April 24, 2018, 1:19 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
It’s not easy to keep track in the jungle of area codes. Since 1992, the Federal Network Agency has been assigning area codes to mobile providers. Due to increased demand, the number has grown. TECHBOOK explains how to determine the network provider for each area code.
Flat rate within your own network? “That’s so Stone Age! Do they still think customers switch providers to be in the same network as their conversation partners? Old news. Cross-network flat rates are the future.” This quote from a forum is now ten years old and has proven true. Nevertheless, many are still interested in which network a specific number belongs to. TECHBOOK reveals which area code belongs to which provider.
Also interesting: How to find out the owner of a cell phone number
Area Codes and Providers
The list includes the area codes of the four German mobile providers. O2 and E-Plus have since merged under O2’s parent company Telefónica and combined their networks. Mobile provider Drillisch is an exception and has received an individual area code despite lacking its own network. Depending on the plan, customers are in the Vodafone or Telefónica network.
- 01511 Deutsche Telekom
- 01512 Deutsche Telekom
- 01514 Deutsche Telekom
- 01515 Deutsche Telekom
- 01516 Deutsche Telekom
- 01517 Deutsche Telekom
- 01520 Vodafone
- 01522 Vodafone
- 01523 Vodafone
- 01525 Vodafone
- 015566 Drillisch (Telefónica and Vodafone)
- 01570 E-Plus
- 01573 E-Plus
- 01575 E-Plus
- 01577 E-Plus
- 01578 E-Plus
- 01590 O2
- 0160 Deutsche Telekom
- 0162 Vodafone
- 0163 E-Plus
- 0170 Deutsche Telekom
- 0171 Deutsche Telekom
- 0172 Vodafone
- 0173 Vodafone
- 0174 Vodafone
- 0175 Deutsche Telekom
- 0176 O2
- 0177 E-Plus
- 0178 E-Plus
- 0179 O2
Area Code Doesn’t Always Indicate the Network
The area code is no longer a reliable indicator of the network. Since 2002, number portability has been allowed. For this reason, cell phone numbers can essentially be in any network.
The Beginnings of Mobile Communications – How the World of Cell Phones Came About
Who Is Behind Drillisch? History of the Mobile Phone Provider
How to Ensure the Right Provider is Found!
To find out if an area code is still in its original network, mobile providers offer free service numbers for inquiries. Simply call the respective provider’s service number from your own phone and enter any phone number. A recorded message will prompt you to enter the cell phone number and will then announce the associated network. The inquiry numbers for network affiliation are as follows:
- 4387 Deutsche Telekom
- 12313 Vodafone
- 10667 E-Plus
- 4636 O2 (do not call, but send an SMS with “Netz RUFNUMMER”)
In our test, this worked flawlessly for ported numbers.
Finding the Provider for Prepaid Numbers
Prepaid numbers are always backed by one of the network operators. To find out which one, you can use the service numbers mentioned above for network affiliation.