Area Code 256 – Victoria/Hope West

Geographic Overview

The area code 256 is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to the Victoria/Hope West region within the Demerara-Mahaica administrative jurisdiction of Guyana. This area is situated along the Atlantic coast, east of the capital, Georgetown, and encompasses communities such as Victoria, Hope, and their surrounding environs. The code serves fixed-line PSTN subscribers within this designated zone, providing local telephony services to residential, commercial, and governmental entities.

Dialing Formats

For local calls within Guyana (i.e., within the country but outside the local calling area), subscribers must dial the trunk prefix 0, followed by the NDC 256 and the subscriber's seven-digit number. For example, to reach a fixed line in Victoria from another region in Guyana, one would dial: 0 256 XXX XXXX.

For international callers, the ITU-T E.164 format applies: the country code +592, followed by the NDC 256 and the seven-digit subscriber number, with no leading zero. Thus, a call from abroad would be placed as: +592 256 XXX XXXX.

Within the same local calling area, subscribers may be able to dial just the seven-digit number, depending on the incumbent operator's dialing plan. However, it is always safe to use the full national format when dialing from a mobile phone or from a different fixed-line exchange.

Caller Instructions

• Local callers (within Guyana): Dial 0-256-XXX-XXXX from any fixed or mobile line outside the local area. If you are within the same exchange area, you may omit the trunk prefix and NDC, but confirm with your service provider.
• International callers: Dial your country's international access prefix (e.g., 011 from North America, 00 from most European countries), then 592, then 256, then the seven-digit number. Example: 011 592 256 XXX XXXX from the US.
• VoIP users: When using services like Skype or WhatsApp, always use the full international format: +592 256 XXX XXXX.

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

As of the latest ITU-T operational bulletins, Guyana has not implemented overlay codes for this geographic area. The 256 NDC remains unique to the Victoria/Hope West region. However, with the ongoing migration towards IP-based telephony, some numbers may be ported to VoIP providers, but the geographic significance of the NDC remains for routing and emergency services.

For accurate billing and routing, always confirm the correct number length: the national significant number (NSN) for Guyana is eight digits, comprising the NDC (3 digits) and the subscriber number (7 digits). This structure is consistent with the national numbering plan.