The 787 area code corresponds to Puerto Rico and is the most important code of the region.
At being in the Caribbean Sea, this code is, along with the Virgin Islands, one of the farthest ones from the continental territory. However, since Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States, you don’t need international calls if you call from any other state.
In fact, the international code (the first number) is the same as the U.S: +1. On the other hand, the island counts on a considerable number of zip codes, which you should consider before shipping.
1. History
After the Spanish-American War, this territory would become part of the American administration. As a result, the postal codes and the future telephonic networks would be regulated by the government of the U.S.
Interestingly, Puerto Rico was not included in the AT&T system of 1947. It would take the 809, which was created in 1958 for the Caribbean nations.
Until 1996, Puerto Rico was part of the area code 809, which covered Bermuda along with other Caribbean islands, but belongs only to the Dominican Republic nowadays. Since 1997, this territory adopted the 787 area code.
In just four years, the network got saturated, being unable to cover the rising demand on the island. And as the telephonic and online services were growing, the 939 area code was created in 2001.
Up to now, the system of two simultaneous codes has performed well. Yet, the Puerto Rican networks still struggle in comparison to the rest of the world.
2. Location
The 787 area code covers all the island, including the most important sectors, and has the majority of zip codes.
This code area is located in the Atlantic Time Zone, sharing it with the rest of the Caribbean islands, Venezuela, and Paraguay. On the other hand, no state shares this timeline; the only territory American territory besides Puerto Rico with it are the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island are part of the Atlantic Time Zone. Still, Puerto Rico doesn’t carry out the Daylight Saving Time (DST), so the Canadian timeline differs one hour from March to November.
Adjacent codes
The 936 area code is the other area code in this territory. Alike the 787 area code, it’s located in the Atlantic Time Zone, being Bayamon and Santurce its most important areas.
3. Most Important Cities of the 787 Area Code
Almost every Puerto Rican city use the 787 area code, but there are three cities where it’s more predominant:
San Juan
San Juan is the capital of Puerto Rico and its largest metropolitan area. Due to its status, it gathers most of the financial and touristic activities of the island. As a result, all the telephonic directories connect to its network.
In addition, San Juan disposes of more stability than the rest of the cities, whether on the internet or telephonic networks. Plus, most postal offices and telephonic company headquarters are bound to this city.
Ponce
Ponce is a city and municipality at the same time, which is in the southern region of the island and has the largest population outside of San Juan.
At being an important manufacturing hub, this city has more developed communication networks. Simultaneously, the colonial architecture and privileged position on the coast make this city a center for touristic and transport activities.
Aguadilla
Aguadilla is a small city and municipality located on the northwestern corner of Puerto Rico. It counts on 15 barrios and gathers the metropolitan area of Moca, Isabela, and San Sebastian.
Thanks to its position on the coast, Aguadilla represents an excellent touristic destination. Also, it’s home to the Ramey Air Force Base. Still, the hurricane Maria, which hit the island in 2017, devastated part of the telephonic infrastructure, leaving Aguadilla with severe infrastructural damages.
4. Postal Codes of the 787 Area Code
To help you send or receive packages from this territory, we have detailed the cities with more postal codes, as well as some of the main offices.
Most Important Locations
In addition to the cities abovementioned, there are other important locations with numerous postal codes, such as:
- Bayamón: this municipality is in the northern part of the island, west of Guaynabo, and north of Aguas Buenas.
- Guaynabo: located west of San Juan, east of Bayamon, and south of Cataño. Also, it’s part of the San Juan Metropolitan Area along with Trujillo Alto, Cataño, Carolina, Toa Baja, and Bayamón.
- Carolina: this municipality is home to the main airport, having excellent touristic alternatives.
- Caguas: also in the east of the territory, south of San Juan, and Trujillo Alto, east of Aguas Buenas and West of San Lorenzo; and, it’s one of the most remote locations on this list.
- Mayaguez: this municipality lies in the west part of the region, being the center of the Mayagüez Metropolitan Statistical Area, alongside the Mona Passage.
Main Postal and Shipping Services
- Caribbean Shipping Services, Inc. - +1 787-275-2233
- FedEx Freight Puerto Rico - +1 787-791-0339
- Veneexpress - Guanabo, Puerto Rico - +1 787-384-1235
- Multipak Postal Service Inc - +1 787-625-0131
- USPS Marina Station - Mayagüez - +1 787-265-3138
- UPS - Ponce - +1 787-259-8877
- USPS Bayamon Branch - Bayamon - +1 787-517-0803
5. FAQ
What’s the Difference between the 787 Area Code and the 939 Area code?
Both area codes cover many of the same locations i.e. San Juan, Ponce, and Bayamón, among others. The main difference is the recentness; since the 787 is five years younger, it may have more users.
How Many Zip Codes Are in the 787 Area Code
By 2021, Puerto Rico disposes of 176 zip codes, being San Juan and Ponce the locations with the largest quantities.
Can I Make Calls to Puerto Rico Just like any other State?
Yes. As Puerto Rico is an overseas territory of the U.S., it shares the same network as the other states and territories.
Is There Good Signal?
There’s a good signal in metropolitan areas. In remote cities and towns, the signal quality varies considerably. In turn, the hurricanes of the last years have damaged the communicational infrastructure of this region. So, you may have problems when making calls to distant towns.