Calling to Sri Lanka
- Do not include a leading ‘0’ in the international call sequence – it is only used in Sri Lanka for domestic long distance calls and domestic calls to a mobile phone.
- A leading '+' in the phone number means 'dial your country's exit code'.
- Calling from a mobile phone: dial from on the country where you're currently located.
- Calling from a VoIP or satellite phone: dial from on the country where the phone is registered.
… to a mobile (cellular) phone or text (SMS)
Use the same call sequence.
Mobile phone use two digits carrier codes (similar to area codes) starting with ‘7’.
When calling a mobile phone user, dial to the country where the mobile phone is registered, regardless of where the person is roaming.
… to a VoIP phone
Use the same call sequence.
When calling a VoIP phone user, dial to the country where the VoIP phone is registered, regardless of where the person is roaming.
… to a satellite phone
Sri Lanka does not have a country-specific satellite phone system.
Most satellite phones operate on their country code – calls to these satellite phones follow their call sequence.
… sending a fax
Use the same call sequence.
Calling within Sri Lanka (domestic dialing)
‘0’ is used as a trunk prefix when calling to a different area code or a mobile phone in Sri Lanka.
Local calling (within the same area code)
To call within the same area code dial only the local phone number. Do not dial the trunk prefix ‘0’ or the area code.
| seven digits | secondone |
| local phone number | secondtwo |
Long distance calling (to a different area code or from a mobile phone)
To call to a different area code or call from a mobile phone dial the trunk prefix ‘0’, then the area code, then the local phone number.
| 0 | two digits | seven digits |
| trunk prefix | area code | local phone number |
Mobile calling (to a mobile phone)
To call a mobile phone dial the trunk prefix ‘0’, then the carrier code (designates the mobile provider), then the local phone number.
| 0 | two digits | seven digits |
| trunk prefix | carrier code | local phone number |
Sri Lankan phone numbers explained
Number details
Sri Lankan phone numbers are nine digits (ten including a leading ‘0’ that is not included when calling from outside the country)
The first two digits are an area code. Area codes are often listed as three digits including a leading ‘0’. Do not dial the leading ‘0’ when calling from outside the country.
The third digit is a carrier code. It designates the phone number’s phone provider.
Mobile numbers use a two-carrier code beginning with ‘7’. The second digit of the carrier code designated the mobile phone provider. Carrier codes are often listed as three digits including a leading ‘0’. Do not dial the leading ‘0’ when calling from outside the country.
An example of a Sri Lankan phone number
The Colombo National Museum lists its phone number in Colombo as 0094 112 694366.
Number explanation
| 94 | 11 | 2 | 694366 |
| country code for Sri Lanka | geographic (area) code for Colombo | signifies a phone number with Sri Lanka Telecom | remainder of the phone number |
Local example – calling from another location in Colombo
To call within the same area code, dial only the local phone number. Do not dial the trunk prefix ‘0’ or the area code.
| 2 | 694366 |
| signifies a phone number with Sri Lanka Telecom | remainder of the phone number |
Long distance example – calling from Kalmunai, Sri Lanka (on the other side of the country)
To call to a different area code dial the trunk prefix ‘0’, then the area code, then the local phone number.
| 0 | 11 | 2 | 694366 |
| trunk prefix | geographic (area) code for Colombo | signifies a phone number with Sri Lanka Telecom | remainder of the phone number |
Mobile example – calling from a mobile phone (including a foreign mobile roaming in Sri Lanka)
To from a mobile phone dial the trunk prefix ‘0’, then the area code, then the local phone number.
| 0 | 11 | 2 | 694366 |
| trunk prefix | geographic (area) code for Colombo | signifies a phone number with Sri Lanka Telecom | remainder of the phone number |
International example – calling from outside Sri Lanka
To call from outside Sri Lanka, dial the exit code of the country the call is dialed from, followed by Sri Lanka’s country code of ’94’, followed by the local phone number.
Do not include a leading ‘0’ in the call when calling from outside Sri Lanka.
[fiveSectionCall firstone=”exit code” firsttwo=”exit code of the country the call is dialed from” secondone=”94″ secondtwo=”country code for Sri Lanka” thirdone=”11″ thirdtwo=”geographic (area) code for Colombo” fourthone=”2″ fourthtwo=”signifies a phone number with Sri Lanka Telecom” fifthone=”694366″ fifthtwo=”remainder of the phone number”]
Calling from Sri Lanka
’00’ is used as an exit code when dialing an international phone call from Sri Lanka.
Sources and more resources
- Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka’s telephone systems regulator.
- ITU (International Telecommunications Union) – United Nations specialized agency for information and communications technologies.
- International Telecommunications Union – DIALLING PROCEDURES (INTERNATIONAL PREFIX, NATIONAL (TRUNK) PREFIX AND NATIONAL (SIGNIFICANT) NUMBER) (IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITU-T RECOMMENDATION E.164 (11/2010)) – A collection of dialing procedures for all countries and regions of the world. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- International Telecommunications Union – Sri Lanka (country code +94) National Numbering Plan – Details of Sri Lanka’s telephone numbering plan as submitted to the ITU. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
- Wikipedia – Telephone numbers in Sri Lanka – Wikipedia entry for telephone number data for Sri Lanka. Includes specific number ranges for each city as well as detail on calling procedures.
- BT – The Phonebook – Sri Lanka – Entry for Sri Lanka in the British Telecom international directory.