Area Code 284 – São Jorge, Fogo

Overview of Area Code 284 (São Jorge, Fogo)

Area code 284 is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to the municipality of São Jorge on the island of Fogo, in the Republic of Cabo Verde (Cape Verde). The country's international dialing prefix is +238, and the national significant number (NSN) for fixed-line subscribers in this region is eight digits long, beginning with the NDC 284. Thus, a complete international number appears as +238 284 XXXX, where XXXX denotes the subscriber's unique line number.

São Jorge is one of the administrative divisions of Fogo, an island known for its volcanic landscape and the active Pico do Fogo volcano. The area code serves the town of São Jorge and its surrounding rural communities, providing PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) services to residential and business customers. As with other geographic codes in Cape Verde, the numbering plan follows the ITU-T E.164 recommendation, ensuring global interoperability.

Dialing Instructions

• Local calls (within Cape Verde): Dial the eight-digit national number directly: 284 XXXX. No trunk prefix is required.
• International calls from abroad: Dial your country's international access code (e.g., 00 from most European countries, 011 from the US/Canada), followed by Cape Verde's country code 238, then the eight-digit number: +238 284 XXXX.
• Calls to other regions in Cape Verde: Simply dial the eight-digit national number of the destination, as the country uses a closed numbering plan.

When calling from a mobile phone, the same international format applies. It is important to note that geographic numbers are tied to a physical location; however, with the advent of VoIP and number portability, a subscriber may be reachable at a different location, but the number retains its geographic significance for routing and tariff purposes.

Regulatory and Technical Notes

The National Communications Agency (Agência Nacional das Comunicações, ANAC) of Cape Verde oversees the allocation and management of numbering resources. Area code 284 is part of the fixed-line service, and its use is restricted to the São Jorge region. The network infrastructure is predominantly digital, supporting both voice and data services. For callers, understanding the geographic nature of the code helps in determining applicable tariffs, as calls to fixed lines are typically charged at lower rates than mobile or premium services.

For businesses or individuals planning to establish a presence in São Jorge, acquiring a local number with the 284 code can enhance local credibility and reduce communication costs for customers within the region. As Cape Verde continues to modernize its telecommunications sector, the numbering plan remains stable, ensuring that area codes like 284 will continue to serve the community reliably.