What are geographic numbers?
Geographic numbers are landlines whose prefix (the first or first two digits of the number) reveals the region where the number was originally assigned. For example, numbers starting with the digit 2 belong to the Prague area, while those starting with the digit 5 belong to the Moravia area. The exact list of prefixes is managed by the Czech Telecommunications Authority (ČTÚ) and is publicly available.
For the customer, the geographic number signals where the company is physically based. Companies with local operations therefore choose a number corresponding to their city or region, customers from the same area perceive it as closer and less anonymous.
What are non-geographic numbers?
Non-geographic numbers are not tied to a location, and their prefix indicates the charging method or service type. This group includes:
- 800 - green line (free for the caller, costs covered by the company)
- 844, 848 - numbers with shared costs (the caller pays for a local call, the company covers the rest)
- Premium numbers - callers pay a higher rate in addition to their standard tariff; these are used for paid information lines
- Mobile numbers - technically also non-geographic, although in practice they are perceived differently from 800 or 848 numbers.
Which number should a business choose?
The choice depends on the target group and the nature of the business:
- Local company (restaurant, craftsman, office) - geographic number corresponding to the company's city or region.
- Nationwide company or online shop - non-geographic number (844 or 848) or freephone line 800 for maximum availability.
- Barrier-free customer hotline - green line 800, where callers pay nothing.
Virtuální ústředna works with both types of numbers. Geographic and non-geographic numbers can route to the same switchboard and share the same operators, queues, and forwarding rules. On virtualni-ustredna.cz you configure each number individually and assign it to any part of the system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have both a geographic and a non-geographic number in one central office?
Yes. Both types of numbers can operate within a single virtual central office and share extensions, operators or call queues. The customer sees only the number they are calling; the logic of the central office remains hidden from them.
Can a geographic number be transferred from a landline to Virtuální ústředna?
Yes. Via standard porting (number transfer), a geographic number from a landline or ISDN can be transferred to the virtual PBX. The original connection is cancelled and the number continues to function as an incoming line in the cloud.
What is a number prefix?
The prefix consists of the first digits of a telephone number, which determine its type and origin. For geographic numbers, the prefix indicates the region. For non-geographic numbers, the prefix denotes the charging method, for example, 800 signifies a free green line.