Area Code 916 – Tual

Overview of Area Code 916 (Tual, Indonesia)

Area code 916 is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to the city of Tual and its surrounding regency in the province of Maluku, Indonesia. Tual is located on the southeastern coast of the island of Kei Besar, part of the Kei Islands group. The code serves the administrative center of the Southeast Maluku Regency (Maluku Tenggara) and includes nearby towns and villages within the regency.

Geographic Coverage and Jurisdiction

The 916 code covers Tual city proper and the broader Southeast Maluku Regency, which encompasses several islands in the Kei archipelago. Key areas served include the urban center of Tual, the port of Tual, and the surrounding districts such as Dullah, Kei Kecil, and parts of the Kei Besar island. As a geographic code, it is tied to the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) infrastructure of the region, although modern services may also be delivered over VoIP or mobile networks.

Dialing Formats

To call a fixed-line number in Tual from within Indonesia (outside the 916 area), you must dial the trunk prefix 0, followed by the area code 916, and then the subscriber number. For example, if the local subscriber number is 123456, the domestic dialing format would be: 0916 123456. When calling from within the same area code, local calls may be made using only the subscriber number (7-digit), but it is recommended to use the full national format to avoid confusion.

For international callers, the format is: +62 916 123456 (drop the leading 0). The country code for Indonesia is +62, and the area code 916 is used without the trunk prefix. For example, a caller from the United States would dial 011 62 916 123456.

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

As of the latest ITU-T E.164 national numbering plan, there is no overlay code for 916; the code is exclusively assigned to the Tual region. Subscriber numbers within the 916 area are typically 7 digits long, but the total length of a national significant number (NSN) is 9 digits (excluding the trunk prefix). The Indonesian numbering plan is closed, meaning that the NSN length is fixed for geographic codes.

Caller Instructions

• Local callers (within Tual): If you are dialing from a fixed-line phone within the 916 area, you may need to dial only the 7-digit subscriber number, depending on your local exchange. However, to ensure successful routing, it is advisable to dial the full national format: 0916 123456.
• Domestic callers (outside Tual): Dial 0 + 916 + subscriber number (e.g., 0916 123456).
• International callers: Dial your country's exit code (e.g., 00 from many countries, 011 from the US/Canada), then 62 (Indonesia country code), then 916 (without the leading 0), then the subscriber number. Example: +62 916 123456.

For mobile calls to Tual, note that mobile numbers in Indonesia begin with 08 (e.g., 0812, 0852) and are not related to geographic area codes. If you are calling a Tual fixed-line number from a mobile phone, the same dialing rules apply as for domestic landline calls.