Network & carriers
There is no civilian telecom market. The territory's phone infrastructure serves the Diego Garcia military base and runs through UK and US military communications systems rather than a public carrier.
+246 · IO · UTC+6
British Indian Ocean Territory
Country Code & Virtual Numbers
The British Indian Ocean Territory's +246 code effectively serves a single joint UK–US military installation on Diego Garcia, not a civilian population. Capital: Diego Garcia · Business hours: 10:00 PM–6:00 AM EST.
// The Basics
What is the +246 country code?
Numbering format
Numbers under +246 support the base's internal military and support infrastructure — there's no public dial-in numbering plan for outside businesses to route through.
Calling culture
There's no civilian business culture to describe. The territory's population is limited to military personnel and support contractors; the indigenous Chagossian population was relocated by the UK government between the late 1960s and 1973, and no civilian community has since been permitted to resettle.
Did you know
Despite its name covering a wider archipelago, the territory has essentially one inhabited site — the Diego Garcia base — and civilian access is tightly restricted.
// Quick Facts
A quick read on British Indian Ocean Territory numbers.
The +246 code exists mainly for the Diego Garcia military base's internal systems, not civilian or commercial dialing.
Best time to call British Indian Ocean Territory from the US
British Indian Ocean Territory is on UTC+6 · Business hours = – EST · Mon–Fri
// Why a Virtual Number
Why get a British Indian Ocean Territory virtual number?
A +246 virtual number gives your business instant local presence in British Indian Ocean Territory — without the overhead.
Local caller ID in British Indian Ocean Territory
When you call from your virtual British Indian Ocean Territory number, contacts see a local +246 number — dramatically improving answer rates.
No office needed
Establish a local presence in British Indian Ocean Territory without renting space, hiring locally, or installing any hardware.
Instant credibility
There's no civilian or business audience here — this isn't a realistic market for a virtual phone number product.
Routes to any device
Calls to your British Indian Ocean Territory number ring your team on mobile, desktop, or desk phone — wherever they work.
Free tools
Look up a number from British Indian Ocean Territory
Phone number checkerCheck the country and format of a number from British Indian Ocean Territory instantly.Phone number validatorValidate a number against its country's formatting rules (E.164).Carrier lookupCheck a number's country and format for free; live carrier data comes with the Lookup API.All country codesDialing codes, time zones and calling guides for every country.
Frequently Asked
British Indian Ocean Territory questions answered.
Answers about why the British Indian Ocean Territory has no civilian phone market and what its +246 code actually connects to.
Dial 011 (the US exit code), then 246, then the national number, leaving out any domestic trunk prefix (such as a leading 0).
Start calling British Indian Ocean Territory, not tomorrow.
Get a virtual British Indian Ocean Territory number or make direct international calls to +246 — active in under ten minutes.