Area Code 5355 – Meknès

Overview of Area Code +212 5355

Area code 5355 is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to the city of Meknès and its surrounding areas in Morocco. When dialing from abroad, the full international format is +212 5355 XXX XXX, where the leading '0' of the national significant number is omitted. Within Morocco, callers must dial 05355 XXX XXX (including the trunk prefix '0'). This code is part of the fixed-line telephone network, managed by the national regulatory authority (ANRT), and is used by both residential and business subscribers connected to the PSTN.

Geographic Coverage and Administration

Meknès is one of Morocco's four Imperial Cities, located in the northern central part of the country. The area code 5355 serves the urban center of Meknès as well as nearby towns and rural communities within the prefecture of Meknès. This includes districts such as Hamria, Toulal, and Sidi Bouzekri. The code is administered by the national numbering plan, which allocates geographic codes based on administrative divisions. As a geographic number, it is tied to a physical location, and calls are routed over the traditional circuit-switched network or via VoIP gateways that interconnect with the PSTN.

Dialing Formats and Instructions

• National dialing (within Morocco): 05355 XXX XXX
• International dialing (from abroad): +212 5355 XXX XXX

For example, a landline in Meknès with the local number 123456 would be dialed as 05355 123456 from within Morocco, and as +212 5355 123456 from another country. When calling from a mobile phone in Morocco, it is essential to include the trunk prefix '0' even though the call is being made to a fixed line. Conversely, when calling from overseas, the '0' is dropped, and the country code +212 is used instead.

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

Currently, there is no overlay code for Meknès; the 5355 code is unique to the region. However, due to the growth of telecommunications services, the ANRT has implemented number portability, allowing subscribers to retain their numbers when changing operators. This means that a number with the 5355 prefix may be served by any licensed fixed-line operator, not just the incumbent. For callers, this does not affect dialing procedures. It is also worth noting that some numbers with the 5355 prefix may be used for VoIP services, but they remain geographically associated with Meknès for routing and emergency services purposes.

Practical Tips for Callers

If you are calling a Meknès number from a foreign country, always check the time difference (Morocco is on UTC+1, or UTC+0 during Ramadan). Ensure you have the correct international exit code for your country (e.g., 011 from the US, 00 from most European countries). For business travelers, it is advisable to store numbers in international format (+212 5355 ...) to avoid confusion when dialing from different locations. If you experience difficulties, confirm the number with the recipient, as a single digit error can route your call to a different region.