Area Code 272 – B/V West

Overview of Guyana Area Code 272

Area code 272 is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to the B/V West region of Guyana, under the country's national numbering plan administered in accordance with ITU-T E.164 recommendations. This code serves the western part of the country, encompassing the administrative regions of Barima-Waini (Region 1) and Pomeroon-Supenaam (Region 2), which are commonly referred to as the B/V West area. The region includes towns such as Mabaruma, Charity, and Anna Regina, and is known for its coastal and riverine communities.

Geographic Coverage and Administration

The 272 area code covers a vast but sparsely populated area in northwestern Guyana, bordering Venezuela and the Atlantic Ocean. The primary economic activities in this region include agriculture, fishing, and mining. The code is administered by the Guyana Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and is allocated to fixed-line services, including both traditional PSTN and VoIP-based fixed lines. Subscribers within this area are assigned numbers with the format +592 272 XXXX, where XXXX is the subscriber number, resulting in a total national significant number length of 7 digits (NDC + subscriber number).

Dialing Procedures

For local callers within Guyana, dialing a number in the 272 area code requires the national trunk prefix 0 followed by the area code and subscriber number: 0 272 XXXX. For example, to call a fixed line in Anna Regina, a caller in Georgetown would dial 0 272 1234. However, international callers must use the full international format: +592 272 XXXX (or 011 592 272 XXXX from North America). It is important to note that when dialing internationally, the leading trunk prefix '0' is omitted.

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

Currently, there is no overlay code for the 272 area; it remains a distinct geographic code. However, as Guyana's telecommunications market evolves, the PUC may introduce number portability and potential overlays. For now, callers should be aware that numbers beginning with 272 are geographically tied to the B/V West region, and routing is based on the physical location of the exchange, not the caller's location.

Caller Instructions

For local callers outside the 272 area, always include the trunk prefix and area code. For international callers, ensure you have the correct country code (+592) and omit any leading zero. For example, a caller from the UK would dial 00 592 272 XXXX. It is also advisable to confirm the subscriber number length, as some older numbers may have fewer digits, but the standard is 4 digits after the area code.