Area Code 266 – Bushat/Bërdicë, Shkodër

Overview of Area Code +355 266

Area code 266 is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) within the Albanian numbering plan, assigned to the region surrounding the town of Bushat and the municipality of Bërdicë, both located in the wider Shkodër County in northwestern Albania. This code serves fixed-line PSTN subscribers within this administrative area, which is part of the northern coastal plain near Lake Shkodër and the Montenegrin border.

Geographic Coverage and Administrative Jurisdiction

The code covers the territorial units of Bushat and Bërdicë, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Shkodër Municipality (Bashkia Shkodër) following the 2015 territorial reform. Bushat is a small agricultural town situated approximately 20 kilometers southeast of Shkodër city, while Bërdicë lies closer to the urban center, near the site of the historic Rozafa Castle. The area is characterized by a mix of residential communities and rural settlements, with fixed-line services provided by the incumbent operator (formerly Albtelecom, now One Albania) and alternative licensed operators.

Dialing Formats and Caller Instructions

For callers within Albania, the national trunk prefix 0 must be dialed before the area code. The complete national format is 0 266 X XX XX, where the subscriber number consists of five to seven digits depending on the specific exchange and line allocation. For example, a local number might be 0 266 4 12 34.

For international callers, the country code +355 replaces the trunk prefix, and the area code is used without the leading zero. The international dialing format is +355 266 X XX XX. For instance, to call a subscriber in Bushat from abroad, you would dial +355 266 4 12 34.

When dialing locally within the same area code, it is common to omit the area code and dial only the subscriber number, though this practice may vary depending on the operator and the specific service configuration.

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

As of the current numbering plan, there is no overlay code for this geographic area. The code 266 is exclusively assigned to the Bushat/Bërdicë region, and no other NDC shares the same numbering space. This means that callers do not need to dial additional digits or use ten-digit dialing for local calls. However, with the ongoing migration to IP-based networks and the introduction of number portability, subscribers may retain their 266 numbers even if they switch to a different fixed-line operator.

Practical Usage Tips

• When calling from a mobile phone in Albania, you can dial the national format 0 266 X XX XX or the international format +355 266 X XX XX; both are valid.
• If you are traveling abroad and need to reach a fixed line in Bushat, always use the international format and ensure you have the correct country code (+355) and area code without the leading zero.
• For businesses in the region, displaying the number in international format (+355 266 ...) is recommended to facilitate inbound calls from foreign clients and partners.