Guides
Kuwait phone numbers: format, mobile prefixes, validation and SMS rules
Kuwait phone number format: +965 plus 8 digits, mobiles on 41, 5, 6 and 9, tested code for library gaps, porting since 2013 and the new 2025 MNP rules.
21 min read
Articles tagged “MNP”
41 articles.
Guides
Qatar phone numbers: format, mobile prefixes, validation and SMS rules
Qatar phone number format: +974 plus 8 digits, mobiles on 3, 5, 6 and 7, tested validation code, porting since 2013, sender rules and PDPPL consent.
21 min read
Guides
Tanzania phone numbers: format, 06 and 07 prefixes, validation and messaging rules
Tanzania phone number format: +255 and 9-digit 06/07 mobiles, TCRA operator prefixes (Vodacom, Yas, Airtel, Halotel, TTCL), tested code, porting and SMS rules.
20 min read
Guides
Dutch phone number format: +31, 06 mobiles, validation and calling rules
Dutch phone number format: +31 plus 9 digits, 06 mobiles, 0970 M2M numbers, tested validation code, 1-day porting, opt-in sales calls and SMS consent.
19 min read
Guides
Polish phone number format: +48, mobile prefixes, validation and messaging rules
Polish phone number format: +48 plus 9 digits, no trunk 0, 13 mobile prefixes, tested validation code, 1-day porting, anti-spoofing law and SMS consent.
19 min read
Fraud prevention
Recycled phone numbers: how number providers can check a number before reissuing it
For number providers, MVNOs and virtual-number resellers: quarantine rules by country, the FCC database, and HLR and app-account checks before reissue.
12 min read
Guides
Taiwan phone numbers: format, 09 mobiles, validation and messaging rules
Taiwan phone number format: +886 and 10-digit 09 mobiles, area codes, 0800 and 070 ranges, tested code, porting since 2005 and the anti-fraud SMS rules.
24 min read
Guides
Indonesia phone numbers: format, mobile prefixes, validation and messaging rules
Indonesian numbers: the +62 format, why mobiles have 9 to 12 digits, the 08XX prefixes, tested validation code, no mobile porting, and Komdigi's 2026 SIM registration rules.
11 min read
Guides
French phone number format: +33, 06 and 07 mobiles, validation and rules
French phone number format: +33 plus 9 digits, 06/07 mobiles, Arcep prefixes, tested validation code, RIO porting, opt-in sales calls and SMS consent.
24 min read
Guides
India phone number format: +91, mobile prefixes, porting and TRAI rules
India phone number format: +91 plus 10 digits, mobile prefixes 6-9, tested validation code, porting (MNP) rules, DLT sender rules and the 140/1600 series.
18 min read
Guides
Italian phone number format: +39, 3xx mobiles, porting and AGCOM rules
Italian phone number format: +39, 3xx mobiles with 9 or 10 digits, landlines that keep the 0, tested validation code, porting, the RPO and anti-spoofing.
22 min read
Guides
Japanese phone numbers: format, 070/080/090 mobiles, validation and messaging rules
Japanese phone number format: +81 and 11-digit 070/080/090 mobiles, 050, 020 and 0120 ranges, tested code, one-stop porting and opt-in SMS rules.
22 min read
Guides
Nigeria phone numbers: format, mobile prefixes, validation and messaging rules
Nigerian numbers: the +234 format, the 070, 080, 081, 090 and 091 mobile prefixes, tested validation code, 48-hour porting, NCC's DND 2442 and NIN-SIM rules.
12 min read
Guides
South Korean phone numbers: format, 010 mobiles, validation and messaging rules
South Korean phone number format: +82 and 11-digit 010 mobiles, area codes, 070 and 1588 numbers, tested code, porting and the ad-label SMS rules.
22 min read
Guides
Spanish phone number format: +34, mobile prefixes, validation and calling rules
Spanish phone number format: +34 plus 9 digits, 6/7 mobiles, 8/9 landlines, tested validation code, 1-day porting, 400 numbers for sales calls and SMS rules.
20 min read
Guides
Australian phone numbers: format, 04 mobiles, validation and messaging rules
Australian phone number format: +61, 10-digit 04 mobiles, area codes, tested validation code, porting since 2001 and the SMS Sender ID Register.
17 min read
Guides
Colombia phone numbers: format, mobile prefixes, validation and messaging rules
Colombia phone number format: +57 and 10-digit 3XX mobiles, the 2021 60X landline change, tested code, porting, Ley 2300 contact hours and WhatsApp checks.
19 min read
Guides
Germany phone numbers: format, mobile prefixes, validation and messaging rules
German phone number format: +49, variable-length numbers, 015/016/017 mobile prefixes, tested validation code, porting since 2002 and UWG consent rules.
18 min read
Guides
Kenya phone numbers: format, 07 and 01 prefixes, validation and messaging rules
Kenya phone number format: +254 and 9-digit 07/01 mobiles, the CA's operator prefixes, tested code, 4-hour porting, SIM registration and SMS marketing rules.
19 min read
Guides
Nepal phone numbers: format, mobile prefixes, validation and messaging rules
Nepal phone number format: +977 and 10-digit 9XX mobiles, NTC and Ncell prefixes, tested code, why porting isn't live yet, and NTA's SMS and privacy rules.
