+49 15x, 16x and 17x: German mobile numbers

A number starting +49 15, +49 160/162/163 or +49 17 (015x, 016x, 017x inside Germany) is a German mobile number. The Bundesnetzagentur assigns these blocks to network operators: 0151, 0160, 0170, 0171 and 0175 to Telekom, 0152, 0162 and 0172-0174 to Vodafone, and 0157, 0159, 0163 and 0176-0179 to Telefónica (o2). Because German mobile numbers can be ported, the prefix shows only the operator the block was originally assigned to.

Germany · Mobile numbers · Facts checked November 9, 2026

What these numbers look like

From abroad: +49 15X XXXXXXXX / +49 1XX XXXXXXX(X)
Inside Germany: 015X XXXXXXXX / 016X or 017X XXXXXXX(X)

Drop the leading 0 after +49. 0164, 0168 and 0169 are paging (Funkruf) blocks, not phones.

Who uses +49 15x / 16x / 17x numbers?

The Bundesnetzagentur administers the (0)15, (0)16 and (0)17 ranges for mobile services and publishes the list of assigned blocks (list dated 25 August 2025). The 017x and 016x blocks are held by the three network operators. The 015 range is split more finely: alongside Telekom (0151x), Vodafone (0152x) and Telefónica (0157x, 0159x), smaller 5-digit blocks are assigned to companies such as 1&1 Mobilfunk (015550-015569), Lebara, Lycatel (01521) and spusu. Paragraph 59 of the Telecommunications Act (TKG) entitles customers to keep their number when they switch provider.

Prefix	Operator	Note
0151x, 0160, 0170, 0171, 0175	Telekom Deutschland	Original block holder
0152x, 0162, 0172, 0173, 0174	Vodafone	Original block holder; 01521 is assigned to Lycatel
0157x, 0159x, 0163, 0176, 0177, 0178, 0179	Telefónica Germany (o2)	0157x, 0163, 0177 and 0178 were originally E-Plus blocks
015550-015569	1&1 Mobilfunk	5-digit blocks in the 015 range

Who is calling you from a +49 15x / 16x / 17x number?

Usually a private person or a business using a German mobile. Because of number portability, a +49 176 number may now be on Vodafone or Telekom, so the prefix can't tell you the current network. Since 1 December 2022, German networks must suppress any German caller ID on calls arriving from foreign networks. The exception is German mobile numbers roaming abroad, so a German mobile caller ID on a call from abroad isn't blocked automatically.

Scams seen with +49 15x / 16x / 17x numbers

Messenger 'Hallo Mama' scams. A message from an unknown new mobile number says 'Hallo Mama, hallo Papa, mein Handy ist kaputt, das ist meine neue Handynummer' and then asks for money. The German police prevention service tells people to check by calling the relative on the number they already know.
SMS and messenger spam made up about 60% of the 154,624 number-abuse complaints the Bundesnetzagentur received in 2024. It switched off about 6,500 numbers that year.
Ping calls (Lockanrufe), where the phone rings once to provoke a costly callback, usually show foreign numbers, not German mobile numbers. The Bundesnetzagentur gives the example of Madagascar's 00261, which is easily confused with Koblenz's 0261.

What to do about a call from +49 15x / 16x / 17x

Don't send money or codes after a 'new number' message. Call the person on their old number first.
Report SMS or messenger spam and abusive calls to the Bundesnetzagentur using its online forms at bundesnetzagentur.de/aergermitrufnummern. There are separate forms for SMS/Messenger, Ping-Anruf, Rufnummernmanipulation (spoofing) and unwanted phone advertising. Include the displayed number, date and time.
Block the number on your phone. Your provider can also bar some number ranges for free.
If you've been defrauded, contact the police (110 in an emergency).

Check the exact number

A series tells you what kind of line called. To check the full number you got, use these free tools:

Phone number validator: which country, mobile or landline, and whether the length is right.
Spam number checker: warning signs that a caller is a scammer.
Who called me? Reverse phone lookup: what the number tells you about the caller.
Germany country code +49: full dialing guide and number formats.
Calling Germany from abroad: per-minute rates if you need to call someone there.

Frequently asked questions

Which network is +49 176?

0176 is a Telefónica (o2) block, but the number may have been ported to another network since. The prefix only shows the original block holder.

Which network is +49 151, 160, 170 or 171?

Those blocks are assigned to Telekom Deutschland. 0172-0174 and 0162 are Vodafone. Ported numbers keep their prefix, so the current network may differ.

Can a +49 mobile number calling me from abroad be fake?

German networks suppress German caller IDs on calls from foreign networks, except German mobile numbers in roaming. That means a spoofed +49 mobile number can still get through, so verify anyone who asks for money.

Where do I report spam from a German mobile number?

To the Bundesnetzagentur's 'Ärger mit Rufnummern' complaint forms. It can switch off numbers and ban billing.

Sources

Numbering facts on this page come from the regulator or operator sources below, checked November 9, 2026. We never publish individual personal phone numbers.

Bundesnetzagentur - Zugeteilte Rufnummernblöcke (Mobile Dienste), Stand 25.08.2025 (bundesnetzagentur.de)
Bundesnetzagentur - Mobile Dienste (0)15, (0)16, (0)17 (0164/0168/0169 paging only) (bundesnetzagentur.de)
Telekommunikationsgesetz (TKG) § 59 - Rufnummernmitnahme (gesetze-im-internet.de)
Bundesnetzagentur - Press release 29.11.2022: better protection against number manipulation from 1 December 2022 (bundesnetzagentur.de)
Bundesnetzagentur - Press release 15.01.2025: over 150,000 complaints about number abuse in 2024 (bundesnetzagentur.de)
Bundesnetzagentur - Beschwerden zu Ärger mit Rufnummern und Anrufen (complaint forms) (bundesnetzagentur.de)
Bundesnetzagentur - Ping-Anrufe (bundesnetzagentur.de)
Polizeiliche Kriminalprävention (polizei-beratung.de) - Enkeltrick / Messenger scams (polizei-beratung.de)