🇿🇲Zambia Calling Guide

Zambia International
Code is +260

Connecting to Lusaka, Ndola, or Livingstone? The country code for Zambia is +260. Make high-quality calls to any Zambian mobile or landline directly from your browser, bypassing expensive roaming charges.

How to Dial
Calling ZambiaReady
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How to Call Zambia Step-by-Step

Follow these simple steps to connect to any landline or mobile in Zambia.

1

Exit Code

Dial your country's exit code.
011 (USA/Canada)
00 (UK/Europe)
(Or just hold 0 to get + on mobile)

2

Zambia Code (+260)

Dial +260. This routes your call to the Zambian telecom network.

3

Area Code & Number

Dial the city code or mobile prefix.Important: Drop the leading zero!

The "Drop the Zero" Rule

Zambian area codes and mobile prefixes start with '0' (e.g., 0211 for Lusaka, 097 for Airtel). When calling from abroad, you must remove this zero.

Landline (Lusaka)
+260 0211 123 456
Mobile (Airtel)
+260 097 123 4567

Zambia City Codes

Use these area codes for landline calls. Remember to drop the '0' when dialing internationally.

CityRegionArea Code
LusakaLusaka Province0211
NdolaCopperbelt0212
KitweCopperbelt0212
LivingstoneSouthern0213
ChomaSouthern0213
CityRegionArea Code
KabweCentral0215
ChipataEastern0216
MonguWestern0217
SolweziNorth-Western0218
KasamaNorthern0214
Mobile Networks

Zambia Mobile Prefixes

Identify the carrier by the prefix. Dial +260 followed by these numbers (dropping the first 0).

097 / 077
Airtel Zambia
096 / 076
MTN Zambia
095 / 055
Zamtel (Mobile)
056
Zamtel (Data/LTE)

Cheap Calls to Zambia
Without Roaming Fees

Whether you are calling for business in the Copperbelt, connecting with family in Lusaka, or reaching out to tourism operators in Livingstone, StartACall offers premium quality lines at a fraction of carrier costs.

  • Crystal clear voice quality to Airtel, MTN & Zamtel
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Best Rates

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Nationwide

Reach any number in Zambia, from Chipata to Mongu.

Secure

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Instant

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the country code for Zambia?

The country calling code for Zambia is +260. You must dial this after your country's exit code (011 for US, 00 for Europe) and before the area code.

How do I call a mobile number in Zambia?

Zambian mobile numbers are 10 digits long and start with 09 or 07 (e.g., 097, 096). When calling from abroad, drop the leading '0'. Dial +260 followed by the 9-digit mobile number (e.g., +260 97 123 4567).

What are the area codes for major cities?

Lusaka is 0211, Ndola and Kitwe are 0212, and Livingstone is 0213. Remember to remove the '0' when dialing internationally (e.g., +260 211... for Lusaka).

Can I use StartACall for business calls to Zambia?

Yes, StartACall provides high-quality, low-latency VoIP connections suitable for professional business calls. We support calls to both landlines and mobile networks like Airtel, MTN, and Zamtel.

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Getting Zambia Right on +260: Networks, City Codes, and the Copperbelt

In short

Zambia's +260 numbering is compact once you know its shape: three mobile networks with recognizable prefixes, a handful of city codes led by Lusaka's 211, and a trunk zero that drops internationally. Here is how to dial it correctly, when to call, and what drives cost on this route.

Mobile Prefixes by Network

Zambian mobiles are written locally with prefixes in the 09x and 07x ranges, and each maps to an operator. Airtel uses 097 and 077, MTN uses 096 and 076, and the state operator Zamtel uses 095 and 075. Most personal numbers you receive from Zambia will start with one of these.

Internationally the leading zero disappears, so a 097 number dials as +260 97 followed by the remaining seven digits. A complete Zambian number is nine digits after the country code; ten means the zero is still attached. Strip it and redial to connect.

Zambia runs number portability as well, so treat the operator mapping as a strong hint rather than a guarantee on older numbers. The dialing never changes, since all three networks sit behind the same +260 code and the same nine digit national format.

Lusaka, the Copperbelt, and Other City Codes

Fixed lines carry area codes by region. Lusaka uses 211, the Copperbelt cities of Ndola and Kitwe use 212, and Livingstone near Victoria Falls uses 213. As with mobiles, the locally written zero before the code drops when dialing from abroad.

Landlines are a shrinking share of Zambian telephony outside government and larger businesses, so expect most contacts, including guesthouses and tour operators around Livingstone, to hand you a mobile number instead. Government offices remain the main exception, still reachable on fixed lines.

Businesses in Lusaka's commercial districts increasingly publish mobile numbers as their primary line, keeping the 211 landline as a formality. If a company lists both, try the mobile first, since it is usually the number that staff actually carry and answer during the day.

Time Zone and Sensible Hours

Zambia observes Central Africa Time, UTC+2, all year with no daylight saving, which puts it level with Johannesburg and one hour ahead of London in summer, two in winter. European callers barely need to plan, since working days overlap almost completely.

From North America the gap is larger: New York runs six to seven hours behind Lusaka, so a 9 am call from the US East Coast arrives in the Zambian mid-afternoon. From India, subtract three and a half hours, meaning a 7 pm call from Mumbai reaches Lusaka at 3:30 pm.

Reachability in Zambia often depends on power and coverage more than on the clock. Load shedding and thin rural signal can silence a mobile for hours, so a failed call to an up-country number usually means retry later, not that the digits are wrong.

What Calls to Zambia Cost

African mobile routes are priced individually by carriers, and Zambia's three networks can rate slightly differently, so check the per-minute price for the specific prefix. VoIP rates are typically a fraction of what mobile carriers charge for direct international dialing.

StartACall places calls to +260 numbers from the browser over WebRTC with pay-as-you-go pricing, no app, no SIM, and no connection fee, and the first call is free, which is enough to confirm a Lusaka or Kitwe number connects cleanly.

Frequently asked questions

How do I dial a Zambian 097 mobile from overseas?+

Drop the leading zero and dial +260 97 plus the remaining seven digits, or your exit code then 260 97. The zero is only used inside Zambia. The result is nine digits after the country code.

Which operator owns which Zambian prefix?+

Airtel uses 097 and 077, MTN uses 096 and 076, and Zamtel uses 095 and 075. All are dialed identically from abroad after +260. Portability means older numbers may have switched networks.

What is Lusaka's area code?+

211 for fixed lines, dialed from abroad as +260 211 and the local number. Ndola and Kitwe on the Copperbelt use 212, and Livingstone uses 213. The leading zero written locally drops internationally.

Does Zambia change clocks for daylight saving?+

No. Zambia stays on UTC+2 year round, matching South Africa. The offset from Europe shifts only because Europe changes its own clocks. Only your own clock changes ever move the offset.

Are calls to Victoria Falls hotels on Zambian numbers?+

Hotels on the Zambian side of the falls use +260 numbers, often Livingstone's 213 code or mobiles. The Zimbabwean side uses +263, a different country code entirely, so confirm which bank of the river you are calling.

Last reviewed June 2026Reviewed by the StartACall calling teamDialing rules cross checked against ITU international dialing procedures
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