18 min read
Guides
US phone numbers: format, area codes, validation and texting rules
US phone number format: +1 plus 10 digits (NPA-NXX-XXXX), US vs Canada area codes, tested validation code, porting, 10DLC, TCPA and the FCC reassigned database.
18 min read
Guides
Pakistan phone numbers: format, mobile prefixes, validation and messaging rules
Pakistani numbers: the +92 format, which 03XX codes are mobile, tested validation code, porting, PTA's short-code and consent rules, and the 3627 register.
11 min read
Research
Mobile number portability by country: a 2026 atlas
Mobile number portability in 68 countries: launch dates, porting times and published volumes, with a source per row, plus why prefix carrier lookups fail.
10 min read
Guides
Thailand phone numbers: format, mobile prefixes, validation and messaging rules
Thailand phone number format: +66 and 10-digit mobiles (06, 08, 09), the 0066 parsing trap, tested code, porting, SIM identity rules and LINE checks.
17 min read
Deliverability
Direct-to-carrier SMS explained: direct routes, aggregators, grey routes and how to test yours
What direct-to-carrier A2P SMS really means, how it differs from aggregator, grey and SIM farm routes, and six tests to check whether your route is direct.
13 min read
Guides
MCC and MNC codes explained: how every mobile network gets its number
MCC and MNC codes identify every mobile network. How the ITU E.212 system works, how to read a code like 310260, MCC vs calling code, and a list by country.
13 min read
Developers
How to validate Indian mobile numbers in code
Code to validate Indian mobile numbers: what ^[6-9]\d{9}$ misses, normalising +91, 0 and 0091, and tested JavaScript, Python, PHP and C# functions.
8 min read
Guides
Sri Lanka phone numbers: format, mobile prefixes, validation and messaging rules
Sri Lankan mobiles are +94 plus 9 digits starting with 7 (07X at home). Operators by prefix, tested code, porting status, SMS rules and PDPA dates.
14 min read
Guides
Vietnam phone numbers: format, mobile prefixes, validation and messaging rules
Vietnamese mobiles are +84 plus 9 digits (10 with the leading 0) since the 2018 switch from 11 digits. Prefixes, tested code, porting and anti-spam rules.
17 min read
Guides
Argentina phone numbers: format, the mobile 9 and 15, validation and messaging rules
Argentine numbers: why mobiles are +54 9 at home 0 + area code + 15, area codes of 2 to 4 digits, tested validation code, porting and the No Llame register.
15 min read
Guides
Bangladesh phone numbers: format, mobile prefixes, validation and messaging rules
Bangladeshi mobiles are +880 plus 10 digits starting 1 (01X at home: 011, 013-019). Since porting began in 2018, the prefix no longer proves the network.
13 min read
Guides
Free phone carrier lookup: how to find a number's carrier (and when free isn't enough)
Free carrier lookup methods (prefix data, regulator tables, web tools), why they fail for ported numbers, and when a paid live lookup is worth it.
10 min read
Guides
Malaysia phone numbers: format, mobile prefixes, validation and messaging rules
Malaysian mobiles are +60 1X plus 7 digits, or +60 11 plus 8, so a fixed 10-digit rule rejects valid 011 numbers. Prefixes, tested code, porting, MCMC rules.
14 min read
Deliverability
How to check if a phone number has been ported (MNP lookup explained step by step)
How to check if a phone number has been ported: MNP lookup, HLR and carrier lookups compared, what each result field means, and a step-by-step API example.
10 min read
Guides
China phone number format (+86): how to validate Chinese mobile numbers
Chinese mobiles are +86 plus 11 digits starting with 1 (blocks 13-19), no trunk 0; landlines use area codes. Operator blocks, tested code and porting.
11 min read
Guides
Hong Kong phone number format: +852, mobile prefixes, validation and messaging rules
Hong Kong phone number format: +852 and 8 digits, no area codes or trunk 0, which first digits are mobile, tested validation code, porting and SIM rules.
13 min read
Guides
How to get the MCC and MNC from a phone number (and why the prefix can be wrong)
MCC/MNC lookup by phone number: why the prefix shows only the original network, how to get the current code with MNP or HLR, and 5 mistakes to avoid.
8 min read
Guides
IMSI vs MSISDN vs ICCID: the mobile identifiers, explained
What the IMSI, MSISDN, ICCID and IMEI are, where each lives, what changes when you port or swap a SIM, and why the IMSI must never leave the network.
8 min read
Developers
How long is a phone check result valid? Caching HLR, MNP and messaging-app answers
Each phone signal goes stale at its own speed. How often to re-verify numbers, how to cache HLR, MNP and messaging-app answers, and how long to keep them.
8 min read
Guides
Phone numbers by country: formats, portability, channels and rules
How phone numbers differ by country: formats and E.164, numbering changes, portability, line types, messaging channels, and a dated tracker of calling and texting rules.
11 min read
Guides
HLR lookup vs MNP lookup vs number validation: what each one answers
Validation checks the digits, MNP finds the current network, HLR asks the network if the number is live. What each answers, costs and misses.
7 min read
