imported>InternetArchiveBot: Rescuing 0 sources and tagging 1 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5) (Eastmain - 24216

2025-06-25T17:34:54Z

Rescuing 0 sources and tagging 1 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5) (Eastmain - 24216

← Previous revision		Revision as of 17:34, 25 June 2025
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	'''Area code 246''' is the telephone [[area code]] in the [[North American Numbering Plan]] (NANP) for [[Barbados]].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://telecoms.gov.bb/PoliciesPlansRegisters/tabid/65/Default.aspx \|title=Policies, Plan & Registers \|author=Admin. \|year=2008 \|work=Telecoms Unit \|publisher=Ministry of Finance, Investment, Telecommunications and Energy (MFIE) \|access-date=2010-07-08\|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100610063620/http://www.telecoms.gov.bb/PoliciesPlansRegisters/tabid/65/Default.aspx \|archive-date=2010-06-10}}</ref> The sequence ''246'' spells ''BIM'' on an alpha-numeric telephone keypad, a [[Barbados#Etymology\|nickname]] for the island.<ref>Conor Looney, Chief Executive Officer of [[Digicel]] Barbados, stated «the area code 26 spells BIM on our keypads», as quoted in “[http://www.loopnewsbarbados.com/content/digicel-throwing-its-support-behind-bim Digicel throwing its support behind BIM]” ''Loop News'', 2016.10.27.</ref>		'''Area code 246''' is the telephone [[area code]] in the [[North American Numbering Plan]] (NANP) for [[Barbados]].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://telecoms.gov.bb/PoliciesPlansRegisters/tabid/65/Default.aspx \|title=Policies, Plan & Registers \|author=Admin. \|year=2008 \|work=Telecoms Unit \|publisher=Ministry of Finance, Investment, Telecommunications and Energy (MFIE) \|access-date=2010-07-08\|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100610063620/http://www.telecoms.gov.bb/PoliciesPlansRegisters/tabid/65/Default.aspx \|archive-date=2010-06-10}}</ref> The sequence ''246'' spells ''BIM'' on an alpha-numeric telephone keypad, a [[Barbados#Etymology\|nickname]] for the island.<ref>Conor Looney, Chief Executive Officer of [[Digicel]] Barbados, stated «the area code 26 spells BIM on our keypads», as quoted in “[http://www.loopnewsbarbados.com/content/digicel-throwing-its-support-behind-bim Digicel throwing its support behind BIM]{{Dead link\|date=June 2025 \|bot=InternetArchiveBot \|fix-attempted=yes }}” ''Loop News'', 2016.10.27.</ref>

	Telecommunication services and '''telephone numbers in Barbados''' are administered by the Ministry of Finance, Investment, Telecommunications and Energy (MFIE) of the [[Government of Barbados]].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://telecoms.gov.bb/AboutUs/tabid/108/Default.aspx \|title=About Us \|work=Telecoms Unit \|publisher=Ministry of Finance, Investment, Telecommunications and Energy (MFIE) \|access-date=8 July 2010 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704215944/http://www.telecoms.gov.bb/AboutUs/tabid/108/Default.aspx \|archive-date=4 July 2010 \|url-status=dead }}</ref>		Telecommunication services and '''telephone numbers in Barbados''' are administered by the Ministry of Finance, Investment, Telecommunications and Energy (MFIE) of the [[Government of Barbados]].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://telecoms.gov.bb/AboutUs/tabid/108/Default.aspx \|title=About Us \|work=Telecoms Unit \|publisher=Ministry of Finance, Investment, Telecommunications and Energy (MFIE) \|access-date=8 July 2010 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704215944/http://www.telecoms.gov.bb/AboutUs/tabid/108/Default.aspx \|archive-date=4 July 2010 \|url-status=dead }}</ref>

imported>Neils51: typo(s) fixed: comform → conform, 1-888 → 1–888 (3)

2025-01-20T00:39:38Z

typo(s) fixed: comform → conform, 1-888 → 1–888 (3)

New page

{{Short description|Barbados telephone area code}}
{{distinguish|text=[[+246]] [[List of country calling codes#Zone 2: Mostly Africa|country code]] for the [[British Indian Ocean Territory]] ([[Diego Garcia]])}}
{{coord|13|10|12|N|59|33|09| W|display=title}}

