+27 86 numbers: South Africa's 0860 and 0861 business lines

A +27 86 (086) number is a South African inbound-services number, used by businesses for national customer lines such as 0860 ShareCall and 0861 MaxiCall. ICASA defines inbound services as services used only to receive communication, so 086 numbers are published for customers to call in, not issued as personal lines.

South Africa · Non-geographic numbers · Facts checked November 9, 2026

What these numbers look like

From abroad: +27 86X XXX XXX
Inside South Africa: 086X XXX XXX

9 digits after +27, 10 digits with the leading 0. The fourth digit marks the service: 0860 ShareCall, 0861 MaxiCall, 0862x televoting and competition lines.

Who uses +27 86 numbers?

ICASA's Numbering Plan Regulations, 2016 (Government Gazette 39861) list 086 as "Inbound services" and make the 086 0 and 086 1 ranges subject to individual number allocation, so a company can hold one specific 0860 or 0861 number. Under the 2018 Number Portability Regulations, 086 numbers can be ported between operators, but only as individual numbers. Telkom's tariff list (1 April 2026) sells FreeCall 080, ShareCall 0860 and MaxiCall 0861 together as Smart Access and also lists TeleVoting 08621, competition lines 08622 and 08629, and fax-to-email numbers in 086 29, 086 5, 086 6 and 086 73/4/6.

Prefix	Operator	Note
0860	ShareCall	Calls over 50 km: long-distance part is paid by the business
0861	MaxiCall	One rate for all distances
08621, 08622, 08629	TeleVoting / competition lines	Premium-rated in Telkom's tariff list

Who is calling you from a +27 86 number?

If you see 0860 or 0861 as caller ID, it is most often a company such as a bank, insurer, municipality, retailer or courier showing its main customer number. If the number came in a text or advert asking you to call or vote, check whether it starts 08622 or 08629. Telkom lists those as competition lines, which are billed at premium rates.

Scams seen with +27 86 numbers

Bank-impersonation (vishing) calls: SABRIC warns of fraudsters who phone customers pretending to be the bank's call centre, claim the account is compromised or will be blocked, and pressure victims to read out OTPs or approve transactions. A familiar-looking 0860 or 0861 number on screen is not proof that the call is genuine.

What to do about a call from +27 86

Do not confirm PINs, passwords or OTPs on a call. Hang up and call back on the number printed on your card or the company's official website.
Before calling an 08622 or 08629 number from a promotion, check the cost. These are competition lines.
Unwanted marketing calls need your consent under section 69 of POPIA. Complain to the Information Regulator if a company keeps calling.
For service problems, complain to the provider first, allow 14 working days, then escalate to ICASA in writing.

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.
South Africa country code +27: full dialing guide and number formats.
Calling South Africa from abroad: per-minute rates if you need to call someone there.

Frequently asked questions

Is 0860 toll-free?

No. Toll-free numbers in South Africa start with 080. With 0860 ShareCall the caller pays and the business pays the long-distance part.

What is the difference between 0860 and 0861?

On Telkom's tariff, a 0860 ShareCall call is charged to the caller at the local rate, with the business covering distance over 50 km. A 0861 MaxiCall call is charged at one rate for all distances.

Can a company keep its 0861 number if it changes provider?

Yes. ICASA's portability rules let 086 numbers be ported individually.

Why did an 0860 number call me?

086 is meant for inbound customer lines, so a company has most likely set its published number as caller ID. Verify by calling back on the number from its official website.

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.

ICASA - Numbering Plan Regulations, 2016 (Gazette 39861) (icasa.org.za)
ICASA - Number Portability Regulations amendment (Gazette 41949, 1 Oct 2018) (gov.za)
Telkom - External Retail Fixed Line Tariff List, 1 April 2026 (group.telkom.co.za)
SABRIC - How to Stay Safe (sabric.co.za)
Information Regulator - Guidance Note on Direct Marketing (POPIA) (inforegulator.org.za)
ICASA - Frequently asked questions (complaints process) (icasa.org.za)