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Call friends or family overseas the old-fashioned way or with an app
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Whether you’re traveling in the United States and want to make overseas phone calls or you’re a U.S. citizen who needs to call another country, there are several ways to contact an international number. This wikiHow guide will teach you how to dial the number on your cell phone or landline, as well as how to use third-party apps like WhatsApp or Skype.
Things You Should Know
- Consult with your phone provider before placing international calls so you understand the costs.
- Enter a + (which shares a key with "0") if dialing from a cell phone, or 011 if dialing from a landline.
- Find and enter the country code for the number you are calling, followed by the regional code, and then the remaining digits.
- Calling internationally is free if you use apps like WhatsApp, Google Meet, or Facebook Mesenger.
Steps
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Dial "+" (mobile) or "011" (landline). If you're calling internationally from your cell phone, open the dialpad, then press + (the key is shared with the 0 ). On a landline, dial 011, which is the International Direct Dialing (IDD) number for the U.S and Canada, also known as an exit code. This signals that the phone number you will dial next is outside of the United States.
- A plus sign, which is the same key as 0 on mobile phones, tells your phone to automatically use the IDD for the country from which you are calling.
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Enter the country code. Find the country code for the country you are calling to. This number will vary depending on what the country of origin is for the number you wish to dial, but it will always have 1-3 digits.
- For example, if you were calling a phone number in Australia, the country code is 61. So, if you're using a mobile phone, you'd dial + 61 . On a landline, you'd dial 011 61 .
- You do not need to enter a country code if you're calling any of the following countries from the United States, as they all share the same country code of 1: American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guam, Jamaica, Montserrat, Northern Territory, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, or the US Virgin Islands.
- Some other common country codes:
- Australia: 61
- Brazil: 55
- China: 86
- Colombia: 57
- Cuba: 53
- Egypt: 20
- El Salvador: 503
- Eritrea: 291
- Ethiopia: 251
- France: 33
- Germany: 49
- Ghana: 233
- Guatemala: 502
- Haiti: 509
- Hong Kong: 852
- India: 91
- Iran: 98
- Israel: 972
- Italy: 39
- Kenya: 254
- Korea: 82
- Mexico: 52
- Netherlands: 31
- Nigeria: 234
- Pakistan: 92
- Palestine: 972
- Philippines: 63
- South Africa: 27
- UK: 44
- Vietnam: 84
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Dial the city/area code, if applicable. After the international dialing code and country code, you will dial the city code or area code, typically given to you as part of the local number. This narrows down the phone number to a specific city or region within the country you’re calling to.
- The city/area code can be a number between 1-3 digits long. [1] X Research source
- Note that smaller countries may not use city or area codes at all, in which case you will dial whatever phone number is given.
- Note that if a city/area code is not included in the number you have, ask the phone number's owner for the code instead of looking it up based on location.
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Enter the remaining digits. If you're dialing from a landline, the call will be placed once you've entered the correct number of digits. On a mobile phone, press the Call button to place the call.
- Phone numbers from other countries may have more or fewer digits than the standard 7 numbers in a domestic U.S. phone number.
- If a “0” is given before the phone number you are meant to call, omit this, and dial the following phone number. The zero is a “trunk code” meant for domestic calls within many countries but is not used for placing international calls.
- For a complete example, say you are calling the British Museum in the United Kingdom. To call from the U.S. landline, you use the IDD number “011.” The country code for the UK is 44, and the area code for London is 20. The rest of the phone number is “7323 8000.” So, in total, you would dial 011 44 20 7323 8000 to place your call. [2] X Research source
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Download a VoIP service. VoIP refers to Voice Over Internet Protocol, which can be used to place international calls over the internet. Popular VoIP apps and services include WhatsApp , Skype , Discord , and Google Voice .
- Some VoIP services, such as Skype
, will charge you to place international calls. Be sure to confirm pricing before using the service.
- If the person you are trying to call has a Skype account, consider calling their account on your computer or mobile device instead. It's completely free and allows for the same level of communication!
