Forbes: landline numbers and carriers

Forbes is one of the town-level numbering areas the ACMA register uses under area code 02 (NSW & ACT). The register lists 32 number blocks for it with about 45,900 allocated numbers, held by 18 carriers and spread over the 0258… and 0268… dialling prefixes. That makes Forbes the 109th largest of 576 numbering areas under 02 by block count, with 0.11% of the area code's allocated numbers. A landline that calls you from one of these blocks was issued for the Forbes area — though the line may since have been ported, and caller ID can be spoofed.

Source: ACMA register, data as of 16/10/2026

32blocks in the register
18carriers with allocations
45,900allocated numbers
1991first allocation

Where Forbes is

State or territory
New South Wales
Council area
Forbes
Local time
— AEST, UTC+10; AEDT, UTC+11 in summer
Number format
02 58xx xxxx; from overseas +61 2 58xx xxxx
Nearest numbering areas
Ooma (28 km), Eugowra (33 km), Wirrinya (35 km), Parkes (39 km), Bogan Gate (39 km)

Locality, council and state: ABS ASGS Edition 3 (CC BY 4.0). Distances are straight-line between localities.

Map of the Forbes numbering area in New South Wales and the nearest other numbering areas
Shaded: Forbes council area. The ACMA doesn't publish numbering-area boundaries, so the dot marks the Forbes locality rather than an exact outline; the inset shows where the map sits in Australia. Boundaries: ABS (CC BY 4.0).

How Forbes was numbered

The oldest block in Forbes was allocated on 30 June 1991 and is held today by TELSTRA LIMITED; the newest on 19 August 2026 to SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD. Most of the area's blocks — 8 of 32 — date from 2015–2019, but allocations here span 35 years. 6 of the blocks are the standard 1,000-number size, 19 are 100-number blocks of the kind the ACMA has issued to VoIP and wholesale carriers since the mid-2000s, and 2 are 10,000 numbers or larger. 7 allocated blocks have changed hands since they were first issued: the register still names AAPT LIMITED, ENGIN PTY LIMITED, GOTALK LIMITED, IPTEL PTY LIMITED, IVOX PTY LTD and TWILIO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD as original allocatees of blocks now held by other carriers.

PeriodBlocks allocated
1990–19944
2000–20043
2005–20094
2010–20143
2015–20198
2020–20246
2025–20294

The carriers in Forbes

TELSTRA LIMITED holds the largest share here with 65.4% of allocated numbers across 4 blocks; SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD is second with 9.8%, and 16 other carriers hold the rest. TELSTRA LIMITED has the longest tenure, with a block dated 30/06/1991; SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD received the newest, on 19/08/2026. SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD (3), PIPE NETWORKS PTY LIMITED (2) and PRIMUS TELECOMMUNICATIONS PTY LIMITED (1) hold blocks originally allocated to another carrier.

CarrierBlocksNumbersShareFirst blockLatest block
TELSTRA LIMITED430,00065.4%30/06/199130/06/1991
SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD74,5009.8%28/06/200519/08/2026
OPTUS NETWORKS PTY LIMITED24,0008.7%06/06/200512/04/2017
OPTUS MOBILE PTY LIMITED12,0004.4%22/09/200822/09/2008
PIPE NETWORKS PTY LIMITED21,1002.4%03/09/201217/07/2015
PRIMUS TELECOMMUNICATIONS PTY LIMITED21,1002.4%24/12/200426/05/2005
SOUL PATTINSON TELECOMMUNICATIONS PTY LIMITED21,1002.4%30/03/200014/07/2016
CHIME COMMUNICATIONS PTY LTD11,0002.2%14/07/200414/07/2004
NETSIP PTY LTD22000.4%14/02/201826/10/2021
ADARGA PTY LTD11000.2%16/09/202516/09/2025
C2A INTERNET.COM.AU PTY. LTD.11000.2%13/07/202313/07/2023
CHECK TECHNOLOGY GROUP PTY LTD11000.2%31/01/202231/01/2022
GENNEXT ENTERPRISES PTY LTD11000.2%03/10/201903/10/2019
LMGPS LTD11000.2%23/11/202323/11/2023
NETERA PTY LTD11000.2%24/10/202524/10/2025
PIVOTEL SATELLITE PTY LIMITED11000.2%16/04/202516/04/2025
THE TRUSTEE FOR READING FAMILY TRUST11000.2%21/10/201921/10/2019
VIRTUTEL PTY LTD11000.2%20/12/201520/12/2015

Number blocks registered for Forbes

Every registered block for this area is allocated to a carrier. All 32 blocks, ascending:

