Parallel operation of area codes 01 and 044 will begin from 1 March 2004 in network group 01. The seven digits of individual telephone numbers will remain unchanged. The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) is recommending that people start dialling 044 instead of 01 immediately.

The three-year transition period will give individuals and businesses in the 01 network group an opportunity to plan for the necessary changes over the long term and consequently minimise the costs. Letterheads, visiting cards, labels or brochures bearing the 044 code can be brought into circulation right now or amended within the three year transition period according to individual requirements. In collaboration with their telephone installation company and telecommunication services provider, business within the 01 network group can harmonise the necessary changes to their telephone systems with any technical maintenance work which may be necessary.

What is changing?

From 1 March 2004 onward, all telephone and fax numbers with the 01 area code can also be dialled using the 044 code. The remaining digits of telephone numbers remain unchanged.
Subscribers do not have to do anything to change the area code from 01 to 044.
Until 2005, calls from the Zurich area will continue to appear on telephone displays with the 01 code. From March 2005, area code 044 will appear on the telephone display (mobile phones, ISDN terminals, digital phone...).
The 01 area code will finally disappear in March 2007. Then – as in the rest of Switzerland – telephone and fax connections in the current 01 network group will have 10 digits. For calls made from Switzerland, for example, a number will read 044 765 43 21 and for calls from abroad it will read +41 44 765 43 21.

Background

In March 2000, the Federal Communications Commission (ComCom) decided to standardise all telephone and fax numbers in Switzerland. This established the conditions which would allow subscribers to take their telephone numbers with them when they move anywhere within Switzerland.
Abolishing the 01 network group will enable a substantial reduction in misdialling of short numbers, above all in the case of the emergency and rescue services (e.g. 144, 143).
Once the 01 code has been abolished, it will also be possible to dial information services from abroad. In the past this has not been possible because of conflicts with other numbers (for example: +41 163 vs. +41 163 xx xxx). Foreign visitors will thus be able to consult weather forecasts and roadwork reports before they travel.

044 area code on the starting blocks