Communication in Guinea-Bissau

Mobile communication is usually the most practical way to reach people in Guinea-Bissau. Telecel and Orange provide mobile services, while ARN publishes information on 2G, 3G and 4G coverage and microwave connections. The country code is +245 and national numbers have nine digits. Fixed-line numbers use the 44 prefix; mobile number ranges include 955, 966 and 977. Current nationwide figures for subscriptions, prices and service quality are not reliably available, so coverage and conditions should be checked with the provider and ARN before relying on a connection. Digital communication is regulated by ARN-TIC, the Autoridade Reguladora Nacional das Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação. It supervises frequencies, numbering, universal service, service quality, user rights, complaints and dispute settlement. A 2025 framework for electronic networks and services provides for authorisation requirements and rights and duties for providers and users. ARN also warned on 20 July 2026 about illegal internet provision. The .gw domain is managed by NIC.gw under ARN, and accented .gw domains are supported. Portuguese is used officially, while Kriol or Kriolu and several African languages are common in everyday communication. Choosing the language may affect whether a message is understood, especially when dealing with an authority, health service, school or provider. Clear wording, confirmation of understanding and a trusted intermediary can reduce misunderstandings without turning the matter into a formal translation process. Postal communication exists through the Direcção General dos Correios and the Estação Central de Bissau, but current opening times, prices, delivery periods and delivery quality have not been reliably verified. The UPU addressing format places a four-digit postal code before the locality, for example 1000 BISSAU. Regional names in the available postal data include Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara and Tombali. The available UPU dataset dates from March 2005, so the address and service details should be confirmed locally before sending documents. The Constitution protects access to information and legal protection under Article 34, the confidentiality of correspondence and private communication under Article 48, and the freedom to express thoughts and to inform, receive information and seek information through available means without discrimination under Article 51. No verified nationwide short code or emergency communication scheme was identified. For a complaint about a communications provider or a dispute over service, ARN is the documented regulatory contact, but current complaint fees and deadlines are not reliably established in the available information. Accessible communication remains fragmented. The available UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities documentation reports no legislation on sign language. A Practical Dictionary of Guinean Sign Language and a Braille manual exist, and inclusive schools operate in Bissau, but a shortage of Portuguese-sign-language interpreters limits access. Written communication and informal mediation can serve as functional alternatives when interpretation or accessible digital services are unavailable. Fraud, identity misuse and unauthorised internet provision are practical risks; do not share identity details or payment information through an unverified channel.