Ireland Fixed Telephone Networks

Calls to/from Northern Ireland

Alternatively use +44 28 (recommended in particular when storing a number on a mobile phone)

Dial 00 353 + area code and number. Omit the initial 0 of the IRL area code. Call 100 for operator assistance if required.

A listing of National Destination Codes for IRL and NI can be found here

International direct dialling

This is available from all locations in Ireland to over 220 countries. The IDD access code 00 should be prefixed to the country code followed by the area code and number. (eg to call 212 999 9000 in the USA dial 001 212 999 9000). International phone calls can be dialled from all payphones, without operator assistance. The minimum payphone charge for all calls (local, national or international) is 1 unit, which costs 20 pence from an eircom coin phone, and between 15 and 20 pence from a card phone. The time purchased by one unit varies from a few seconds for an intercontinental call to several minutes for a local call.

Carrier Selection

Call by call carrier selection is available using the 5 digit code beginning with 13 allocated to the carrier in question. The 141 and 142 CLIR / CLIP code should be entered before the carrier selection code. Default carrier selection is also available.

Operator Services

Operator service is also available - 114 for international operator and 10 for national calls. Directory assistance codes are: Ireland 11811, Rest of the world 11818. Most operator connected calls are surcharged over self-dial rates.

Emergency = 112

The emergency number is 112 for police, fire department, ambulance, coast guard, and mountain rescue. The 112 emergency service number also operates in most other European states. This is the equivalent of 911 in North America.

Coin and card payphones

Coin phones on private property

Some locations provide their own coin phone service. In such cases charges imposed by the building owner apply, and these will usually be higher than eircom provided payphones. In some cases calls to 1-800 numbers are blocked and information calls are not free or blocked completely.

Call management services

Call Tracking

This service allows one to track the cost of calls on your detailed phone bill with separate listings for up to 8 users of the phone line.  

Voicemail

To self-install voicemail on an eircom phone line, call 171 and follow the voice prompts to record a greeting, etc. The default starting password is 1234. Up to recently, there was no charge for the voicemail service - other than the call charge to listen to your voicemail from a phone number other than your own. Alas no longer. It now costs just over EUR 1,-- per month.

Call Waiting

To set-up call waiting, lift the receiver and enter *43#. A recorded voice announcement will confirm that the service has been set-up. The service can be cancelled using entering #43#.

Call forwarding

Lift the receiver and enter *21* followed by the forward to phone number followed by #. Local, national and international numbers can be used. To cancel forwarding enter #21#. The usual call charge is payable for each call forwarded. A setup fee of 23p inc VAT is charged each time the *21* code is used.

Wake up calls

Lift receiver and enter *55* + required time followed by #. eg for a call at 06h00 *55*0600# - for a call at 18h00 use *55*1800#.

Telephone Directory

Irish telephone numbers are available from several sources:

Operator Assisted Directory Information

See under "operator services" above if you are calling from within Ireland. You can also the Irish Directory Information services through your international operator.

Information on the Irish PSTN network characteristics and type approvals process can be found here.

Modems and ISDN

The RJ11 modular phone connector (as used in USA, Canada etc.) is used in Ireland. Information on international telephone plug varieties can be found here. Modems that work in the USA usually work OK in Ireland. Touch-tone dialling is universally available on the public network in the Republic of Ireland. Euro-ISDN is the ISDN standard in Ireland, using RJ45 connectors.

Calling Line Identity

eircom uses the European (ETSI) caller-id specification (ETS300778-1 Option B) in the PSTN. Telephones, modems and other devices that support only North American caller-id protocols will not deliver CLIP when used on the Irish network. CLIP is also available on the ISDN in accordance with EuroISDN protocols and on the mobile GSM networks.

Calling Line Identity can be restricted on a default basis by contacting the telephone company. CLI presentation can be enabled or restricted on a per call basis by entering one of the following codes before the called party's number:

Restrict CLI on the next call 141 (immediately followed by required number) Present CLI on the next call 142 (immediately followed by required number)

The CLI system in Northern Ireland varies depending on the phone company.

Missed call / Call Return

If you don't have a CLI device, you can still determine the number of the party who last called you by dialling 1471 (charge EUR 0.06). Press 3 to connect with the caller automatically. This service is not available where CLI has been withheld by the caller or originating network.