Area Code 98 – Fujairah

Overview of Fujairah's Geographic Code +971 98

Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates' easternmost emirate, is served by the geographic area code 98 under the country's national numbering plan. This code is allocated to the Emirate of Fujairah, which borders the Gulf of Oman and is strategically located outside the Persian Gulf coastline. The code covers the city of Fujairah, the port of Fujairah, and surrounding towns such as Dibba Al-Fujairah, Masafi, and Al Bidiya. As a geographic code, it is used exclusively for fixed-line (PSTN) services, including residential, business, and government landlines, and is administered by the UAE's Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).

Fujairah's economy is driven by its deep-sea port, free zone, and growing tourism sector, making the +971 98 code essential for local enterprises, hotels, and public services. The code is also used for fax lines and legacy analog services, though VoIP adoption is increasing.

Dialing Formats and Instructions

Understanding the correct dialing sequence is crucial for both domestic and international callers. The full international format for a Fujairah landline is +971 98 XXX XXXX (or +971 9 8XX XXXX when written with spaces). The national significant number (NSN) is 9 8XX XXXX, which includes the trunk prefix '0' when dialed domestically.

• Domestic calls (within UAE): Dial 0 9 8XX XXXX. The leading '0' is the trunk prefix, and '9' is the first digit of the area code (since the full area code is 98). Example: To call a Fujairah landline number 234 5678, dial 09 234 5678.
• International calls (from abroad): Dial your country's exit code (e.g., 011 from the US, 00 from most European countries), then the UAE country code 971, followed by the area code 98 and the subscriber number. Example: From the US, dial 011 971 9 234 5678.
• Local calls within Fujairah: In most cases, you can dial the 7-digit subscriber number directly (e.g., 234 5678), but to avoid confusion, always use the full national format when calling from mobile networks.

Note that the area code '98' is not to be confused with the international country code for Iran (+98). When dialing from abroad, always include the UAE country code +971 before the area code.

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

As of the latest TDRA updates, there is no overlay code for Fujairah; the 98 code remains exclusive to the emirate. However, due to the UAE's mobile number portability (MNP) regulations, subscribers may retain their mobile numbers when switching operators, but fixed-line numbers are generally tied to the geographic location. For businesses operating across multiple emirates, it is common to have separate lines with different area codes. When calling from a mobile phone within the UAE, you must always dial the full national number (including the '0'), as mobile networks do not recognize abbreviated local dialing.

For international callers, it is advisable to store numbers in the international format (+971 9 8XX XXXX) to ensure compatibility with all networks and VoIP services. Fujairah's code is also used for emergency services and government hotlines, though these are typically short codes (e.g., 999 for police).