Area Code 76 – Samdrup Jongkhar

Overview of Area Code 76 in Bhutan

Area code 76 is a geographic destination code within the Kingdom of Bhutan's national numbering plan, aligned with the ITU-T E.164 standard. It serves the eastern region of the country, specifically the district of Samdrup Jongkhar, which shares a border with the Indian state of Assam. This code is used for fixed-line (PSTN) services within the district, including the main town of Samdrup Jongkhar and its surrounding administrative blocks.

Coverage and Administrative Jurisdiction

Samdrup Jongkhar is one of Bhutan's 20 districts (dzongkhags) and is part of the eastern zone. The area code covers the district's capital, also named Samdrup Jongkhar, as well as smaller towns and villages such as Dewathang and Phuntshothang. As a geographic code, it is tied to the physical location of the subscriber's line, and calls to numbers with this prefix are routed to the PSTN exchange serving that district.

Dialing Formats and Instructions

To call a fixed-line number in Samdrup Jongkhar, the national significant number (NSN) consists of the area code 76 followed by a subscriber number of typically 6 digits, making the total NSN length 8 digits. The full international format is +975 76 XXX XXX (where X represents the subscriber digits).

• Domestic calls (within Bhutan): Dial 76 XXX XXX (omit the trunk prefix, as Bhutan uses a closed numbering plan without a leading '0').
• International calls (from outside Bhutan): Dial your country's international access code (e.g., 011 from North America, 00 from most European countries), then 975 (Bhutan's country code), then 76, followed by the subscriber number. Example: +975 76 123 456.

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

As of the latest ITU-T operational bulletin, there are no overlay codes for Samdrup Jongkhar; the area code 76 is unique to this district. However, Bhutan's telecom regulator, the Bhutan InfoComm and Media Authority (BICMA), periodically reviews numbering resources. Subscribers in Samdrup Jongkhar may have migrated to VoIP or mobile services, but fixed-line numbers retain the geographic identity.

Caller Guidance

For local callers within Samdrup Jongkhar, dialing the full 8-digit number is required even for local calls, as Bhutan does not use a trunk prefix. For international callers, always ensure you have the correct country code and omit any leading '0' that might appear in local listings. If you experience difficulties, confirm the subscriber number length, as some older lines may have fewer digits.