Calling to Tanzania
- Do not include a leading ‘0’ in the international call sequence – it is only used in Tanzania for domestic long distance calls and domestic calls to a mobile phone.
- Callers from Uganda and Kenya can substitute ‘007’ for the exit code and country code in the call sequence.
- A leading '+' in the phone number means 'dial your country's exit code'.
- Calling from a mobile phone: dial from on the country where you're currently located.
- Calling from a VoIP or satellite phone: dial from on the country where the phone is registered.
… to a mobile (cellular) phone or text (SMS)
Use the same call sequence.
Mobile phone numbers begin with ‘6’ and ‘7’. Phone numbers are often listed as ’06’ or ’07,’ but the leading ‘0’ is not dialed when calling from outside the country. The second and third digit of the phone number designates the mobile provider.
When calling a mobile phone user, dial to the country where the mobile phone is registered, regardless of where the person is roaming.
… to a VoIP phone
Use the same call sequence.
VoIP phone numbers begin with ‘4’.
When calling a VoIP phone user, dial to the country where the VoIP phone is registered, regardless of where the person is roaming.
… to a satellite phone
Tanzania does not have a country-specific satellite phone system.
Most satellite phones operate on their country code – calls to these satellite phones follow their call sequence.
… sending a fax
Use the same call sequence.
Calling within Tanzania (domestic dialing)
‘0’ is used as a trunk prefix for calling to a different area code within Tanzania.
Local calling (within the same area code)
To call within the same area code in Tanzania dial only the local six-digit local number. Do not dial the trunk prefix ‘0’ or the area code.
| ”seven |
| ”local |
Long distance calling (to a different area code, or from a mobile phone)
To call to a different area code within Tanzania dial the trunk prefix ‘0’, then the two digit area code, then the local phone number.
| 0 | two digits | seven digits |
| trunk prefix | area code | local phone number |
Mobile calling (to a mobile phone)
To call a mobile phone within Tanzania dial the trunk prefix ‘0’, then the three digit carrier code, then the local phone number.
| 0 | two to three digits | six to seven digits |
| trunk prefix | carrier code | local phone number |
Tanzanian phone numbers explained
Number details
Kenyan numbers are nine digits.
The first two digits are an area code. The area code is sometimes listed as a three digit number starting with ‘0’ but the leading ‘0’ is not dialed when Tanzania is called from an international location.
Mobile numbers are represented by area codes starting with ‘6’ or ‘7’.
An example of a Tanzanian phone number
The Protea Hotel Courtyard lists its phone number in Dar es Salaam as +255 (0) 22 213 0130.
Number explanation
| 255 | 22 | 213 0130 |
| country code for Tanzania | area (geographic) code for Dar es Salaam | remainder of the subscriber phone number |
Local example – calling from another location in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
To call within the same area code dial only the local phone number. Do not dial the trunk prefix ‘0’ or the area code.
| 213 0130 |
| local subscriber phone number |
Long distance example – calling from Kigoma, Tanzania (on the other side of the country)
To call from a different area code, dial the trunk prefix ‘0’, then the area code, then the local phone number.
| 0 | 22 | 213 0130 |
| trunk prefix | area (geographic) code for Dar es Salam | remainder of subscriber phone number |
Mobile phone example – calling from a mobile phone (including a foreign mobile roaming in Tanzania)
To call from a different area code, dial the trunk prefix ‘0’, then the area code, then the local phone number.
| 0 | 22 | 213 0130 |
| trunk prefix | area (geographic) code for Dar es Salam | remainder of subscriber phone number |
International example – calling from outside Tanzania
To call from outside Tanzania, dial the exit code of the country the call is dialed from, followed by Tanzania’s country code of ‘255’, followed by the local phone number.
Do not dial any leading ‘0’ listed in the Tanzanian phone number.
| exit code | 255 | 22 | 213 0130 |
| exit code of the country the call is dialed from | country code for Tanzania | area (geographic) code for Dar es Salam | remainder of subscriber phone number |
Calling from Tanzania
…to all countries except Kenya and Uganda
‘000’ is used as an exit code when dialing an international call from Tanzania.
…to Kenya and Uganda
Kenya and Uganda can be called through an alternative dialing process that is a remnant of the East African Posts and Telecommunications Corporation.
Kenya
The Kenyan switchboard can be reached by dialing ‘005’ ahead of the local Tanzanian phone number.
| 005 | local phone number |
| direct dial from Tanzania or Uganda to Kenya | local phone number within Kenya |
Uganda
The Ugandan switchboard can be reached by dialing ‘006’ ahead of the local Ugandan phone number.
| 006 | local phone number |
| direct dial from Kenya or Tanzania to Uganda | local phone number within Uganda |
Sources and more resources
- Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) – Tanzania’s telephone systems regulator.
- ITU (International Telecommunications Union) – United Nations specialized agency for information and communications technologies.
- International Telecommunications Union – DIALLING PROCEDURES (INTERNATIONAL PREFIX, NATIONAL (TRUNK) PREFIX AND NATIONAL (SIGNIFICANT) NUMBER) (IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITU-T RECOMMENDATION E.164 (11/2010)) – A collection of dialing procedures for all countries and regions of the world. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- International Telecommunications Union – Tanzania (country code +255) National Numbering Plan – Details of Tanzania’s telephone numbering plan as submitted to the ITU. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
- Wikipedia – Telephone numbers in Tanzania – Wikipedia entry for telephone number data for Tanzania. Includes specific number ranges for each city as well as detail on calling procedures.
- BT – The Phonebook – Tanzania – Entry for Tanzania in the British Telecom international directory.