How do you store cell phone numbers in a database?

Question

With the age of text messages and things like that, what\'s a good way to store phone numbers in a database?

In the USA, text messages are handled by phone numbers b

Answer 1

I would primarily use a text field, or a series of text fields, even if you are using a numerical phone number for the following reasons.

1. Phone numbers have a great range of values, including extension numbers which may result in numerical columns losing precision.
2. Losing precision in a phone number is rather bad.
3. There is no logical reason to want to perform math ( addition/multiplication ) on a phone number.

Additionally, you may want to specify how you are using this data. If you are planning an automated messaging service, you're going to need a series of relaying agents to broadcast via, so you may as well add an identifier that pertains to the relay the information pertains to. Then all you have to worry about is that the relaying agent can understand the content in the text fields.