Type Open Typical format various, see text | Continent Eurasia NSN length 8~10 Country calling code +7 | |
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The telephone numbering plan of the USSR was a set of telephone area codes, numbers and dialing rules, which operated in the Soviet Union until the 1990s. After the collapse of the USSR, many newly independent republics implemented their own numbering plans. However, many of the principles of the Soviet numbering plan still remain. The former Soviet international code +7 is still retained by Russia and Kazakhstan.
Contents
Basic principles
The Soviet Union used a four-level open numbering plan. The long distance prefix was 8.
- One could call a local number without the code. Local numbers usually consisted of 5-7 digits, with seven-digit numbers only occurring in Moscow (since 1968), Leningrad (since 1976) and Kiev (since 1981).
- Within the same numbering area (most often within the state or region) the pattern was: 8 2X YYYYYY, where 2 replaced the three-digit area code.
- For calls to other areas, one had to first dial long distance prefix 8, then, after the tone, the full code of the numbering area, which consisted of a three-digit code and zone additional digit(X), and then the local phone number.
- For international calls, one should dial 8 10 <country code> <code> <phone number>.For example: 8 10 1 212 XXXXXXX for a call to New York City.
Emergency numbers
Emergency numbers in the USSR began with 0 and had two digits. When one called the emergency numbers, no tariff was charged.
07 was used to order long-distance calls through the operator.
Country code separations
Area codes
Basically, area codes were distributed geographically, so that neighboring regions usually had close area code numbers.
Area 0
Area codes with 0 denotes the republics and Oblasts of the European part of the USSR. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, these codes in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine were preserved, with minor changes. Area codes in the Ukraine and Belarus later dropped initial 0. In Russia, in December 2005 the leading zero in the Oblastal area codes was replaced by a 4.