How will landline area codes change after province and city mergers?

On June 12, 2025, the 15th National Assembly passed Resolution No. 202/2025/QH15 on the arrangement of provincial-level administrative units, according to which the whole country has 34 provinces/cities (instead of 63 provinces/cities as before).

This change and arrangement of provincial administrative units affects the implementation of landline telephone area code planning. The Ministry of Science and Technology issued Document No. 2784/BKHCN-CVT guiding the implementation from July 1, 2025 as follows:

1. The fixed telephone area codes of 11 provinces/cities have not changed or fluctuated according to Resolution No. 202/2025/QH15 (including Hanoi , Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Hue, Ha Tinh, Lang Son, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Cao Bang, Quang Ninh, Son La) and remain in operation according to current legal regulations (regulations on routing, dialing principles, billing declaration...).

2. The fixed telephone area codes of 23 new provinces/cities are arranged from 02 provinces/cities or more according to Resolution No. 202/2025/QH15 (including Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai, Thai Nguyen, Phu Tho, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Hai Phong, Ninh Binh, Quang Tri, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong, Dak Lak, Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Can Tho, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, Ca Mau, An Giang) are implemented as follows:

- New provinces/cities temporarily use in parallel the fixed telephone area codes of the reorganized provinces/cities (for example, Tuyen Quang province is newly reorganized from Tuyen Quang province (area code 207) and Ha Giang province (area code 219), then it can use in parallel the area code 207 and area code 219) according to current legal regulations until there is an announcement from the Ministry of Science and Technology.

- Apply the principle of direct dialing to landline subscribers with the same area code and dial the area code for phone subscribers with different area codes but within the same province/city. Apply the local rate for subscribers with the same area code and subscribers with different area codes within a new province/city. In case a landline subscriber in the new province/city dials to a subscriber in another province/city and vice versa, dial the area code and apply the inter-provincial rate according to current legal regulations.

For example, the new Tuyen Quang province (including 02 area codes 207 and 219) then:

- Subscribers with the same area code 207 (or area code 219) can dial directly and apply local rates.

- Subscribers with area code 207 dial the area code when dialing to subscribers with area code 219 (or vice versa) and local rates apply.

- Subscribers with area code 207 (or area code 219) dial the area code when dialing to subscribers with area code of another province/city (or vice versa) and inter-provincial rates apply.

3. The fixed telephone area codes of new provinces/cities arranged from 02 or more old provincial-level administrative units according to Resolution No. 202/2025/QH15 are expected to use the area codes currently associated with the names of the new provinces/cities (for example, the two provinces of Tuyen Quang (area code 207) and Ha Giang (area code 219) are arranged into Tuyen Quang province, then the area code of the new Tuyen Quang province will be 207).

LIST OF LANDLINE TELEPHONE AREA CODES OF PROVINCES AND CITIES BEFORE AND EXPECTED AFTER ARRANGEMENT