+47

+47 is the country calling code assigned to the Kingdom of Norway by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). It is one of the original codes established in the 1960s and is used for all telephone communications to the nation, including its integral territories like Svalbard and Jan Mayen. The code is part of a closed numbering plan where all domestic numbers are eight digits long and can be dialed without any trunk prefix from within the country.

● Overview

The +47 code is the sole country code for all telephony within the Norwegian national territory. It is administered by the Norwegian Communications Authority, known as Nkom, which regulates the telecommunications sector. The numbering plan is geographically organized, with specific number series allocated to different regions, such as Oslo receiving the 2-series and Bergen the 5-series. This structure facilitates both national and international direct dialing to fixed-line and mobile services across the country, including remote Arctic dependencies.

● Geographic scope

The +47 code covers the entire realm of Norway, extending beyond the Scandinavian mainland to encompass its Arctic archipelago territories. This includes the Svalbard archipelago, governed under the Svalbard Treaty, and the volcanic island of Jan Mayen. The code also serves the research station of Troll in Queen Maud Land, Antarctica, which is administered by the Norwegian Polar Institute. Consequently, calls to these remote outposts use the same +47 prefix as those to major cities like Stavanger or Trondheim, with routing handled by Norwegian telecommunications operators such as Telenor and Telia Company.

● Numbering plan

Norway employs a closed telephone numbering plan where all subscriber numbers comprise eight digits. Geographic areas are assigned specific leading digits: for instance, numbers in and around the capital begin with '2', while the Bergen region uses '5'. Mobile telephone numbers across all networks uniformly start with the digit '9'. Special service numbers, such as those for emergencies (112) or directory assistance, use shorter three-digit codes. The plan is managed by Nkom, which oversees allocations to service providers including ICE and Broadnet, ensuring efficient number utilization.

● History

The country code +47 was assigned to Norway in the late 1960s as part of the ITU-T E.163 and E.164 international numbering standards developed by the International Telecommunication Union. Prior to this, international calls were routed through operator assistance using complex routing codes. The implementation of direct international dialing was gradual, with the full eight-digit national numbering plan being introduced in 1992, replacing older systems with varying digit lengths. This modernization, driven by the former monopoly Televerket (now Telenor), aligned Norway with international standards and supported the later liberalization of its telecom market.

● Usage and services

The +47 code is used to reach all fixed-line, mobile, and special services in Norway. Major mobile network operators like Telenor, Telia Norge, and Lyse Mobile issue numbers within the 9-series. The code also provides access to Voice over IP (VoIP) services and machine-to-machine communications for the Internet of Things. Notably, the Svalbard Undersea Cable System and satellite ground stations at SvalSat ensure reliable connectivity to the Arctic islands. Special number ranges are reserved for services such as Freephone (800) and premium-rate information lines, all regulated under the Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority.

● Technical details

Calls to Norway from abroad are dialed using the international prefix (e.g., 00 from most European nations), followed by 47 and the eight-digit subscriber number. Within Norway, the code is not dialed; calls are made using the full eight-digit number directly. The numbering plan is supported by a mix of landline infrastructure, GSM and LTE mobile networks, and extensive fiber-optic cables like the CAT-1 system. Number portability between providers is mandated by Nkom, allowing subscribers to retain their numbers. The technical implementation involves Signaling System No. 7 (SS7) and IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) architectures, with major switching centers located in Oslo and other regional hubs.

Category:Telephone numbers by country Category:Communications in Norway