Country code Zimbabwe, +263 or 00263?
There are two spellings for the Zimbabwe area code, namely +263 and 00263. Which area code do you have to use? What is the difference between the two country codes for Zimbabwe and what are the different versions for?
The country code of Zimbabwe that starts with a “+” (i.e. +263) 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 Zimbabwe using the +263 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 Zimbabwe with leading zeros (00263) 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 00263
In fact, the 00263 variant is used for calls to Zimbabwe, especially in Europe. In other countries of the world, the international code 00263 will not work. Example: In the USA, international calls to Zimbabwe start with 011. So an international call here starts with the area code 011263.
Conclusion
For calls from UK to Zimbabwe you can always use the country code 00263. In other countries, the two leading zeros must be replaced by a different access code. The international (+263) dialing code for Zimbabwe 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 Zimbabwe
To illustrate the use of the international dialing code Zimbabwe (+263 or 00263), here is another example:
You want to dial 456789 with the area code 0123 in Zimbabwe. In this case you can use the following numbers (from UK/Europe):
00263 123 456789
If you use a mobile phone, the following notation also applies worldwide:
+263 123 456789