Area Code 68 – El-Arish

Geographic Overview

The +20 68 country calling code and area code combination is assigned to the North Sinai Governorate in the Arab Republic of Egypt. The primary city served by this National Destination Code (NDC) is El-Arish, the capital and largest city of the governorate, located on the Mediterranean coast of the Sinai Peninsula. The code covers El-Arish and its surrounding administrative districts, including Bir al-Abd, Rafah, and Sheikh Zuweid, although network coverage may vary in remote areas.

Dialing Formats

For international callers, the full number is dialed as +20 68 XXX XXXX (or +20 68 XXXXXXX, depending on the local number length). For domestic calls within Egypt from a landline or mobile phone, callers dial 068 XXX XXXX. The national significant number (NSN) for El-Arish numbers is 9 digits, including the leading '0' of the area code when dialed domestically.

Calling Instructions

• From abroad: International access code + 20 + 68 + local number. Example: +20 68 234 5678.
• From within Egypt (other regions): Dial 0 + 68 + local number. Example: 068 234 5678.
• Local calls within El-Arish: Traditionally, local calls may be dialed using only the 7-digit subscriber number, but due to network modernization, it is recommended to always use the full national format (068 + number) to ensure connectivity.

Regulatory and Technical Notes

Egypt's numbering plan is administered by the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA). The 68 area code is a geographic code, meaning it is tied to a physical location. However, with the advent of number portability and VoIP services, subscribers may be physically located elsewhere. Calls to El-Arish are routed via the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and are subject to standard national and international tariffs. For callers within Egypt, the cost is typically that of a national long-distance call, unless included in a bundled calling plan. For international callers, charges vary by carrier.

When dialing from a mobile phone in Egypt, it is not necessary to add the trunk prefix '0' if you are dialing from a mobile to a landline in a different area code? Actually, the '0' is always required for domestic calls to geographic numbers, regardless of the originating line type. Ensure you have the correct number of digits; the total NSN length for geographic numbers in Egypt is 9 digits (including the leading '0' of the area code).

For businesses and individuals in El-Arish, it is advisable to display numbers in international format (+20 68 ...) on websites and marketing materials to facilitate global communication.