Area Code 286 – Kaçinar/Orosh/Fan, Mirditë

Overview of Albania’s Geographic Code 286

Geographic code 286 is assigned to the Mirditë region in northern Albania, specifically covering the administrative units of Kaçinar, Orosh, and Fan. These areas fall under the jurisdiction of the Mirditë District, part of Lezhë County. The code is used for fixed-line (PSTN) services within this territory, and it follows the standard Albanian numbering plan defined by the Electronic and Postal Communications Authority (AKEP) in accordance with ITU-T E.164 recommendations.

Geographic Coverage and Administrative Context

The 286 prefix serves a predominantly rural and mountainous region, with the town of Rrëshen acting as the main administrative and economic hub. The villages and small towns within the Kaçinar, Orosh, and Fan administrative units are the primary subscribers of this geographic code. While the region is not densely populated, the code remains essential for local businesses, public administration offices, and residential landlines.

Dialing Formats and Caller Instructions

For callers within Albania, the national trunk prefix 0 must be dialed before the area code. Thus, a local call to a number in the 286 area would be placed as:

• 0 286 XXX XXX (national format)

International callers must dial Albania’s country calling code +355, followed by the area code without the leading zero, and then the subscriber number:

• +355 286 XXX XXX (international format)

For example, a landline number in Rrëshen might be 0 286 512 345 domestically, or +355 286 512 345 from abroad.

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

As of the latest AKEP numbering plan, there is no overlay code for the 286 area; the geographic code remains unique to the Mirditë region. Subscriber numbers within this code are typically 7 digits long when including the area code (excluding the trunk prefix). It is important to note that since the liberalization of the Albanian telecom market, fixed-line subscribers may have the option to retain their numbers when switching providers (number portability), but the geographic significance of the prefix remains unchanged.

Practical Guidance for Callers

When calling from a mobile phone within Albania, dialing the full national number (including the leading 0) is required. For international callers, it is advisable to check with your service provider for any additional charges, as calls to Albanian landlines may be billed at higher rates than calls to mobile numbers. Always verify the complete number, as omitting the leading zero in national calls or the area code in international calls will result in a failed connection.