Area Code 264 – Vreed-en-Hoop

Overview of Area Code +592 264

Area code 264 is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned within the Guyana numbering plan, corresponding to the town of Vreed-en-Hoop and its surrounding communities. Vreed-en-Hoop is the administrative capital of the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara region, located on the west bank of the Demerara River, opposite the capital city of Georgetown. The code serves fixed-line (PSTN) subscribers within this specific geographic exchange area.

Geographic Coverage and Administrative Jurisdiction

The 264 exchange area covers Vreed-en-Hoop and nearby localities along the west Demerara corridor, including areas such as Uitvlugt, Leonora, and Stewartville. These communities fall under the jurisdiction of the Region 3 (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) administrative district. The numbering area is defined by Guyana's telecommunications regulator, the Telecommunications Agency (TA), and is allocated to the national incumbent operator, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT), which historically provided fixed-line services in this region.

Dialing Formats and Caller Instructions

For callers within Guyana, dialing a number in the Vreed-en-Hoop area requires the national trunk prefix 0 followed by the area code and the subscriber number. The local number format is typically seven digits, with the area code being the first three digits. For example, a local call to a fixed-line subscriber would be dialed as 0 264 XXX XXXX.

For international callers, the full E.164 format must be used: the international access prefix (e.g., 011 from the US, 00 from most other countries), followed by Guyana's country code +592, then the area code without the leading trunk prefix, and the subscriber number. Thus, an international call would be dialed as +592 264 XXX XXXX.

Overlay Considerations and Numbering Changes

As of the latest available data, Guyana has not implemented overlay area codes for geographic exchanges. The 264 area code remains unique to the Vreed-en-Hoop exchange. However, the country has been transitioning toward a more liberalized telecommunications market, with the introduction of new operators and services. Subscribers in this area may have the option to choose alternative fixed-line providers, but the geographic NDC remains tied to the physical location of the exchange.

Practical Information for Callers

When calling from a mobile phone within Guyana, it is not necessary to include the trunk prefix '0' if the mobile network operator supports direct dialing; however, to ensure compatibility across all networks, it is recommended to use the full national format. For callers from abroad, it is essential to omit the leading '0' from the area code when dialing the international format. Always verify the subscriber number length, as some numbers may have been migrated to a different length during the national numbering plan updates.

For businesses or individuals in Vreed-en-Hoop, ensuring that their number is correctly listed in international directories with the +592 264 format is crucial for receiving calls from overseas clients and partners.