You’re staring at your phone, a missed call blinking back at you, and the screen says it started with a +67. Or maybe you're trying to dial out to a niche corner of the Pacific and you've got "67" written on a sticky note. Here’s the reality: if you're looking for a standalone 67 calling code, you’re going to be looking for a long time.
It doesn't exist.
International calling codes aren't just random numbers tossed into a bucket by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). They follow a very specific, geographic logic. The world is carved into nine zones. Zone 6 covers Southeast Asia and Oceania. This is why when you see a +6, you know you're dealing with that side of the globe. But the ITU-T Recommendation E.164, which is basically the rulebook for how phone numbers work globally, hasn't assigned "67" as a single entity to any country. Instead, 67 is the "trunk" for a bunch of three-digit codes.
It’s a common mistake. People see +61 for Australia or +64 for New Zealand and assume +67 must belong to someone nearby. It kinda does, but you're missing a digit.
The +67X family: Who actually owns these numbers?
If you received a call starting with 67, your phone likely clipped off the third digit or you just didn't notice it. The 67 prefix is actually the gateway to several island nations in the Pacific.
Think of it like an apartment building. "6" is the neighborhood. "67" is the specific building. But you still need the apartment number to actually find anyone.
- +670: This one belongs to East Timor (Timor-Leste). Interestingly, it wasn't always theirs. Before East Timor gained independence, +670 was actually the code for the Northern Mariana Islands. Now, those islands are part of the North American Numbering Plan, so they use +1 just like the US.
- +672: This is a weird one. It’s for Australian External Territories. We’re talking about Norfolk Island and the Australian Antarctic Territory. Yes, penguins technically have a country code, though you're mostly calling researchers at Davis or Mawson stations.
- +673: This is the Sultanate of Brunei. If you're calling Bandar Seri Begawan, this is your number.
- +674: This belongs to Nauru, the tiny island nation that’s actually the smallest republic in the world.
- +675: Papua New Guinea.
- +676: Tonga.
- +677: Solomon Islands.
- +678: Vanuatu.
- +679: Fiji.
See the pattern? All these places are clustered in the same geographic region. The ITU isn't chaotic; they’re librarians. They grouped these Pacific nations under the 67 umbrella because it made routing calls through international switches significantly more efficient back in the days of physical copper wires and analog exchanges.
Why you might be seeing a 67 calling code on your ID
If your caller ID literally just says "+67" without a third number, you should probably be a bit suspicious.
Scammers love the "Wangiri" or "one-ring" scam. They use VOIP (Voice over IP) technology to spoof numbers. Sometimes they don't even bother to spoof a full, valid number. They just want to look "international" and "exotic" enough that you'll be curious. You see +67, you think, "Is that my cousin in Fiji? Or maybe a business opportunity?" You call back. Boom. You're connected to a premium rate number that charges you $20 a minute while they play a recording of "please hold."
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Honestly, it’s a classic trap.
Modern smartphones are usually smart enough to identify the country name automatically. If your iPhone says "Vanuatu" or "East Timor," it’s reading that third digit. If it just says "International" or "+67," there’s a high probability the metadata of that call is messed up or intentionally obscured.
A quick history of the +670 shuffle
I mentioned East Timor earlier, and it’s a perfect example of how geopolitical shifts change the way we dial. Before 2003, if you wanted to call East Timor, you had to go through the Indonesian country code (+62) because of the occupation. Once independence was settled, they needed their own identity. The ITU looked at the 67 block.
The Northern Mariana Islands had moved over to the +1 code (specifically area code 670) in the late 90s. This left the international prefix +670 vacant. The ITU handed it over to East Timor.
This is why, if you look at old phone books or archived business directories from the 1980s, you’ll see +670 listed for Saipan. If you try to use that today, you're going to end up talking to someone in Dili instead of the Marianas.
How to dial these numbers correctly
If you actually need to reach someone in the 67 zone, don't just dial 67 and hope for the best. You need the full sequence.
- The Exit Code: If you’re in the US or Canada, this is 011. In Europe or most of the rest of the world, it's 00. If you're on a mobile phone, you can just hold down the 0 key to get a +.
