How to Call the UK from Anywhere in the World

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Phone the United Kingdom from the US and other countries
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Calling England is easy as long as you know your country’s exit code and the access code, 44, for the United Kingdom. You will also need to know the area or carrier code for the line you wish to call. Once you know these numbers, you can call England internationally from any country, whether in the US or abroad. Be aware of the time difference and different calling options to ensure your call is a success.

Quick Steps

  1. Dial your country's exit code.
  2. Dial the country code for the UK, which is 44.
  3. Dial the area code for landlines, or the mobile phone code for a cell phone.
  4. Dial the local phone number.
Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Dialing an English Landline

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  1. Inputting an exit code signifies to your telephone service provider that you wish to call an international number. Exit codes vary from country to country. Search online or ask your phone service provider for the code covering the country you are in. [1]
    • Jump to this helpful list of exit codes for countries around the world.
    • Depending on where you live, you may need to input extra digits. The extra digits are specific to your phone carrier and you type them after the regular exit code. For example, in Brazil, you may see exit codes like "0015" or "0021." Ask your service provider for the correct code.
  2. Inputting the correct country code routes your call to the UK. The code covers the entire UK, including England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, so you won’t have an issue getting your call routed to the correct region. [2]
    • For example, if you are calling from the US, you would type 011-44-xxxx-xxxxxx.
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  3. When you call from inside England, you need to use a local code or trunk code. England’s local code is 0, so you don’t need to include it in the phone number if you’re calling in from abroad. [3]
    • If you were given an English phone number with a leading 0, skip this digit, or your call will not connect correctly.
  4. Every landline in England has an area code corresponding to its geographical location. These codes range in length from 2 to 5 digits. Bigger cities tend to have shorter codes. If you aren’t sure what code you need, search online for a list of English telephone area codes. [4]
    • Determine the correct area code by knowing the geographic area your phone call is heading to. You can see a list of codes at https://www.ofcom.org.uk/ . [5]
  5. The remaining digits you need to input are the other person’s local number. Most landline numbers in England are a total of 10 digits including the area code, so the local number may be longer or shorter depending on how lengthy their geographical area code is.
    • For example, if you were calling a landline in London from the US, you'd dial 011-44-20-12345678.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Dialing an English Mobile Phone

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  1. Inputting an exit code signifies to your telephone service provider that you wish to call an international number. Exit codes vary from country to country. Search online or ask your phone service provider for the code covering the country you are in. [6]
    • Jump to the bottom of this article for a list of most exit codes for countries around the world.
    • Depending on where you live, you may need to input extra digits. The extra digits are specific to your phone carrier and you type them after the regular exit code. For example, in Brazil, you may see exit codes like "0015" or "0021." Ask your service provider for the correct code.
  2. Inputting the correct country code routes your call to the UK. The code covers the entire UK, including England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, so you won’t have an issue getting your call routed to the correct region. [7]
    • For example, if you are calling from the US, you would type 011-44-xxxx-xxxxxx.
  3. When you call from inside England, you need to use a local code or trunk code. England’s local code is 0, so you don’t need to include it in the phone number if you’re calling in from abroad. [8]
    • If you were given an English phone number with a leading 0, skip this digit, or your call will not connect correctly.
  4. Cell phones in England do not use standard geographic area codes. Instead, they use a variety of mobile phone prefixes that used to denote which carrier the number was with, but since people now move their phone numbers with them if they switch cellular carriers, this isn't a reliable way to determine the correct mobile code.
    • You will need to ask the person you wish to call for the mobile code. There is no other way of knowing it with certainty unless you find out directly.
    • All mobile area codes start with the number 7 and are followed by three more digits.
    • An example of a mobile number is 011-44-7xxx-xxxxxx
  5. The remaining digits you need to input are the other person’s local number. Cell phone numbers in England are ten digits long, including the mobile code, so the rest of the phone number is six digits long.
    • For example, if you were calling an English cell phone from the US, you'd dial 011-44-7xxx-123456.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Calling Over the Internet

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  1. A number of apps allow you to call other users as long as they also have an account with that app. The reason this is free is because you're not actually calling their phone number, but instead calling them over the internet using that app.
    • Popular VoIPs include Skype, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger.
    • Some of these VoIPs (like Skype) also allow you to make video calls.
  2. VoIPs like Google Voice and Skype allow you to call landlines and cell phones internationally, but this service isn't free. These apps charge a fee, but it may be much cheaper than paying for international calling on your landline or cell phone.
    • Google Voice allows you to pay by the minute. Check the rates on Google's website . Calls to England can cost anywhere from $0.01 to $2.50 USD per minute depending on the call type.
    • Skype allows you to pay a monthly fee to call England. Check the rates on Skype's website . There are a number of plans available, but you can get 400 minutes per month to call landlines and mobile phones for $6.99 per month USD.
  3. With an iPhone, you can use FaceTime to make video calls to anyone in the world (as long as they also have an iPhone) for no extra cost.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Calling Responsibly

