Phone Number Prefixes, Explained
What a phone number prefix tells you — the 1300, 1800 and 13 business prefixes and their caller-cost arrangements — and how prefixes differ from area codes.
The prefix is the most information-dense part of a business phone number: it tells the caller what kind of number it is and, with the published formats here, what the call will cost them. 1300, 1800 and 13 are the prefixes on the numbers this site sells. This page explains what each prefix means, how it differs from a geographic area code, and how the choice shapes the rest of the setup.
The three business prefixes published here
- 1300 — a shared-cost business number: the caller pays a local call cost and the business pays the remainder. Ten digits, plans from $10 per month.
- 1800 — free for callers in the stated Australian 1800-number context; the business pays the call charges. Ten digits, plans from $10 per month.
- 13 — the shorter six-digit format described in the published FAQ as typically used by larger national companies.
Business prefixes versus area codes
A prefix like 1300 identifies the number type; an area code like 02 or 07 identifies a geographic region. They sit in the same position of the number but answer different questions. The published business prefixes are not exchange-based, so a 1300 or 1800 number carries no regional identity — which is precisely their point: one number, one caller-cost arrangement, no geography. Area-code landline numbers are not products on this site.
Choosing the prefix, then the digits
Because the prefix sets the caller experience, choose it first: 1300 for the shared-cost arrangement, 1800 when callers should pay nothing, 13 where the shorter format fits the use case. Then choose the digits — plain, or spelled as a word on the keypad (a Phoneword), which starts from $40 per month with availability and desirability affecting the price. Search the word or last six digits on Find a Number, and compare plans and rates on the pricing page before signing up.
Related reading: Australian phone number prefixes, Australia area code phone numbers, or the 1300 numbers overview.
Prefix questions
Which prefix should my business choose?
Start from the caller arrangement: 1300 shares the cost with callers, 1800 is free for callers in the Australian context, and 13 is the six-digit format the FAQ describes as typical for larger national companies.
Can I choose the prefix itself?
The prefix is fixed by the format — you choose 1300, 1800 or 13 as the type of number, then select the digits after it from what is available.
Is a 1300 prefix the same as an area code?
No. 1300 identifies a shared-cost business number, not a region. Area codes like 02 and 07 are geographic and belong to landline formats this site does not sell.
Does the prefix change what I pay?
It changes the arrangement: on 1300 the caller absorbs a local call cost and the business pays the remainder; on 1800 the business pays every call. Plan rates per prefix are published on the pricing page.
Read the prefix
Choose your prefix, then your number
Compare the published prefixes and plans, or search available numbers.