I need to determine whether a phone number is valid before attempting to dial it. The phone call can go anywhere in the world.
What regular expression will match valid international phone numbers?
+9
A:
All country codes are defined by the ITU. The following regex is based on ITU-T E.164 and Annex to ITU Operational Bulletin No. 930 – 15.IV.2009. It contains all current country codes and codes reserved for future use. While it could be shortened a bit, I decided to include each code independently.
This is for calls originating from the USA. For other countries, replace the international access code (the 011 at the beginning of the regex) with whatever is appropriate for that country's dialing plan.
Also, note that ITU E.164 defines the maximum length of a full international telephone number to 15 digits. This means a three digit country code results in up to 12 additional digits, and a 1 digit country code could contain up to 14 additional digits. Hence the
[0-9]{0,14}$
a the end of the regex.
Most importantly, this regex does not mean the number is valid - each country defines its own internal numbering plan. This only ensures that the country code is valid.
^011(999|998|997|996|995|994|993|992|991| 990|979|978|977|976|975|974|973|972|971|970| 969|968|967|966|965|964|963|962|961|960|899| 898|897|896|895|894|893|892|891|890|889|888| 887|886|885|884|883|882|881|880|879|878|877| 876|875|874|873|872|871|870|859|858|857|856| 855|854|853|852|851|850|839|838|837|836|835| 834|833|832|831|830|809|808|807|806|805|804| 803|802|801|800|699|698|697|696|695|694|693| 692|691|690|689|688|687|686|685|684|683|682| 681|680|679|678|677|676|675|674|673|672|671| 670|599|598|597|596|595|594|593|592|591|590| 509|508|507|506|505|504|503|502|501|500|429| 428|427|426|425|424|423|422|421|420|389|388| 387|386|385|384|383|382|381|380|379|378|377| 376|375|374|373|372|371|370|359|358|357|356| 355|354|353|352|351|350|299|298|297|296|295| 294|293|292|291|290|289|288|287|286|285|284| 283|282|281|280|269|268|267|266|265|264|263| 262|261|260|259|258|257|256|255|254|253|252| 251|250|249|248|247|246|245|244|243|242|241| 240|239|238|237|236|235|234|233|232|231|230| 229|228|227|226|225|224|223|222|221|220|219| 218|217|216|215|214|213|212|211|210|98|95|94| 93|92|91|90|86|84|82|81|66|65|64|63|62|61|60| 58|57|56|55|54|53|52|51|49|48|47|46|45|44|43| 41|40|39|36|34|33|32|31|30|27|20|7|1)[0-9]{0, 14}$
Abtin Forouzandeh
2010-01-21 23:49:05
+1 for insanity.
Stefan Kendall
2010-01-21 23:50:33
ahhh!!! big wall of regex!
Earlz
2010-01-21 23:51:12
Almost had it right... "011" is not part of an international code. It's just what people in the US need to dial in order to place an international call. That prefix will change depending on where you dial from... So that prefix is NOT part of the number.
gmagana
2010-01-21 23:51:16
@gmagana - I mention that in my answer (paragraph 2)
Abtin Forouzandeh
2010-01-21 23:53:02
My point is that it's not part of the phone number. That's like saying the "1" US national long distance dialing prefix is part of the phone number.
gmagana
2010-01-21 23:55:33
@gmagana - while you are right that it is not part of the phone number, it is technically required to make the call.
Abtin Forouzandeh
2010-01-22 00:06:42
@Abtin: You asked this question just to tell us about your already existing solution?
Roger Pate
2010-01-22 00:29:49
@Roger Pate: I spent a bit of time figuring this out and I hope it will be useful to others. I also hoped that someone else might have a better solution (which is why I haven't marked my own answer as accepted).
Abtin Forouzandeh
2010-01-22 00:43:57
+1
A:
The international numbering plan is based on the ITU E.164 numbering plan. I guess that's the starting point to your regular expression.
I'll update this if I get around to create a regular expression based on the ITU E.164 numbering.
The Elite Gentleman
2010-01-22 00:28:45
+2
A:
Here's an "optimized" version of your regex:
^011(9[976]\d|8[987530]\d|6[987]\d|5[90]\d|42\d|3[875]\d|
2[98654321]\d|9[8543210]|8[6421]|6[6543210]|5[87654321]|
4[987654310]|3[9643210]|2[70]|7|1)\d{0,14}$
You can replace the \ds with [0-9] if your regex syntax doesn't support \d.
Laurence Gonsalves
2010-01-22 01:23:46