Area Code 79 – Kaohsiung

Overview of Taiwan Area Code 79

Taiwan's country calling code is +886, and the national numbering plan follows the ITU-T E.164 standard. Area code 79 is a geographic code assigned to the Kaohsiung metropolitan region, which includes the city of Kaohsiung and its surrounding administrative districts. This code is used for fixed-line (PSTN) services, and it is distinct from mobile prefixes, which are non-geographic and begin with 09.

Geographic Coverage and Administration

Kaohsiung is a special municipality in southern Taiwan, serving as a major industrial and port city. The 79 area code covers the entire Kaohsiung municipality, including districts such as Lingya, Gushan, Cianjhen, and the former Kaohsiung County areas that were merged into the city in 2010. The code is administered by the National Communications Commission (NCC) of Taiwan and is allocated to fixed-line operators like Chunghwa Telecom and other licensed carriers.

Dialing Formats

When dialing a Kaohsiung fixed-line number domestically from within Taiwan, you must include the trunk prefix '0' before the area code. The national format is: 0 79 X XXX XXX (where X represents the subscriber number). For example, a local number might be 07 123 4567 when written with the area code and subscriber number. Note that the area code is often written as '07' in domestic usage, but the leading '0' is dropped when dialing from abroad.

For international callers, the correct format is: +886 79 X XXX XXX. For instance, if the local number is 07 123 4567, you would dial +886 79 123 4567 from outside Taiwan. Always omit the leading '0' of the area code when using the international prefix.

Local and Overlay Considerations

Kaohsiung currently does not have an overlay code; 79 is the sole geographic area code for the region. Within the same area code, callers can typically dial the 7-digit subscriber number without the area code for local calls, but this practice may vary depending on the operator. For clarity, it is recommended to always include the area code when dialing from a mobile phone or from a different region.

Caller Instructions

For local callers within Kaohsiung: dial the 7-digit subscriber number directly (e.g., 123 4567) if your service provider supports local dialing. For callers from other parts of Taiwan: dial 0 79 followed by the subscriber number (e.g., 0 79 123 4567). For international callers: dial your country's exit code (e.g., 011 from the US), then Taiwan's country code 886, then the area code 79 (without the leading 0), and then the subscriber number (e.g., 011 886 79 123 4567).