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Easy ways to keep in touch with friends and family in the USA from Australia
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In this modern day and age, calling people on the other side of the world is incredibly straightforward. There are several different devices you can use, but all function very similarly. Once you’ve figured out the various options you have at your disposal, you’ll be able to call your loved ones in no time!
Quick Steps
- Check with your phone provider to see if international calls will cost extra.
- Dial 0011 first, which is the Australian exit code.
- Dial 1, which is the international code for the United States.
- Enter your recipient's three-digit area code and seven-digit phone number.
Steps
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Check with your service provider if you have international minutes. Depending on what contract you have with your service provider you may or may not have a certain number of international minutes you can use each month. If you don't have any, you will be charged on a per minute basis and these rates are usually quite expensive. [1] X Research source
- This applies when calling from either a cell-phone or a landline.
- If you aren’t sure, give your service provider’s customer service line a call and they’ll be able to walk you through whether or not you have minutes to use.
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Dial 0011 first. This is the Australian exit code. Typing these digits first tells the phone that you are looking to dial outside of the country. If you don’t include this code, the full number won’t actually go anywhere and you will just hear a dial tone.
- This code is different for each country you are calling from, so this number is specific to Australia.
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Dial 1 next. This is the international code for the USA. This portion of the number tells the phone which country you are calling. In this case, the country is the USA.
- Once again, this number is specific to the USA. If you're trying to dial another country, check your favorite search engine to find out that country's dial-in code.
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Enter the three-digit area code. In the USA, everyone’s phone number is 10 digits. The first three digits of this number are the area code and these vary based on geographic location. For example, an area code for Los Angeles, CA is 805 and the area code for all of Vermont is 808. [2] X Research source
- If you aren’t sure of the area code, check out https://www.allareacodes.com . This site has all the area codes for the United States split up by state.
- If the phone number begins with a 0, drop the 0 before dialing. [3] X Research source However, if dropping the 0 makes the phone number less than 10 digits, the person who sent you the number may have made a typo. Double check the number to make sure you've got it right if this is the case.
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Type in the remaining 7 digits of the number. This last part of the number is the part that is unique to the person you are calling. You need to have this portion of the number or you won’t be able to call the person.
- If, for some reason, you don’t have this number then try looking on the whitepages online for the person’s number.
- The full number once put together will look something like "0011-1-808-123-4567".
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Press the “dial” button on your phone. This will input all the numbers into the phone and, as long as you’ve put everything in correctly, will connect you to the other person! [4] X Research source
- Depending on where they are in the world, there may be a small time delay.
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Try using FaceTime if you have an Apple device. There are quite a few alternatives to calling people the old-fashioned way, many of which can save you a lot of money. One of these is FaceTime. FaceTime is a service that is available for calls between 2 people who have iPhones. You can use it for both video and audio calls. [5] X Research source
- In order to use FaceTime, you do need to have the person’s full cell-phone number. This includes the country code (+1) and area code.
- Your iPhone will recognize that it is calling an iPhone and you’ll be able to chat for as long as you like by just using the internet!
- FaceTime works with any Apple device, not just iPhones, as long as you have the person’s Apple ID.
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Download an app for video calls if you have an Android phone. This is an option for people who don’t have an iPhone but may have some other kind of smart device running Android software. There are a variety of applications which are free to download and use that allow you to make international calls such as Viber and whatsapp. [6] X Research source
- These applications generally require you to have the cell phone number of the person you are calling but it just uses this to identify who you are calling. The apps work by using the internet.
- These apps also have text messaging functions so you aren’t only restricted to calling.
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Try using Skype if you don’t have access to a smartphone. Skype was one of the first applications developed to aid people in long-distance calling. It can be used on almost any device whether it’s a smartphone, laptop, or desktop computer. [7] X Research source
- In order to call someone using Skype you need to be connected on Skype as friends.
- To get connected, you need the other person to download Skype, create a profile, and then add your profile.
- Most people use Skype for video calls but it also has a voice call function as well.
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Stick to messaging if none of these are options. Unfortunately, many of these options require a certain speed of internet access (which varies depending on the app) in order to support a call. It’s possible that you are in a part of Australia that doesn’t have great internet access or reception. If this is the case using any of these apps just for their text messaging functions is a good option. [8] X Research source
- You can also use something like Facebook messenger to connect with people. This doesn’t require fast internet but it does require at least some connection.
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Warnings
- If you aren’t sure whether you are able to make international calls to the USA, double check with your provider. Some companies will let you make the call but charge you exorbitant fees to do so and then bill you at the end of the month.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://asitours.com/travel-tips/calling-usa/
- ↑ http://www.dialingcode.com/country/australia-to-usa
- ↑ https://www.vodafone.com.au/support/device/international-calls?srsltid=AfmBOorHru4SxDbak2FCZt-Qi_LNzW9aAATkA32qLUWW7iVQt55pIaan
- ↑ http://www.dialingcode.com/country/australia-to-usa
- ↑ https://www.imore.com/facetime
- ↑ https://faq.whatsapp.com/en/android/28000016/?category=5245237
- ↑ https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-to-use-skype/
- ↑ https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/07/why-you-should-use-facebook-messenger-instead-of-sms/
About This Article
Article Summary
X
Before you call someone in the USA from Australia, check with your service provider to make sure you have sufficient international minutes. Then, dial 0011, which is the Australian exit code, and add another 1 for the international code for the USA. The next 3 numbers that you dial should be the area code, which everyone in the USA has based on their geographic location. For example, the area code for Los Angeles, California, is 805. After the area code, you can dial the number by typing in the remaining 7 digits, so that the full number ends up looking something like, "0011-1-805-123-4567." Instead of using a phone line, you could also try calling internationally with FaceTime or Skype, depending on your available devices. For more tips, including how to use an Android phone to make a video call, keep reading!
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