas 685 500 xxxx - CYTA Hellas 685 505 xxxx - CYTA Hellas 685 550 xxxx - CYTA Hellas 685 555 xxxx - CYTA Hellas 685 585 xxxx - CYTA Hellas 690 000 xxxx - BWS 690 002 xxxx - Nova (Forthnet) [4] 690 003 xxxx - Nova (Forthnet) [5] 690 069 xxxx - Nova (Forthnet) [6] 690 100 xxxx - MI CARRIER SERVICES AB 690 200 xxxx - MI CARRIER SERVICES AB 690 300 xxxx - MI CARRIER SERVICES AB 690 400 xxxx - MI CARRIER SERVICES AB 690 500 xxxx - MI CARRIER SERVICES AB 690 555 xxxx - AMD Telecom S.A. [7] 690 6xx xxxx - Nova (formerly WIND Hellas) 690 7xx xxxx - Nova (formerly WIND Hellas) 690 8xx xxxx - Nova (formerly WIND Hellas) 690 9xx xxxx - Nova (formerly WIND Hellas) 691 000 xxxx - BWS 691 111 xxxx - Interconnect 691 200 xxxx - Yuboto LTD [8] 691 234 xxxx - M-Stat [9] 691 300 xxxx - Viva [10] 691 345 xxxx - Nova (Forthnet) [11] 691 400 xxxx - AMD Telecom S.A. 691 500 xxxx - My Company Projects 691 600 xxxx - Compatel Limited 691 691 xxxx - Mobile Media [12] Archived 2022-08-28 at the Wayback Machine 691 700 xxxx - Inter Telecom 691 888 xxxx - Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) 693 xxx xxxx - Nova (formerly WIND Hellas) 694 xxx xxxx - Vodafone Greece 695 000 xxxx up to 695 199 xxxx - Vodafone Greece 695 200 xxxx - Compatel Limited 695 210 xxxx - MI CARRIER SERVICES AB 695 290 xxxx - MI CARRIER SERVICES AB 695 299 xxxx - BWS 695 30x xxxx - CYTA Hellas 695 310 xxxx - MI CARRIER SERVICES AB 695 330 xxxx - Apifon 695 340 xxxx - AMD Telecom S.A. 695 400 xxxx - AMD Telecom S.A. 695 410 xxxx - MI CARRIER SERVICES AB 695 423 xxxx - Infobip 695 490 xxxx - MI CARRIER SERVICES AB 695 500 xxxx up to 695 999 xxxx - Vodafone Greece 696 01x xxxx - OTE 696 91x xxxx - Ministry of National Defense 696 921 xxxx up to 696 928 xxxx - Ministry of National Defense 697 xxx xxxx - Cosmote 698 xxx xxxx - Cosmote 699 00x xxxx - Nova (formerly WIND Hellas) 699 1xx xxxx up to 699 999 xxxx - Nova (formerly WIND Hellas) 70x xxx xxxx - Universal Personal Number Service 800 xxx xxxx - Toll-free numbers 801 xxx xxxx - “ONEphone” shared-cost services (local call charges apply nationwide) 806 xxx xxxx - Calls with maximum charge of 0.06 EUR/minute 807 xxxx - Phonecard services 812 xxx xxxx - Calls with maximum charge of 0.12 EUR/minute 825 xxx xxxx - Calls with maximum charge of 0.25 EUR/minute 850 xxx xxxx - Calls with maximum charge of 0.50 EUR/minute 875 xxx xxxx - Calls with maximum charge of 0.75 EUR/minute 896 xxx xxxx & 899 xxx xxxx - Data services (Dial-up Internet access, Hellaspac packet relay, ERMES email etc.) 901 xxx xxxx - Premium-rate services 909 xxx xxxx - Premium-rate adult-only servicesDefunct
[edit]The following defunct short codes were created and provided for free by OTE during its monopoly on the Greek telephony market.
104 - Automobile and Touring Club of Greece (ELPA) Roadside Assistance.[3][4]
131 - OTE directory service.[3] Terminated according to the provisions of the 2002 National Numbering Plan and replaced by multiple 5-digit premium-rate codes.[5]
141 - Greece Time.[6] Established in 1963 as two-digit 14.
185 - Transport for Athens.[3] Became 11185.[8][9]
191 - Forestry Service.[3][10]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Digital Single Market". Digital Single Market. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
- ^ ertnews.gr, Συντακτική ομάδα (2023-02-15). "Χρήσιμα Τηλέφωνα". ertnews.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ a b c d "ΤΑ ΤΡΙΨΗΦΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΟΤΕ". MLP Blo-G-Spot (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ "Τηλέφωνα Έκτακτης Ανάγκης". www.allovergreece.com. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ Κώστας, Ντελέζος (2001-06-22). "Σε 3 στάδια η αλλαγή τηλεφώνων". ΤΑ ΝΕΑ (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ tanea.gr (2008-02-22). "Στον επόμενο τόνο η ώρα θα είναι στο 14844". ΤΑ ΝΕΑ (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ "Δεκαπλασιάζεται η χρέωση για τηλεφωνικό ραντεβού με τον ΕΟΠΥΥ | LiFO". www.lifo.gr (in Greek). 2012-08-02. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ Capital.gr. "To 11185 ο νέος αριθμός του κέντρου εξυπηρέτησης επιβατών ΟΑΣΑ". Capital.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ "Καλέσατε ΟΑΣΑ στο 11185 για πληροφορίες". AthensVoice (in Greek). 2014-02-06. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ Ελληνική TV ΖΗΜΙΑ (2017-04-07). ΔΑΣΙΚΗ ΥΠΗΡΕΣΙΑ 191. Retrieved 2024-12-12 – via YouTube.