N11 code
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An N11 code or N11 number (said as "N-one-one") is a special abbreviated dialing telephone number within the North American Numbering Plan, which allows access to special services. Each of these eight numbers prevents 10,000 telephone numbers (from N11-0000 to N11-9999) from being used. Only non-geographic area codes, such as toll-free 800/888/877/866/855 numbers and 900 numbers may use N11 as the telephone exchange prefix, since the area code must always be dialed for these numbers.
Usage is generally assigned as follows:
- 211: community services
- 311: government services
- 411: directory assistance
- 511: traffic information
- 611: telco customer service
- 711: TDD relay for the deaf
- 811: underground utility location (or telco business office)
- 911: emergency services
911 and 411 work from nearly every telephone in the U.S. and Canada, while the others may vary from place to place. Generally, only 411 calls incur a toll. 911 access is mandated by law, even on lines with no service (a "soft" dial tone). 611 (formerly 811) may also be accessible to activate service on such lines, and 311 may be available as well for urgent (but non-emergency) calls to police, or any call to local government in some places.
Other community services are provided through 211, but only if a non-profit organization such as the United Way operates it locally. Likewise, local or state/provincial government may or may not operate traffic information through 511. 811 will be mandatory in the U.S. come 2007, as 711 is now. Unlike the others, these may not be available on a phone without paid service.
011 followed by a country code is used to dial internationally, but this use is not considered an N11 code. 111 is not available in the NANP, because 11 is the prefix used to access vertical service codes from rotary phones, and is essentially meaningless to the system otherwise.
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N11 codes |