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Grenada Phone Numbers: Format, Area Code & Validation Guide
This guide provides a comprehensive overview of Grenada's phone number formats, validation rules, and best practices for developers integrating telecommunications functionalities into their applications. We'll cover landline, mobile, and special numbers, along with critical considerations like number portability and security.
Numbering Plan Overview
Grenada adheres to the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) and conforms to international standards defined by ITU-T E.164. This dual compliance ensures compatibility with both regional and global communication networks. All Grenadian numbers begin with the country code +1 and the area code 473.
The National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC) (https://ntrc.gd/) governs Grenada's telecommunications sector, including number allocation and portability. Refer to their official documentation for the latest regulations and updates.
Number Formats
Landline Numbers
Format: 473-2XX-XXXX or 4732XXXXXX
Description: Landline numbers consistently start with '2' after the area code, followed by a unique six-digit subscriber number.
Mobile Numbers
Format: 473-4XX-XXXX, 473-5XX-XXXX or 4734XXXXXX, 4735XXXXXX
Description: Mobile numbers use prefixes '4' or '5' after the area code to distinguish between service providers. However, number portability can make provider identification solely based on the prefix unreliable.
Special Numbers
Emergency: 911 (Does not include the country or area code)
Toll-Free: While Grenada generally follows NANP toll-free formats (e.g., 800, 888, 877), confirm specific allocations with the NTRC for accurate validation.
Number Validation
Robust validation is crucial for data integrity and system reliability. Here's how to implement effective validation for Grenadian numbers:
Regular Expressions
Regular expressions provide a concise way to validate number formats. Below are examples for common number types:
Mobile:^473[45][0-9]{6}$
Landline:^4732[0-9]{6}$
Emergency:^911$
Important Note: These regex patterns validate the core numeric structure. Your implementation should handle variations in formatting, such as hyphens, spaces, or parentheses. Consider using a preprocessing step to sanitize input before applying regex validation.
Grenada has implemented Mobile Number Portability (MNP), allowing users to switch providers while retaining their existing mobile numbers. This requires developers to consider the following:
Real-time Lookup: Integrate with a number portability database or API to determine the current carrier of a ported number. This is essential for accurate routing and billing.
Database Design: Store the original assigned operator and any portability updates in your database to maintain a history of number assignments.
Fallback Mechanisms: Implement fallback logic to handle situations where portability information is unavailable or delayed.
Formatting and Standardization
Consistent number formatting improves data quality and interoperability. Consider using the E.164 format (+1473XXXXXXX) for internal storage and processing. You can then format numbers for display based on user preferences or regional conventions.
This guide provides a solid foundation for working with Grenadian phone numbers. Remember to consult the official NTRC resources for the most up-to-date information and regulations.