- The Country Code: Pick the right one from the list above (e.g., 679 for Fiji).
- The Area Code/Subscriber Number: Most of these island nations don't have complex area codes because their populations are small. You usually just dial the local number directly after the country code.
For example, calling a hotel in Suva, Fiji, from a US cell phone would look like: + 679 [Local Number].
No extra zeros. People often try to add a 0 between the country code and the local number. Don't do that. It’ll break the connection. That "trunk prefix" is usually only for calls made within that specific country.
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The technical side: Why "67" isn't enough for the switch
When you hit "call," your request hits a local exchange. It looks at the first few digits to decide where to send the data.
In the world of telecommunications, this is called Least Cost Routing. If the exchange sees "6," it knows the call has to go to the Asia-Pacific gateway. If it sees "67," it narrows it down further. But the switch can't actually complete the "handshake" with a foreign carrier until it knows exactly which nation it’s talking to.
Vanuatu and Tonga have different carriers. They have different settlement rates (the fee one company pays another to handle the call). Without that third digit—the 8 or the 6—the call just sits in limbo. It’s like sending a letter addressed to "Main Street, London." Which London? Which Main Street?
The curious case of Norfolk Island (+672)
Norfolk Island is a tiny speck in the ocean with a fascinating history, and its phone code is equally niche. Because it’s an Australian territory but physically far away, it uses the +672 prefix.
What’s wild is that the Australian Antarctic Territory also uses +672.
If you are calling a scientist at Casey Station or Mawson Station in Antarctica, you are technically using the "67" trunk. It’s one of the few places on earth where the phone code covers more penguins than people. Usually, these calls are routed via satellite (Inmarsat or similar), which is why there’s often a half-second delay in the conversation. You speak, the signal goes to space, comes down to a frozen dish in the snow, and then the scientist hears you.
Common misconceptions about 67 codes
A lot of people think these codes are for "satellite phones."
While some satellite services use prefixes like +870 (Inmarsat) or +881 (Iridium), the 67 series is strictly for terrestrial nations and territories. If you see a call from +675, it’s coming from a cell tower or a landline in Papua New Guinea, not a spy on a satellite phone in the middle of the Atlantic.
Another myth is that 67 is a "new" code.
Actually, most of these assignments have been in place for decades. The only thing that changes is who owns them. As nations change borders or join larger phone networks (like the Caribbean nations joining the North American +1 system), these +67X numbers occasionally become available for new countries.
What to do if you get a call from a 67 number
Unless you're expecting a call from a resort in Fiji or a researcher in Antarctica, be careful.
Don't answer and stay silent. If it’s a bot, it’s looking for a "live" signal.
Don't call back. This is the biggest one. If you call back, you are the one paying the international rates, and if it's a scam number, those rates are inflated.
Check the digits. Count them. If there are only two digits (67) followed by a short number, it’s almost certainly a spoofed ID. Real international numbers in this zone are usually 10 to 12 digits long including the country code.
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If you’re genuinely trying to find which country a number belongs to, always look for that third digit. That is the key that unlocks the location.
Actionable steps for managing international calls
- Verify the full prefix: If you see +67, look for the next number. +673 is Brunei; +679 is Fiji. Use an official ITU lookup tool if you're unsure.
- Use Data Apps for these regions: If you need to call someone in Papua New Guinea or Tonga, using WhatsApp, Signal, or FaceTime Audio is almost always better. International rates to the Pacific islands are notoriously high—sometimes over $2.00 per minute on standard landlines.
- Whitelist your contacts: If you have family in these areas, save their numbers with the full +67X prefix in your phone. This helps your phone's "Smart Caller ID" distinguish between your uncle and a scammer.
- Block at the carrier level: If you're getting bombarded by +670 or +675 calls and you don't know anyone there, most carriers (Verizon, AT&T, etc.) allow you to block specific country codes entirely.
The 67 calling code isn't a single destination; it’s a regional neighborhood. Understanding that one extra digit makes all the difference between reaching a friend in Fiji or falling for a telemarketing scam from a spoofed number. Stay sharp and always check the third digit before you hit dial.