Area Code 552 – Gujranwala

Overview of Area Code 552 (Gujranwala)

Area code 552 is the National Destination Code (NDC) for the city of Gujranwala and its surrounding administrative areas in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is a geographic code assigned under the national numbering plan, which follows ITU-T E.164 recommendations. The code is used for fixed-line (PSTN) services within the Gujranwala Telephone District, which is operated by the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) and other licensed local loop operators.

Geographic Coverage and Jurisdiction

The 552 code covers the Gujranwala District, including the city itself, as well as nearby towns and rural areas such as Wazirabad, Kamoke, and Nowshera Virkan. These areas fall under the administrative jurisdiction of the Gujranwala Division. The code is assigned to the Gujranwala exchange area, which is part of the larger Punjab region's numbering scheme.

Dialing Formats

To call a fixed-line number in Gujranwala, the dialing format depends on the caller's location:

• Local calls (within Gujranwala): Dial only the 7-digit subscriber number. For example, if the number is 1234567, dial 1234567.
• Domestic long-distance calls (from other cities in Pakistan): Dial the trunk prefix 0, followed by the area code 552, and then the 7-digit subscriber number. For example, to call 1234567 from Karachi, dial 0 552 1234567.
• International calls (from outside Pakistan): Dial the international access prefix (e.g., 00 or +), then Pakistan's country code 92, followed by the area code 552 (without the leading 0), and the subscriber number. For example, from the United States, dial 011 92 552 1234567 or +92 552 1234567.

Numbering Structure

Subscriber numbers in Gujranwala are 7 digits long, making the total length of a national significant number (NSN) 10 digits when including the area code (without the trunk prefix). The structure is: 0-552-XXXXXXX for domestic dialing, and +92-552-XXXXXXX for international dialing.

Overlay and Dialing Considerations

As of the latest updates, there is no overlay code for Gujranwala; the 552 code remains the sole geographic code for the area. However, with the growth of telecommunications, some fixed-line numbers may have been migrated to VoIP services, but the dialing format remains the same. Callers should always verify the number length and include the appropriate prefixes to ensure successful connection.

Caller Instructions

For local callers within Gujranwala, omitting the area code is standard. For domestic callers outside the area, the trunk prefix 0 is mandatory. International callers must drop the 0 and use the +92 country code. It is also important to note that while mobile numbers in Pakistan have their own prefixes (e.g., 3xx), fixed-line numbers under 552 are not portable to mobile networks, so the area code remains relevant for routing calls to physical locations.