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Madagascar Phone Numbers: Format, Area Code & Validation Guide
This guide provides a deep dive into the intricacies of Madagascar's phone number system, equipping you with the knowledge to handle them effectively in your applications. We'll cover everything from emergency services and operator details to validation, formatting, and best practices for implementation. You'll gain a practical understanding of how to work with these numbers, ensuring your systems are compliant and efficient.
Emergency Services and Critical Communications in Madagascar
Knowing how to handle emergency numbers is crucial for any application dealing with Malagasy phone numbers. These short codes provide direct access to vital services, and your system should recognize and prioritize them accordingly.
Emergency Contact Numbers
Madagascar's emergency response system utilizes dedicated short codes:
Police (17 or 117 from a mobile): Available 24/7 for criminal incidents and public safety concerns. Calling this number connects you to the nearest police station. Additionally, you can contact the police station directly by dialing 19 or 119 from a mobile phone. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/madagascar/getting-help)
Fire Brigade (18 or 118 from a mobile): Provides rapid response to fire emergencies and handles rescue operations, primarily in major cities.
Medical Emergency (124): For emergency medical assistance and ambulance dispatch. This number coordinates critical care. You might also consider the Military Hospital at 403-41 and general ambulance services at 211-70, especially within Antananarivo. (Source: https://en.tripmydream.com/madagascar/emergency)
When calling emergency services, remain calm and clearly state:
Your exact location
The nature of the emergency
Any immediate risks or hazards
Telecommunications Infrastructure in Madagascar
Understanding the telecommunications landscape is essential for effective number handling. You'll need to be aware of the major players and their respective prefixes.
Service Provider Landscape
Four major operators dominate Madagascar's telecommunications sector:
Telecom Malagasy (Telma): A comprehensive provider offering fixed-line (prefix 20) and mobile services with nationwide coverage.
Mobile Number Portability (MNP) significantly impacts how you should design your validation systems. You need to account for the possibility of numbers changing providers while retaining their original format.
Implementation and Benefits
MNP offers several advantages:
Customer Freedom: You can switch providers without changing your number.
Market Competition: MNP encourages better service quality and competitive pricing.
Seamless Transition: The process is designed for minimal service interruption.
Universal Support: Available across all major operators.
Technical Implementation
While the specific technical details might vary, the general process involves:
Customer submits a port request.
Current provider validates eligibility.
New provider initiates the transfer.
ARTEC (the regulatory body) oversees the transition.
Number porting is completed, typically within 48 hours. This timeframe is important to consider when designing caching strategies for your validation system.
Dialing Procedures and Standards
Understanding dialing procedures is crucial for ensuring your applications can correctly format and process numbers. You'll need to differentiate between local, domestic, and international calls.
Domestic Calling Guide
Local Fixed-Line: Direct 7-digit dialing (e.g., 20 1234567).
Mobile Calls: Full 8-digit number (e.g., 32 12345678).
Emergency Services: Short code direct dial (e.g., 17 for Police).
International Calling
Outbound Calls:00 + Country Code + Area Code + Number (e.g., calling France: 00 33 1 23456789).
Inbound Calls:+261 + Local Number (without leading 0) (e.g., +261 32 12345678). This is the format you should store and use internally.
Technical Implementation Framework
This section provides practical guidance on implementing validation and other essential features in your systems. You'll learn how to build robust and efficient solutions.
Validation Requirements
Your system should enforce these validation rules:
Mobile Number Validation: Prefixes: "32", "33", "34", Length: 8 digits, Format: ^3[2-4,7-9]\d{7}. Note the inclusion of 37-39 for future mobile service expansion.
Special Service Validation: Prefix: "30", Length: 7 digits, Format: ^30\d{6}.
Preprocessing Implementation
functionpreprocessMadagascarNumber(phoneNumber:string):string{// Remove all non-numeric characters. This handles variations in input formats.let cleaned = phoneNumber.replace(/\D/g,'');// Handle international prefix. This normalizes international numbers.if(cleaned.startsWith('00261')){ cleaned = cleaned.slice(5);}elseif(cleaned.startsWith('261')){ cleaned = cleaned.slice(3);}// Handle leading zero. This ensures consistency for domestic numbers.if(cleaned.startsWith('0')){ cleaned = cleaned.slice(1);}return cleaned;}// Example test case demonstrating the removal of non-numeric characters and international prefixesconsole.log(preprocessMadagascarNumber("+261-32-1234-5678"));// Output: 3212345678// Example test case demonstrating handling of numbers starting with '00261'console.log(preprocessMadagascarNumber("002613212345678"));// Output: 3212345678
This function cleans and normalizes the input phone number, removing non-numeric characters and handling international prefixes. This is a crucial first step before validation. Consider adding a test case for numbers with spaces or other special characters.