- WhatsApp is popular
outside of the US. We recommend downloading the app, adding the number you want to call to your contacts, and searching for them on WhatsApp. If you are trying to call a mobile number, the odds are decent that they are on WhatsApp!
- Calling another WhatsApp user through the app is completely free and does not affect your mobile plan unless you are using data outside of the US without an international data plan.
- Some VoIP services, such as Skype
, will charge you to place international calls. Be sure to confirm pricing before using the service.
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Use an online messaging app. Apps like Facebook Messenger or Google Duo do not rely on VoIP technology, but you can still use them to voice or video chat with someone overseas. Just make sure both you and the person you are calling are connected to a reliable internet connection before placing the call.
- Data rates still apply for using any app on your mobile device unless connected to Wi-Fi.
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Find out if the international phone number is mobile. Determine if the foreign phone number you are given is a landline or a mobile phone. This can affect the rates you are charged for calling it from the U.S. and may change how you place the call.
- International calls to cell or mobile phones are often charged at higher rates than those to fixed or landline phones. You may want to determine what type of phone it is you are calling beforehand and dial a landline phone if you have the option to. [3] X Trustworthy Source Federal Communications Commission Independent U.S. government agency responsible for regulating radio, television, and satellite, and phone communications Go to source
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Ask your phone carrier about international call rates. Talk to the service provider for the phone you will use to make an international call before you dial. Ask both the provider for your landline and for your cell phone (if applicable) as the rates may differ.
- If you plan to make calls abroad often, talk to the provider about their international calling plans. Otherwise, inquire about the one-time rates you would be charged to place a single call to another country.
- Note that there are often added fees or overage charges that may make the package cost-effective only if you plan to make a certain number of calls per month.
- Some phone service providers may give you other specific instructions for dialing an international number. You should also remember that when dialing from any internal business line, you may need to dial “9” to reach any external line.
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Learn more about international calling plans and cards. Investigate all the fees associated with international calling plans, prepaid calling cards, and other calling options. You should know exactly what you will be charged for an international call, especially if you plan to make them frequently.
- Calling cards are prepaid, so you pay only for what you use. Internet-based services may be free or have other flexible pricing options.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do you call Spain from a U.S. cell phone?Community AnswerFirst, you need to dial either the "+" symbol on your cell phone or the IDD number for the U.S., which is 011. Then dial the country code for Spain, which is 34. Finally, put in the Spanish phone number you are given, which will be 9 digits long including the area code.
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QuestionCan I call a US phone number if the phone is located in Dubai?Community AnswerCalling a US phone number while it is outside the USA is possible only if roaming is enabled from your communications company. If you want to travel outside the country and still receive phone calls on your mobile phone, you should contact your service provider and enable roaming.
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QuestionHow do I find someone by name in a different country when I don't have their phone number?Community AnswerThis isn’t possible since a lot of people share the same name. You'll need to ask the person for the phone number via Facebook, messaging service or email.
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Tips
- Double check time zones. It might be the middle of the day from where you're calling but it could be midnight in the country of the person you're calling. It could be rude to wake them up if the matter is not that urgent.Thanks
- As another example, if you want to call Guatemala from the USA, you will dial the US exit code (011) and Guatemala's country code (502), followed by the phone number of the person you're trying to reach. The resulting number would look something like: 011-502-xxxx-xxxxThanks
- Be aware that placing international calls can be costly. Consult with your phone provider and consider purchasing an international call plan if you expect to place overseas calls regularly.Thanks
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About This Article
Article Summary
X
The best way to make international calls from the USA depends on what device you’re using. If you’re calling from a cell phone or landline, dial “011” followed by the country code, area code, and phone number you wish to reach. To use an online calling service like Skype, open the dial pad and select the country you want to call from the dropdown menu, then enter the area code and phone number. Read on for more advice, including how to determine the cost of calling an international phone number from a cell phone or landline!
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