Why doesn't python phonenumbers library work in this case?

Question

It seems like '5187621769' should be a very easy number for the phonenumbers library to parse. It's 10 digits with a US area code. But...no luck.

Setup:

import phonenumbers
number = '5187621769'

Method 1:

parsed = phonenumbers.parse(number)

This throws an error.

Method 2:

parsed = phonenumbers.parse("+" + number)

Gives country code = 51, which is not US.

I know I can do:

parsed = phonenumbers.parse(number,region="US")

But I don't always know the number will be US (this is just one case where I discovered I wasn't getting desired behavior). Is there an option or formatting trick I'm missing? Thanks!

How is it supposed to know it is a USA phone number if you don't specify a region and don't use an international dialling code? — khelwood, Feb 04 '15 at 22:09
I think it is supposed to be able to guess that 10 digits by themselves constitute a phone number. — ojblass, Feb 04 '15 at 22:14
What does "parsed = phonenumbers.parse("518-762-1769")" produce? — ojblass, Feb 04 '15 at 22:15
`+51` is a perfectly legitimate international dialling code (it's Peru's); how is it supposed to know that isn't what you mean? — jonrsharpe, Feb 04 '15 at 22:17
@ojblass `NumberParseException: (0) Missing or invalid default region.` — exp1orer, Feb 04 '15 at 22:29

score 6 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 16 '15 at 19:25

6

You should simply use:

parsed = phonenumbers.parse(number, 'US')

answered Nov 16 '15 at 19:25

Ludovic Gasc - GMLudo

113
1
7

score 5 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 04 '15 at 22:26

It would a very easy number if phonenumbers was an US only library. You are missing the "+1" a.k.a. country code. If you would like to assume that numbers that phonenumbers can't parse are US numbers you could do something like:

try:
    parsed = phonenumbers.parse(number)
except phonenumbers.NumberParseException as npe:
    parsed = phonenumbers.parse('+1{}'.format(number))

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 26 '16 at 11:34

1

You have to write Country Code with Phone Number while searching for Phone Number details.

Moreover, Here is an API (a wrapper of libphonenumber) for Phone Numbers:

http://blog.ones-app.com/ones-phone-number-api/

answered Jan 26 '16 at 11:34

Azhar Nawaz

91
12

I believe, if we put +1, +91, +22 codes before numbers that API may not responsed, there are cases where we have numbers like : +1 - 2345 - 2333, API will not work for these cases I believe. – shashankS Jan 24 '17 at 04:07
1

It works in that case as well because the Wrapper API ignores all characters. – Azhar Nawaz Jan 26 '17 at 12:29
helpful , I will try and let the results publish. – shashankS Jan 27 '17 at 09:53
Please note that I am taking about this wrapper http://blog.ones-app.com/ones-phone-number-api/ – Azhar Nawaz Jan 27 '17 at 13:41
You can download this wrapper from Github (https://github.com/azharkhn/libphonenumber-api) and run on own server or host – Azhar Nawaz Feb 07 '18 at 22:42

Why doesn't python phonenumbers library work in this case?

3 Answers3