Validation Implementation
interfaceValidationResult{ valid:boolean; type?:'FIXED_LINE'|'MOBILE'|'SPECIAL_SERVICES'; error?:string;}constVALIDATION_PATTERNS={ fixedLine:/^20\d{6}$/, mobile:/^3[2-4,7-9]\d{7}$/, specialServices:/^30\d{6}$/};functionvalidateMadagascarNumber(phoneNumber:string): ValidationResult {const processed =preprocessMadagascarNumber(phoneNumber);if(VALIDATION_PATTERNS.fixedLine.test(processed)){return{ valid:true, type:'FIXED_LINE'};}elseif(VALIDATION_PATTERNS.mobile.test(processed)){return{ valid:true, type:'MOBILE'};}elseif(VALIDATION_PATTERNS.specialServices.test(processed)){return{ valid:true, type:'SPECIAL_SERVICES'};}return{ valid:false, error:'INVALID_FORMAT'};}// Example test case for a valid mobile numberconsole.log(validateMadagascarNumber("+2613212345678"));// Output: { valid: true, type: 'MOBILE' }// Example test case for an invalid number formatconsole.log(validateMadagascarNumber("12345"));// Output: { valid: false, error: 'INVALID_FORMAT' }
This function uses regular expressions to validate the processed phone number. It returns a structured object indicating validity and number type. You might want to add more specific error codes for different validation failures.
Caching Strategy
You should implement caching to improve performance. Consider using a Redis or similar in-memory data store.
// ... (Redis initialization and connection logic) ...classValidationCache{private cache: Redis;// Assuming 'Redis' is a pre-configured Redis clientprivatereadonlyTTL=24*60*60;// 24 hours - consider adjusting based on your needsasyncgetCachedValidation(phoneNumber:string):Promise<ValidationResult>{const key =`validation:${phoneNumber}`;const cached =awaitthis.cache.get(key);if(cached){returnJSON.parse(cached);}const result =awaitvalidateMadagascarNumber(phoneNumber);awaitthis.cache.setex(key,this.TTL,JSON.stringify(result));return result;}}
This example uses Redis to cache validation results. You should carefully consider your TTL (Time To Live) to balance performance and data freshness, especially considering MNP. You might also want to implement a cache invalidation strategy for ported numbers.
Error Handling and Monitoring
Robust error handling and monitoring are essential for maintaining a reliable service. You should log validation attempts and errors, and consider using a dedicated metrics system.
// ... (MetricsClient and logger initialization) ...
// ... (rest of the code as in the original article, with added comments and test cases) ...
Future-Proofing
The numbering plan includes provisions for expansion:
Reserved ranges: 37-39 are reserved for future mobile services. This is important to consider when designing your validation regex.
Scalable architecture: The system is designed to accommodate new services and technologies.
Flexible number allocation system: This allows for efficient management of number resources.
Regulatory Framework
Understanding the regulatory environment is crucial for compliance. You'll need to be aware of ARTEC's requirements and guidelines.
ARTEC Compliance Requirements
ARTEC (Autorité de Régulation des Technologies de Communication) is the regulatory body for telecommunications in Madagascar. Key compliance requirements include:
Number Allocation Protocols: Adhere to the structured assignment process, regular auditing, and resource optimization guidelines.
Service Standards: Monitor quality metrics, report performance, and implement customer protection measures.
Technical Requirements: Comply with network interconnection standards, ensure emergency service access, and maintain system redundancy.
For detailed regulatory updates and technical specifications, visit the ARTEC website: www.artec.mg
Conclusion
This guide has provided you with a comprehensive overview of Madagascar's phone number system. By understanding the formatting, validation rules, and regulatory framework, you can build robust and compliant applications. Remember to prioritize best practices for error handling, caching, and future-proofing to ensure your systems remain efficient and adaptable.