A change in Colombia’s fixed numbering plan was announced by The Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC), Bogotá, D.C in October, 2019 and is currently being implemented. The goal of this change is standardization of all telephone numbers across the country regardless whether they use mobile or fixed networks. For years, fixed numbers in Colombia have been using 1 digit area codes plus 7 digit local numbers (8 digits in total). Mobile numbers comprise 10 digits.
With the aforementioned change, digits 60 have been added to all 1 digit area codes resulting in 3 digit area codes as follows:
- area code 1 (Bogota) becomes 601
- area code 2 becomes 602
- and so on 4 >> 604, 5 >> 605, 6 >> 606, 7 >> 607, 8 >> 608
Both old and new area codes can be used until November 30, 2020.
Some dialing examples:
An old Bogota phone number: 1 xxx xxxx becomes 601 xxx xxxx. When dialed from the US, instead of using 011 57 1 xxx xxxx you will have to use 011 57 601 xxx xxxx.
With this change local calls in Colombia can no longer be dialed using just 7 digits – the 3 digit area code must be added. Moreover, the 03 mobile code currently used to dial from mobile to landlines and vice versa will be dropped.
Our page on How to call Colombia has up to date info
Update
It seems that, due to the pandemic crisis, the aforementioned changes have been postponed by 12 months. The new date when parallel running of the old and new dialing plans is scheduled to start is September 1, 2021. November 30, 2021 is the new date for mandatory use of the new geographic area codes.
See official consumer education center