diff --git a/exercises/phone-number/.meta/src/reference/java/PhoneNumber.java b/exercises/phone-number/.meta/src/reference/java/PhoneNumber.java
index 929b3412a..de340be5a 100644
--- a/exercises/phone-number/.meta/src/reference/java/PhoneNumber.java
+++ b/exercises/phone-number/.meta/src/reference/java/PhoneNumber.java
@@ -13,9 +13,11 @@ private String extractDigits(String dirtyNumber) {
                 // Remove spaces, dots, parentheses, hyphens and pluses
                 continue;
             }
+            if ("-@:!".indexOf(c) > -1) {
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("punctuations not permitted");
+            }
             if (!Character.isDigit(c)) {
-                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Illegal character in phone number. "
-                        + "Only digits, spaces, parentheses, hyphens or dots accepted.");
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("letters not permitted");
             }
             stringBuilder.append(c);
         }
@@ -23,24 +25,36 @@ private String extractDigits(String dirtyNumber) {
     }
 
     private String normalize(String number) {
-        if (number.length() > 11 || number.length() < 10) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Number must be 10 or 11 digits");
+        if (number.length() < 10) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("incorrect number of digits");
         }
 
+        if (number.length() > 11) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("more than 11 digits");
+        }
+        
         if (number.length() == 11) {
             if (number.startsWith("1")) {
                 number = number.substring(1, number.length());
             } else {
-                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Can only have 11 digits if number starts with '1'");
+                throw new IllegalArgumentException("11 digits must start with 1");
             }
         }
-
-        if (number.startsWith("0") || number.startsWith("1")) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Illegal Area Or Exchange Code. "
-                    + "Only 2-9 are valid digits");
-        } else if (number.charAt(3) == '0' || number.charAt(3) == '1') {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Illegal Area Or Exchange Code. "
-                    + "Only 2-9 are valid digits");
+  
+        if (number.startsWith("0")) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("area code cannot start with zero");
+        }
+        
+        if (number.startsWith("1")) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("area code cannot start with one");
+        }
+        
+        if (number.charAt(3) == '0') {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("exchange code cannot start with zero");
+        }
+        
+        if (number.charAt(3) == '1') {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("exchange code cannot start with one");
         }
 
         return number;
diff --git a/exercises/phone-number/.meta/version b/exercises/phone-number/.meta/version
index dc1e644a1..bd8bf882d 100644
--- a/exercises/phone-number/.meta/version
+++ b/exercises/phone-number/.meta/version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.6.0
+1.7.0
diff --git a/exercises/phone-number/src/test/java/PhoneNumberTest.java b/exercises/phone-number/src/test/java/PhoneNumberTest.java
index 03152aad5..faf37b19b 100644
--- a/exercises/phone-number/src/test/java/PhoneNumberTest.java
+++ b/exercises/phone-number/src/test/java/PhoneNumberTest.java
@@ -6,14 +6,23 @@
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 
 public class PhoneNumberTest {
-    private static String wrongLengthExceptionMessage = "Number must be 10 or 11 digits";
+    private static String wrongLengthExceptionMessage = "incorrect number of digits";
+    private static String moreThan11DigitsExceptionMessage = "more than 11 digits";
     private static String numberIs11DigitsButDoesNotStartWith1ExceptionMessage =
-            "Can only have 11 digits if number starts with '1'";
+            "11 digits must start with 1";
     private static String illegalCharacterExceptionMessage =
-            "Illegal character in phone number. Only digits, spaces, parentheses, hyphens or dots accepted.";
-    private static String illegalAreaOrExchangeCodeMessage =
-            "Illegal Area Or Exchange Code. Only 2-9 are valid digits";
-
+            "letters not permitted";
+    private static String illegalPunctuationExceptionMessage =
+            "punctuations not permitted";
+    private static String areaCodeStartsWithZeroExceptionMessage =
+            "area code cannot start with zero";
+    private static String areaCodeStartsWithOneExceptionMessage =
+            "area code cannot start with one";
+    private static String exchangeCodeStartsWithZeroExceptionMessage =
+            "exchange code cannot start with zero";
+    private static String exchangeCodeStartsWithOneExceptionMessage =
+            "exchange code cannot start with one";
+    
     @Rule
     public ExpectedException expectedException = ExpectedException.none();
 
