Area code 671
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The area code 671 is the local telephone area code of Guam. It was created in 1997 replacing Guam's previous country code, 671.
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[edit] Origins
Prior to 1997, callers from the rest of the United States had to dial 011-671- and then the seven-digit telephone number to reach Guam (essentially an international call). As international calling rates began to fall in the more competitive destination countries during the 1990s, it became a considerable financial burden for people on the U.S. Mainland to call family members or friends in the U.S. territory of Guam, especially for those who were stationed in U.S. military bases there.
[edit] Cost of Domestic Calls
After Guam was added to the North American Numbering Plan, the FCC regulated calls to and from Guam as "domestic", hence dramatically lowered the cost of these telephone calls. This change also opened up national toll-free numbers (area codes 800, 888, 877 and 866) to callers from Guam, which became very popular with the advent of pre-paid phone cards.
However, since no U.S. national mobile telephone carriers have presence on Guam, cellular calls into Guam are not necessarily considered "domestic" or within the definition of "nationwide long distance".
[edit] Cost of International Calls
FCC's regulation of Guam as "domestic" has no legal effect for telephone carriers outside the United States, for whom Guam is often not a competitive destination. Therefore, calls from other countries inbound to Guam can still be relatively expensive, especially compared to outbound calls from Guam since Guam is now open to the U.S.-based phone card market through toll-free access.
[edit] Dialing
Within Guam, only the seven-digit phone number is necessary. When a person in Guam calls anywhere in the United States or Canada, he or she simply dials 1 and then the area code and phone number. For callers in the US or Canada calling to Guam, one first dials 1-671, followed by the seven-digit phone number.
[edit] Prefixes
With a population of less than 200,000, the number of prefixes on Guam are limited.
Here is a list of landline prefixes on Guam and their associated geographic locations:
- 3XX: U.S. Military
- 47X: Hagatna, Agana Heights, Asan-Maina, Piti, Chalan-Pago-Ordot, Mongmong-Toto-Maite
- 56X: Agat, Santa Rita
- 63X: Dededo
- 64X: Tamuning
- 65X: Yigo
- 73X: Mangilao, Barrigada
- 789: Yona, Talofofo
- 828: Merizo, Inarajan, Umatac