'''Area code 246''' is the telephone [[area code]] in the [[North American Numbering Plan]] (NANP) for [[Barbados]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://telecoms.gov.bb/PoliciesPlansRegisters/tabid/65/Default.aspx |title=Policies, Plan & Registers |author=Admin. |year=2008 |work=Telecoms Unit |publisher=Ministry of Finance, Investment, Telecommunications and Energy (MFIE) |access-date=2010-07-08|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100610063620/http://www.telecoms.gov.bb/PoliciesPlansRegisters/tabid/65/Default.aspx |archive-date=2010-06-10}}</ref> The sequence ''246'' spells ''BIM'' on an alpha-numeric telephone keypad, a [[Barbados#Etymology|nickname]] for the island.<ref>Conor Looney, Chief Executive Officer of [[Digicel]] Barbados, stated «the area code 26 spells BIM on our keypads», as quoted in “[http://www.loopnewsbarbados.com/content/digicel-throwing-its-support-behind-bim Digicel throwing its support behind BIM]” ''Loop News'', 2016.10.27.</ref>

Telecommunication services and '''telephone numbers in Barbados''' are administered by the Ministry of Finance, Investment, Telecommunications and Energy (MFIE) of the [[Government of Barbados]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://telecoms.gov.bb/AboutUs/tabid/108/Default.aspx |title=About Us |work=Telecoms Unit |publisher=Ministry of Finance, Investment, Telecommunications and Energy (MFIE) |access-date=8 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704215944/http://www.telecoms.gov.bb/AboutUs/tabid/108/Default.aspx |archive-date=4 July 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

As a member of the North American Numbering Plan, Barbados uses telephone [[country code]] ''1'' for inbound routing of international calls. The telephone number format consists of the three-digit area code, the three-digit central office prefix and the local four-digit line or station number. Dialing procedures within the country and abroad conform to NANP standards. Thus, Barbados telephone numbers are quoted per [[International Telecommunication Union]] (ITU) Recommendation [[E.123]] in the style ''+1 246 NXX-XXXX'' for international use.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-E.123/en |title=E.123 : Notation for national and international telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and Web addresses |author=Admin. |year=2008 |publisher=[[International Telecommunication Union]] |access-date=8 July 2010 }}</ref>

==History==
In 1958, the [[American Telephone and Telegraph Company]] (AT&T) assigned [[area code 809]] for use by all affiliated telephone administrations in Bermuda and the Caribbean islands.<ref>[https://www.nanpa.com/sites/default/files/planning_letters/IL-89-10-049.pdf IL-89-10-049 -- NANP - REVISED NPA MAPS SHOWING NEW NPAS SCHEDULED TO BE INTRODUCED IN 1989 AND 1990], 19 October 1989</ref> Between 1995 and 1999, the [[numbering plan area]] was divided, and new area codes were assigned to individual administrations. Area code 246 was assigned to Barbados in 1995. The area code was in effect from 1 July 1996, and a permissive dialing period extended to 15 January 1997,<ref name="plan">{{cite web
|url=https://www.nationalnanpa.com/pdf/old_pl/IL-95-12-006.pdf
|title=Introduction of 246 (Barbados) Numbering Plan Area (NPA)
|date=1995-12-11
|access-date=2023-08-23
|publisher=NANPA
}}</ref> at which time all calls placed to Barbados required the new area code.

==Dialing procedures==
===To Barbados===
*; From within North America (NANP)
When calling Barbados from elsewhere in the North American Numbering Plan (e.g. from the [[United States]] or [[Canada]]), callers use [[ten-digit dialing]] after the long-distance trunk prefix ''1''. Thus callers dial ''1 246'' and the seven digit local telephone number.

*; From outside the NANP
When calling to Barbados from outside the NANP (e.g. from the [[United Kingdom]]), callers must dial the international dialling prefix followed by 1 to access the North American Numbering Plan. For example, a call placed from the United Kingdom is dialled as ''00 1 246 NXX XXXX'', where ''NXX XXXX'' is the local telephone number.

===Within Barbados===
When placing a call within Barbados, callers use [[seven-digit dialling]] (i.e. dialling the last seven digits of the national telephone number). Unlike in some other [[Caribbean]] islands, most residential [[landline]] subscribers have unlimited/un-metered rates for calling other local landlines.

*;To North America (NANP)
When calling to other places in the North American Numbering Plan, calls are dialed by [[ten-digit dialing]] in those countries. Callers dial ''1 NPA NXX XXXX''.

Though usually toll-free when dialled from the US, not all [[Toll-free telephone number|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.<ref>[https://www.nanpa.com/sites/default/files/planning_letters/IL-96-01-016.pdf Page 3]</ref> If the number is not toll-free a recording gives directions for placing a fee based call.

*;To areas outside the NANP
When calling to areas outside the NANP (e.g. the [[United Kingdom]]), callers dial 011 + country code + telephone number. In the case of the UK, a user dials ''011 [[Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom|44]]'' + area code + telephone number.

