Area Code 291 – Bac Lieu province

Overview of Area Code 291

Area code 291 is the National Destination Code (NDC) assigned to the province of Bạc Liêu in the Mekong Delta region of southern Vietnam. Under the ITU-T E.164 international dialing standard, the full international number format for fixed-line subscribers in Bạc Liêu is +84 291 XXX XXXX, where +84 is the country calling code for Vietnam and 291 is the geographic area code. This code is used exclusively for fixed-line (PSTN) services, including traditional copper lines and some fixed wireless terminals. It is not used for mobile services, which operate under separate non-geographic prefixes (e.g., 90, 91, 93, 94, 96, 97, 98, 99).

Geographic Coverage and Administrative Jurisdiction

The 291 area code covers the entire administrative boundary of Bạc Liêu province, which includes the provincial capital Bạc Liêu City and the districts of Hồng Dân, Phước Long, Vĩnh Lợi, Đông Hải, and Hòa Bình. The province is located on the southern coast of Vietnam, bordered by Cà Mau to the west, Sóc Trăng to the east, and the South China Sea to the south. The area code is geographically fixed, meaning that a landline number with the 291 prefix is physically tied to the PSTN infrastructure within these boundaries. If a subscriber moves outside the province, they must obtain a new local number with the appropriate area code for their new location.

Dialing Formats and Caller Instructions

Within Vietnam, calls to a Bạc Liêu fixed-line number require the trunk prefix 0 followed by the area code and the subscriber number. The national dialing format is 0 291 XXX XXXX. For example, to call a landline in Bạc Liêu from Ho Chi Minh City, you would dial: 0 291 123 4567 (assuming 1234567 is the 7-digit local number). For international callers, the format is +84 291 XXX XXXX (or 0084 291 XXX XXXX from many countries). For example, from the United States, you would dial: 011 84 291 123 4567. When dialing locally within the same area code, the trunk prefix and area code may be omitted, and you can dial just the 7-digit subscriber number, e.g., 123 4567. However, due to the increasing use of VoIP and mobile phones, it is recommended to always use the full national or international format to avoid routing errors.

Overlay and Numbering Plan Considerations

As of the latest ITU-T national numbering plan updates, there is no overlay code for Bạc Liêu; the 291 area code remains the sole geographic code for the province. The subscriber number length is 7 digits, resulting in a total national significant number length of 10 digits (including the leading 0) and an international number length of 11 digits (including +84 but excluding the trunk prefix). This structure aligns with Vietnam's national numbering plan, which was standardized in 2017 to ensure sufficient numbering capacity for all provinces. No changes to the 291 area code are anticipated in the near future, but users should always verify current dialing procedures with their service provider, especially when using VoIP or international calling services.