How many digits is a Chinese mobile number?

A mainland China mobile number is exactly 11 digits. It always begins with 1, and the second digit is between 3 and 9, giving the pattern 1[3-9] followed by nine more digits.

How does the prefix indicate the carrier?

The first three digits identify the segment. China Mobile uses blocks such as 134–139, 150–152 and 187–188; China Unicom uses 130–132, 155–156 and 185–186; China Telecom uses 133, 153, 180–181 and 189; and 170/162/165 are virtual operators.

Does the prefix always reflect the current carrier?

Not necessarily. China introduced mobile-number portability nationwide, so a number can keep its original prefix after switching carriers. The carrier shown is the segment owner, which is usually but not always the live provider.

Does a valid format mean the number is active?

No. This tool checks the 11-digit format and the assigned prefix only. A well-formed number can be unassigned or inactive — it cannot confirm that a real subscriber holds the number.

Is my number sent anywhere?

No. Validation and the carrier lookup run entirely in your browser. Nothing leaves your device.

China Mobile Number Validator

A Chinese mobile number is an 11-digit number in the pattern 1[3-9] followed by nine more digits. The first three digits identify the carrier segment assigned by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). This free tool normalises any +86 prefix, validates the format, and maps the prefix to a carrier in your browser — handy for cleaning OTP-SMS signup forms.

How it works

Strip separators and any +86 / 0086 / leading 86 country code.
Require exactly 11 digits matching 1[3-9] followed by nine digits.
Read the three-digit prefix and look it up in the carrier tables:
- China Mobile → 134–139, 150–152, 187–188, and more,
- China Unicom → 130–132, 155–156, 185–186,
- China Telecom → 133, 153, 180–181, 189,
- Virtual operators → 162, 165, 170.
Reject a prefix that is not in any assigned block.

Example

Validate 138 0013 8000: 11 digits, pattern 1[3-9] ✓, prefix 138 → China Mobile. Validate +86 186 0000 0000: the +86 is stripped, prefix 186 → China Unicom. A number such as 133 0000 0000 resolves to China Telecom.

Notes

The carrier mapping reflects the segment owner, not necessarily the current provider, because China supports nationwide mobile-number portability. The tool validates structure and assigned prefixes only — a well-formed number can still be inactive, and a valid format never confirms a real subscriber. Everything runs locally in your browser.