@@ -91,7 +100,7 @@ public void validWhen11DigitsAndStartingWith1EvenWithPunctuation() {
     @Test
     public void invalidWhenMoreThan11Digits() {
         expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-        expectedException.expectMessage(wrongLengthExceptionMessage);
+        expectedException.expectMessage(moreThan11DigitsExceptionMessage);
         new PhoneNumber("321234567890");
     }
 
@@ -107,7 +116,7 @@ public void invalidWithLetters() {
     @Test
     public void invalidWithPunctuations() {
         expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-        expectedException.expectMessage(illegalCharacterExceptionMessage);
+        expectedException.expectMessage(illegalPunctuationExceptionMessage);
         new PhoneNumber("123-@:!-7890");
     }
     
@@ -115,7 +124,7 @@ public void invalidWithPunctuations() {
     @Test
     public void invalidIfAreaCodeStartsWith0() {
         expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-        expectedException.expectMessage(illegalAreaOrExchangeCodeMessage);
+        expectedException.expectMessage(areaCodeStartsWithZeroExceptionMessage);
         new PhoneNumber("(023) 456-7890");
     }
     
@@ -123,7 +132,7 @@ public void invalidIfAreaCodeStartsWith0() {
     @Test
     public void invalidIfAreaCodeStartsWith1() {
         expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-        expectedException.expectMessage(illegalAreaOrExchangeCodeMessage);
+        expectedException.expectMessage(areaCodeStartsWithOneExceptionMessage);
         new PhoneNumber("(123) 456-7890");
     }
     
@@ -131,7 +140,7 @@ public void invalidIfAreaCodeStartsWith1() {
     @Test
     public void invalidIfExchangeCodeStartsWith0() {
         expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-        expectedException.expectMessage(illegalAreaOrExchangeCodeMessage);
+        expectedException.expectMessage(exchangeCodeStartsWithZeroExceptionMessage);
         new PhoneNumber("(223) 056-7890");
     }
 
@@ -139,7 +148,7 @@ public void invalidIfExchangeCodeStartsWith0() {
     @Test
     public void invalidIfExchangeCodeStartsWith1() {
         expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-        expectedException.expectMessage(illegalAreaOrExchangeCodeMessage);
+        expectedException.expectMessage(exchangeCodeStartsWithOneExceptionMessage);
         new PhoneNumber("(223) 156-7890");
     }
     
@@ -147,7 +156,7 @@ public void invalidIfExchangeCodeStartsWith1() {
     @Test
     public void invalidIfAreaCodeStartsWith0OnValid11DigitNumber() {
         expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-        expectedException.expectMessage(illegalAreaOrExchangeCodeMessage);
+        expectedException.expectMessage(areaCodeStartsWithZeroExceptionMessage);
         new PhoneNumber("1 (023) 456-7890");
     }
     
@@ -155,7 +164,7 @@ public void invalidIfAreaCodeStartsWith0OnValid11DigitNumber() {
     @Test
     public void invalidIfAreaCodeStartsWith1OnValid11DigitNumber() {
         expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-        expectedException.expectMessage(illegalAreaOrExchangeCodeMessage);
+        expectedException.expectMessage(areaCodeStartsWithOneExceptionMessage);
         new PhoneNumber("1 (123) 456-7890");
     }
     
@@ -163,7 +172,7 @@ public void invalidIfAreaCodeStartsWith1OnValid11DigitNumber() {
     @Test
     public void invalidIfExchangeCodeStartsWith0OnValid11DigitNumber() {
         expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-        expectedException.expectMessage(illegalAreaOrExchangeCodeMessage);
+        expectedException.expectMessage(exchangeCodeStartsWithZeroExceptionMessage);
         new PhoneNumber("1 (223) 056-7890");
     }
     
@@ -171,7 +180,7 @@ public void invalidIfExchangeCodeStartsWith0OnValid11DigitNumber() {
     @Test
     public void invalidIfExchangeCodeStartsWith1OnValid11DigitNumber() {
         expectedException.expect(IllegalArgumentException.class);
-        expectedException.expectMessage(illegalAreaOrExchangeCodeMessage);
+        expectedException.expectMessage(exchangeCodeStartsWithOneExceptionMessage);
         new PhoneNumber("1 (223) 156-7890");
     }
 }