Block startNumbersOriginal allocateeCurrent holderAllocatedTransferred
0258012000…1,000=OPTUS NETWORKS PTY LIMITED06/06/2005—
0258148000…2,000=OPTUS MOBILE PTY LIMITED22/09/2008—
0258240000…1,000AAPT LIMITEDPIPE NETWORKS PTY LIMITED17/07/201524/03/2026
0258248100…100=VIRTUTEL PTY LTD20/12/2015—
0258316700…100=SOUL PATTINSON TELECOMMUNICATIONS PTY LIMITED14/07/2016—
0258326300…100=NETSIP PTY LTD14/02/2018—
0258351500…100=THE TRUSTEE FOR READING FAMILY TRUST21/10/2019—
0258360500…100=LMGPS LTD23/11/2023—
0258382700…100=NETSIP PTY LTD26/10/2021—
0258432000…3,000=SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD05/10/2018—
0258496700…100TWILIO AUSTRALIA PTY LTDSYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD24/09/202024/02/2021
0258502900…100=GENNEXT ENTERPRISES PTY LTD03/10/2019—
0258517900…100=CHECK TECHNOLOGY GROUP PTY LTD31/01/2022—
0258527000…3,000=OPTUS NETWORKS PTY LIMITED12/04/2017—
0258557500…100=C2A INTERNET.COM.AU PTY. LTD.13/07/2023—
0258592200…100=PIVOTEL SATELLITE PTY LIMITED16/04/2025—
0258614800…100=ADARGA PTY LTD16/09/2025—
0258631000…1,000=SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD19/06/2020—
0258632400…100=NETERA PTY LTD24/10/2025—
0258658000…100=SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD19/08/2026—
0268053000…1,000IPTEL PTY LIMITEDSOUL PATTINSON TELECOMMUNICATIONS PTY LIMITED30/03/200001/12/2004
0268157000…1,000ENGIN PTY LIMITEDPRIMUS TELECOMMUNICATIONS PTY LIMITED24/12/200411/08/2015
0268500000…3,000=TELSTRA LIMITED30/06/1991—
0268507000…10,000=TELSTRA LIMITED30/06/1991—
0268519000…7,000=TELSTRA LIMITED30/06/1991—
0268530000…10,000=TELSTRA LIMITED30/06/1991—
0268546000…1,000=CHIME COMMUNICATIONS PTY LTD14/07/2004—
0268556100…100=PRIMUS TELECOMMUNICATIONS PTY LIMITED26/05/2005—
0268556200…100GOTALK LIMITEDSYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD28/06/200525/07/2013
0268556400…100=SYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD24/04/2014—
0268556500…100IVOX PTY LTDSYMBIO NETWORKS PTY LTD18/06/201223/06/2014
0268556600…100AAPT LIMITEDPIPE NETWORKS PTY LIMITED03/09/201224/03/2026

Numbering areas next to Forbes in the register

Immediately below and above Forbes's blocks in the 0258… and 0268… prefixes sit Warren, Weetaliba, Wyanga, Yarragrin, Bedgerebong, Eugowra, Weelong, Wirrinya, Berkley Downs, Bonnay, Boorooma and Borah Tank.

Numbering areaFirst blockBlocksCarriers
Warren0258006000…2817
Weetaliba0258007000…2717
Wyanga0258008000…2817
Yarragrin0258009000…2817
Bedgerebong0258010000…2717
Eugowra0258011000…2817
Weelong0258013000…2717
Wirrinya0258014000…2717
Berkley Downs0258015000…2817
Bonnay0258016000…2717
Boorooma0258017000…2616
Borah Tank0258018000…2817

Had a call from a Forbes number?

No clear pattern in reports on these numbers yet. If a call worried you:

  1. Call back on a number you trust

    If a caller says they're your bank, the ATO, Services Australia, a courier or your telco, hang up and ring the organisation on the number from its website or your statement, never the number that called you. Caller ID can be faked.

  2. Report the call to Scamwatch

    The National Anti-Scam Centre uses Scamwatch reports to warn others and to get scam numbers blocked. Note the number, the time and what the caller claimed to be. If anyone is in danger, call 000.

    Report to Scamwatch ↗

  3. Register on the Do Not Call Register

    Registering landlines and mobiles is free and stops most telemarketing calls within 30 days. Charities, political parties, surveys and scammers aren't covered.

    Do Not Call Register ↗

  4. If you lost money or shared details

    Call your bank straight away on the number on your card and ask it to stop the payment. Then report it through ReportCyber, which passes cybercrime reports to the NSW Police Force. If your identity documents or passwords were shared, IDCARE's free support service can help you lock things down.

    ReportCyber ↗IDCARE ↗

Nationally, Scamwatch recorded $72.5 million lost to scams that started with a phone call in 2025 (down from $107.2 million), with a median loss of $3,800 per report that lost money, and phone-call scam reports are 73.7% below their 2021 level. Telcos blocked 109.3 million scam calls and 45.2 million scam texts in January to March 2026. Sources: Targeting scams 2025 (National Anti-Scam Centre); ACMA quarterly report, Jan–Mar 2026.

Forbes numbers: questions and answers

Where is the Forbes numbering area?

Forbes is in New South Wales, in the Forbes council area. The nearest other numbering areas are Ooma (28 km), Eugowra (33 km) and Wirrinya (35 km).

What area code does Forbes use?

Forbes numbers use area code 02. Its register blocks start with 02 58 and 02 68. From overseas, drop the 0 and dial +61 2 followed by the eight-digit local number.

What time zone is Forbes in?

Forbes is on Australian Eastern Time (AEST, UTC+10), with daylight saving (AEDT, UTC+11) from the first Sunday in October to the first Sunday in April.

Which carriers hold Forbes phone numbers?

The ACMA register lists 18 carriers with allocated blocks in Forbes. By allocated numbers the largest are Telstra (65.4%), Symbio Networks (9.8%) and Optus Networks (8.7%). A number can since have been ported to another provider.

When were Forbes numbers first allocated?

The oldest block on record for Forbes was allocated on 30 June 1991 and is held by Telstra; the newest on 19 August 2026, to Symbio Networks.

How do I report a scam call from a Forbes number?

Report it to Scamwatch. If you lost money, call your bank first, then report it through ReportCyber, which passes it to the NSW Police Force. Unwanted sales calls go to the Do Not Call Register's complaint form (1300 792 958).

Check a number from Forbes

Scammers spoof local landline numbers to look nearby. Guides: Australian area codes, how caller ID spoofing works.