Area Code 272 – Qerret/Qelëz/Gjegjan, Pukë

Geographic Coverage and Administrative Jurisdiction

The +355 272 prefix is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to the Pukë District in northern Albania. It serves the municipal area of Pukë, including the administrative units of Qerret, Qelëz, and Gjegjan, as well as the town of Pukë itself. These localities fall under the jurisdiction of the Shkodër County (Qarku i Shkodrës). The code is used for fixed-line PSTN services within this mountainous region, which borders Montenegro to the north.

Dialing Formats and Caller Instructions

For callers within Albania, the national trunk prefix '0' is required before the area code. The local number length after the area code is typically 5 to 6 digits, resulting in a total subscriber number length of 8 to 9 digits when including the NDC. The full national format is: 0 272 XXX XXX (or 0 272 XXXX XXX for longer numbers).

For international callers, the country calling code +355 is used, and the leading '0' of the national prefix is dropped. The international format is: +355 272 XXX XXX. For example, to call a landline in Pukë with the local number 12345, you would dial:

• From Albania: 0 272 12345
• From abroad: +355 272 12345

When dialing from a mobile phone within Albania, it is essential to use the '0' prefix even if the caller is in the same area code, as Albanian numbering follows the closed dialing plan.

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

As of the latest ITU-T E.164 national numbering plan, the 272 area code does not have an overlay code. It is a standalone geographic code. However, number portability is available for fixed-line services in Albania, allowing subscribers to retain their numbers when changing operators within the same geographic area. This means that a number starting with 272 may not necessarily be serviced by the original incumbent operator, but it remains geographically tied to the Pukë region.

Practical Information for Callers

When calling from abroad, check with your service provider for international dialing charges. Calls to Albanian landlines are typically charged at higher rates than calls to mobiles, but this varies by carrier. For emergency services within Albania, dial 112 (EU standard) or 127 for police, 128 for medical, and 129 for fire. These numbers are accessible from any phone, including landlines with the 272 prefix.

Businesses in the Pukë area often use this prefix for customer service lines, and it is important to note that the prefix is not used for mobile services; mobile numbers in Albania begin with 66, 67, 68, 69, etc. If you receive a call from +355 272, it is a fixed-line call from the Pukë region.