Country code Kiribati (Gilbert Islands), +686 or 00686?
There are two spellings for the area code Kiribati (Gilbert Islands), namely +686 and 00686. Which area code do you have to use? What is the difference between the two country codes for Kiribati (Gilbert Islands) and what are the different versions for?
The country code of Kiribati (Gilbert Islands) that starts with a “+” (i.e. +686) is the so-called international code (international spelling). It is primarily used in the mobile communications sector. Most cell phones can make an international call to Kiribati (Gilbert Islands) using the +686 area code. This applies to almost every country in the world.
Unfortunately, there are phones (especially older models) that do not support the international spelling. The area code Kiribati (Gilbert Islands) with leading zeros (00686) is then used on these phones. The leading zeros are also referred to as the so-called traffic elimination number. When you call, they indicate that it is an international call.
Problem: Access code and area code 00686
In fact, the 00686 variant is used for calls to Kiribati (Gilbert Islands), especially in Europe. In other countries of the world, the international code 00686 will not work. Example: In the USA, international calls to Kiribati (Gilbert Islands) begin with 011. An international call here begins with the area code 011686.
Conclusion
For calls from UK to Kiribati (Gilbert Islands) you can always use the country code 00686. In other countries, the two leading zeros must be replaced by a different access code. The international dialing code (+686) of the Kiribati (Gilbert Islands) country code works in all countries in the world. However, it is not supported in all networks and by all telephone devices.
Example of phone calls to Kiribati (Gilbert Islands)
To illustrate the use of the international dialing codes Kiribati (Gilbert Islands) (+686 or 00686) here is an example again:
You want to call the number 456789 with the area code 0123 in Kiribati (Gilbert Islands). In this case you can use the following numbers (from UK/Europe):
00686 123 456789
If you use a mobile phone, the following notation also applies worldwide:
+686 123 456789