===Service codes===
:Police Force: 211, Ambulance: 511, Fire: 311
:Information/Directory Assistance: 411
:Operator: 0

==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 established by the [[incumbent local exchange carrier]].<ref name="plan" /><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nationalnanpa.com/pdf/old_pl/IL-95-12-006.pdf |title=Introduction of 246 (Barbados) Numbering Plan Area (NPA) }}, Bellcore Letter IL-95/12-006</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
! Location<br />(By '''[[Parishes of Barbados|parish]]''' or ''[[Telephone exchange|central office]]'')
! Numbers
|-
|'''[[Christ Church, Barbados|Christ Church]]'''
| 418, 420, 428
|-
|''Grazettes''
| 417, 421, 424, 425, 438
|-
|'''[[Saint James, Barbados|St. James]]'''
| 432
|-
|'''[[Saint John, Barbados|St. John]]'''
| 433
|-
|'''[[Saint Lucy, Barbados|St. Lucy]]'''
| 439
|-
|'''[[Saint Philip, Barbados|St. Philip]]'''
| 423
|-
| '''''Telebarbados'''''
| 620–629
|-
| ''Special services''
| 978
|-
|''[[Speightstown]]''
|419, 422
|-
|''Windsor Lodge''
| 228, 426, 427, 429, 430, 431, 434, 435, 436, 437
|-
|''Cellular''
| 230
|-
| Spare
| 220
|}

===Mobile operators===
Following liberalisation of the telecommunications industry in Barbados, various central office codes were implemented for [[List of mobile network operators of the Americas#Barbados|local mobile carriers]]. The following central offices were outlined in 2004 by the Minister of Energy and Public Utilities.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itu.int/oth/T0202.aspx?parent=T0202 |title=National Numbering Plans |author=Admin. |year=2008 |publisher=[[International Telecommunication Union]] |access-date=8 July 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100727110427/http://www.itu.int/oth/T0202.aspx?parent=T0202| archive-date= 27 July 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> 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.

{|class="wikitable"
! [[Digicel]]
! [[LIME (Cable & Wireless)|Liberty Latin America]]<br>''(formerly bMobile, C&W, LIME)''
! [[Ozone Wireless|Ozone]]
! [[Sunbeach]]
! Ace Communications International Telephony
|-
|258, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 820, 821, 822, 823, 824, 825, 826, 827, 828, 829{{#tag:ref|(820-829), Formerly controlled by AT&T Wireless until transfer to Digicel.|group=‡|name=Flag}}
|230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254
|695, 696, 697
|450, 451, 452, 453, 454, 455, 456, 457, 458, 459
|776, 777, 778, 223
|-
| colspan="5" | <sub>{{reflist|group="‡"}}</sub>
|}

===VoIP providers===
:310 - 359<ref>[http://www.telecoms.gov.bb/documents/Barbados%20VoiP%20Policy%20Third%20Draft.doc Barbados Voice over Internet Protocol Policy] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706131954/http://www.telecoms.gov.bb/documents/Barbados%20VoiP%20Policy%20Third%20Draft.doc |date=July 6, 2011 }} (VoIP), Barbados Min. of Finance, Investment, Telecommunications and Energy (MFIE) - Telecommunications Unit</ref>

===Geographic===
Other landline central office codes which have been activated include the following:
:227, 228, 229, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 292, 367, 410, 412, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 425, 426, 427, 428, 429, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, 439, 736, 737, 753, 757, 958, 976

==See also==
*[[Area codes in the Caribbean]]
*[[List of North American Numbering Plan area codes]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20030428024142fw_/http://barbadosmedia.bb/headetails.asp?ArticlesID=605&secDesc=headline 3 Cellular Licences Issued], March 7, 2003

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090203234236/http://telecoms.gov.bb/ The Barbados Telecommunications Unit] - In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade & International Business
*[http://www.telecoms.gov.bb/website/images/documents/NNP15.pdf List of Central Office exchanges from 246 Area Code]

{{Area code box | State = Barbados
| This = 246
| NW = [[Area code 767|767]], [[+596|Country code 596]]
| N = [[Atlantic Ocean]]
| S = [[Area code 868|868]]
| SE = [[+599|Country code 599]]
| W = [[Area code 758|758]], [[Area code 784|784]]
| E = [[Atlantic Ocean]]
|S1=Dominica|S2=Martinique|S3=Saint Lucia|S4=Saint Vincent and the Grenadines|S5=Guyana|S6=Trinidad and Tobago
}}

{{Area code list}}
{{North America topic|Telephone numbers in}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Area Code 246}}
[[Category:Communications in Barbados]]
[[Category:Telecommunications in Barbados]]
[[Category:Area codes in the Caribbean|246]]
[[Category:Barbados communications-related lists]]

Area code 246 - Revision history

imported>InternetArchiveBot: Rescuing 0 sources and tagging 1 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5) (Eastmain - 24216

imported>Neils51: typo(s) fixed: comform → conform, 1-888 → 1–888 (3)