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  1. England is under Greenwich Mean Time, which is UTC +0. As an example of the potential time difference you may face, England is 5 hours ahead of the eastern United States. Also, be aware that England has a period of Daylight Savings Time from spring until fall. [9]
    • The period of Daylight Savings Time, called British Summer Time, is UTC +6. It begins in late March and ends in late October. [10]
    • The easy part about the time difference is that England and the rest of the UK are in a single time zone. The time will be the same no matter which part of the country you call.
  2. Cards are often available at several locations, including gas stations, grocery stores, and convenience stores. Phone companies may also sell them to you directly. You buy the card and get a limited amount of minutes to use with your phone. Follow the directions on the card to use it. [11]
    • Read the fine print on any cards before buying them. Make sure the minutes can be used to call England. Also, note any hidden fees that can increase the cost.
  3. VoIP, or voice over Internet protocol, is an easy way to phone someone in England. Programs such as Skype and FaceTime utilize an Internet connection, so you will need to connect to a free WiFi service in your area. Then, dial the person’s phone number as you normally would to contact them.
    • VoIP programs are available as phone apps and can also be downloaded on tablets or computers.
    • Free VoIP calls are only possible when you’re connected to WiFi. If the other person has the VoIP program and is connected to WiFi, you can talk to one another without incurring any charges.
  4. Landlines cannot be called for free while using a VoIP service. You need to use the program’s menu to pay real money for minutes. These minutes are often cheaper than using a phone provider data plan, and you can pay as you go to prevent overcharges.
    • Another way to call landlines is to look for phone carriers that offer inexpensive VoIP plans.
  5. To use a video chat program successfully, both people need to have the program installed on their phone, computer, or tablet. Search for the other person in the app. Make sure you are both connected to the Internet, then tap the call button to start the chat.
    • A few programs that have free video capabilities are Skype, Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp.
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Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Exit Codes for Other Countries

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  1. We've made a list of all of the exit codes used around the world, but this list is not exhaustive. To make sure you have the right exit code, check Google or your favorite search engine. [12]
    • 011 is the exit code for the United States, Canada, several US territories, and many Caribbean islands.
    • 00 is the exit code for almost all of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America, as well as some Asian countries.
      • Some countries, such as South Korea, Colombia, Brazil, Israel, Finland, and Indonesia use 00 but also allow or require extra digits to specify your carrier.
    • 0011 is the exit code for Australia. No other countries are currently using 0011 as an exit code.
    • 010 is the exit code for Japan, and it's the only country that currently uses this code.
    • 001 is used by Guyana, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Thailand, and Cambodia. 002 is used by Taiwan.
    • 0 is used by Samoa and Turks and Caicos.
    • 000 is used by Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Singapore.
    • 009 is only used by Nigeria.
    • 1XX0 is used in Chile, where the "XX" changes depending on your phone carrier.
    • 19XX is the exit code for Peru, where the "XX" is replaced by a specific carrier code.
    • 810 is the exit code for several countries in east Europe: Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
    • 99 is the exit code for North Korea.

    Note: some countries have multiple exit codes that differ based on which service provider/carrier you’re using. As an example, Brazil has five different exit codes: 0014 (Brasil Telecom), 0015 (Telefonica), 0021 (Embratel), 0023 (Intelig), and 0031 (Telmar). [13]


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      Tips

      • To place an international phone call, make sure you have an international calling plan or a free alternative.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.howtocallabroad.com/codes.html
      2. ↑ https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/phones-tech/call-uk-europe
      3. ↑ https://www.howtocallabroad.com/uk/
      4. ↑ https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/advice/telephone-area-codes-tool
      5. ↑ http://www.howtocallabroad.com/uk/
      6. ↑ https://www.howtocallabroad.com/codes.html
      7. ↑ https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/phones-tech/call-uk-europe
      8. ↑ https://www.howtocallabroad.com/uk/
      9. ↑ https://www.timeanddate.com/time/zone/uk
      1. ↑ https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/uk/london
      2. ↑ https://www.consumer.gov/articles/1007-buying-and-using-phone-cards#!what-to-know
      3. ↑ https://www.howtocallabroad.com/codes.html#16
      4. ↑ http://www.howtocallabroad.com/codes.html

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To call England, start by dialing the exit code for your country, which is 011 if you live in North America or 00 if you live in Europe. Then, dial 44, which is the country code for the UK. Next, dial the 2-5 digit city area code if you're calling a landline, or enter the 4 digit mobile code if you're calling a cellphone. Finally, enter in the rest of the person's phone number, and place your call. To learn how to call England using an app, scroll down!

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