Whose number starts with 0491?
The 0491 mobile prefix appears in the ACMA register as held mainly by TELSTRA LIMITED (96.8% of the window's 930,000 allocated numbers), alongside BIRD.COM PTY LTD (2.2%), AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY (1.1%). The earliest allocation in 0491 is dated 16 April 2014, the most recent 2 August 2019.
Source: ACMA register, data as of 16/10/2026
The story of 0491
0491 is the window with the ACMA itself as a holder: the regulator reserves numbers in the 0491 570 block for use in film, television and advertising, so that a phone number shown on screen can never reach a real subscriber. The rest of the window is split between Telstra Limited and Bird.com Pty Ltd, a messaging platform, with allocations dated 2014 to 2019.
The 0491 ranges in the ACMA register
The 0491 window is covered by 6 allocations with a combined capacity of about 930,000 numbers, in the hands of 3 different holders. None of the ranges has ever been transferred: the original allocatee is still the holder of record.
| Range | Numbers | Original allocatee | Current holder | Allocated | Transferred |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0491000000–0491499999 | 500,000 | TELSTRA LIMITED | TELSTRA LIMITED | 16/04/2014 | — |
| 0491500000–0491509999 | 10,000 | BIRD.COM PTY LTD | BIRD.COM PTY LTD | 28/06/2018 | — |
| 0491510000–0491519999 | 10,000 | BIRD.COM PTY LTD | BIRD.COM PTY LTD | 23/05/2017 | — |
| 0491520000–0491569999 | 50,000 | — | not allocated | — | — |
| 0491570000–0491579999 | 10,000 | AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY | AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY | 31/07/2015 | — |
| 0491580000–0491599999 | 20,000 | — | not allocated | — | — |
| 0491600000–0491799999 | 200,000 | TELSTRA LIMITED | TELSTRA LIMITED | 01/06/2018 | — |
| 0491800000–0492799999 | 200,000 in 0491 (range: 1m) | TELSTRA LIMITED | TELSTRA LIMITED | 02/08/2019 | — |
- 0491000000–0491499999 (500,000 numbers) was allocated on 16 April 2014 to TELSTRA LIMITED and has stayed with the original allocatee.
- 0491500000–0491509999 (10,000 numbers) was allocated on 28 June 2018 to BIRD.COM PTY LTD and has stayed with the original allocatee.
- 0491510000–0491519999 (10,000 numbers) was allocated on 23 May 2017 to BIRD.COM PTY LTD and has stayed with the original allocatee.
- 0491570000–0491579999 (10,000 numbers) was allocated on 31 July 2015 to AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY and has stayed with the original allocatee.
- 0491600000–0491799999 (200,000 numbers) was allocated on 1 June 2018 to TELSTRA LIMITED and has stayed with the original allocatee.
- 0491800000–0492799999 (1m numbers, of which 200,000 fall inside 0491) was allocated on 2 August 2019 to TELSTRA LIMITED and has stayed with the original allocatee; the register range runs from 0491 into 0492.
The 0491 holders nationally
Set against the whole Australian mobile plan, TELSTRA LIMITED holds about 91% of all allocated mobile numbers across 52 prefixes; BIRD.COM PTY LTD about less than 0.1% across 1 prefix; AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY about less than 0.1% across 1 prefix. Inside 0491 the balance is different: TELSTRA LIMITED has 96.8% of the window, the rest is split between the other 2.
| Holder | Numbers in 0491 | Share of 0491 | Share of all 04 numbers | Prefixes held |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TELSTRA LIMITED | 900,000 | 96.8% | 91% | 52 |
| BIRD.COM PTY LTD | 20,000 | 2.2% | less than 0.1% | 1 |
| AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY | 10,000 | 1.1% | less than 0.1% | 1 |
The other prefixes in the 0490–0499 decade
Held by Telstra and Optus Mobile: 0490, 0492, 0493, 0494, 0495, 0496, 0497, 0498, 0499. The decade's oldest allocation is in 0499 (8 August 2011, Telstra), its youngest in 0496 (8 October 2026, Telstra). Every allocated prefix in the decade has a single holder.
What does a call from a 0491 number mean?
A 0491 570 xxx number displayed by a caller is a red flag — those numbers are reserved for fiction and cannot originate a genuine call. Other 0491 numbers are ordinary Telstra mobiles or Bird.com messaging numbers.
What people check and report about 0491 numbers
From searches typed into this site's lookup form since 3 September 2026, and the verdicts and moderated reports visitors left. A check usually follows a missed call.
Verdicts and reports on 0491 numbers: 1 verdict, 0 reports
1 safe. Too few to show shares yet.
Had a call from a 0491 number?
No clear pattern in reports on these numbers yet. If a call worried you:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Forward spam texts to 0429 999 888
The ACMA collects unsolicited commercial texts forwarded to 0429 999 888 (standard message charges apply). Don't edit the message first. Scam texts that impersonate a bank, toll road or delivery company go to Scamwatch instead.
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.
0491 numbers: questions and answers
Which network does a 0491 number belong to?
0491 is split between 3 holders: Telstra (96.8%), Bird.Com (2.2%), Australian Communications And Media Authority (1.1%). Mobile numbers can be moved to another network, so the caller may now be with a different provider.
When was 0491 first allocated?
The earliest 0491 range in the register is dated 16 April 2014; the most recent 2 August 2019. The window is covered by 6 register ranges.
How big is Telstra's share of Australian mobile numbers?
Across the whole 04 range, Telstra holds about 91% of allocated mobile numbers, spread over 52 of the 04xx prefixes.
Are calls from 0491 numbers scams?
Visitors have left 1 verdict on 0491 numbers (0 scam, 0 nuisance, 1 safe) and 0 moderated reports, across 16 numbers people looked up. Most 0491 numbers belong to ordinary subscribers.
How do I report a scam call or text from a 0491 number?
Report scam calls and texts to Scamwatch. Forward unsolicited commercial texts to the ACMA on 0429 999 888, and block the number from your phone's recent calls or messages. If you lost money, call your bank first, then report it through ReportCyber.
Check a 0491 number
Range data is not personal data and the number on your screen can be spoofed. Scam calls: Scamwatch. Guides: Who called me from this number?, Which carrier owns which mobile prefix?