Local prefix guide
Village prefixes: Each village has its own prefix. A prefix is the first three numbers in a seven-digit phone number. For example, you can tell that 445-1111 is a phone number in Ambler because all phone numbers listed in Ambler begin with the prefix 445. This can be important if you want to avoid making long-distance calls.

Ambler = 445
Buckland = 494
Deering = 363
Kiana = 475

Kivalina = 645
Kobuk = 948
Kotzebue = 442
Noatak = 485

Noorvik = 636
Red Dog = 426
Selawik = 484
Shungnak = 437
Understanding 800 and 900 numbers
Subscribers who choose direct-dial service are responsible for all direct-dial calls, no matter who makes the call. OTZ encourages all members to choose the toll-restricted or calling-card-restricted options to avoid paying for unauthorized charges. To avoid making expensive calls by mistake, know the guidelines about 800/888 and 900 numbers. If you aren’t sure whether a call is free or not, you might want to avoid making the call.
800 and 888 prefixes
Calls made to phone numbers that begin with 800 or 888 are free to the person making the call.
900 prefix
Calls made to phone numbers that begin with 900 are billed to the person making the call; these calls are free to the company or person receiving the call.
Correctional Billing Services
OTZ Telephone Cooperative members are unable to accept collect calls from inmates. In order to receive calls from inmates at correctional institutions, there are two steps you need to follow:
- Call OTZ Telephone at 907-442-3114 or 1-800-478-3111 to make sure your telephone is set up to accept collect calls.
- Call Correctional Billing at 1-800-844-6591 to set up your account.
Alaska Relay
Alaska Relay is a free service that enables people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech-disabled to communicate over the phone. This is done with specialized text-telephone (TTY) equipment and relayed through highly trained, professional communication assistants (CAs) who speak messages to the hearing and type messages to the hearing-impaired.
Alaska Relay is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with no restrictions on the length or number of calls placed. All calls are strictly confidential and no records of any conversations are maintained.
Alaska residents who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled are eligible to receive specialized telephone equipment through the equipment-distribution program at CSD at minimal or no cost.
For more information on getting and using Alaska Relay, visit www.akrelay.com or call 1-800-770-6770 or 1-800-770-2234.