Calling Abroad from the USA: A Comprehensive How-to Guide

by Petr Novák, ? This article’s information was last verified on this date. If you notice any errors, let us know in the comments. Thank you! :-) Updated 01/12/2026 Instructions, Tips & Tricks

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If you need to make a phone call from an American phone to a number in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand, you must insert the international prefix 011 before the number; otherwise, the call will not connect. On a mobile phone, it suffices to have the number saved in a format where the + symbol precedes the country code. Thanks to this, you can make calls from anywhere in the world.

1. Table of Contents

   1. How to Call from a Landline in the USA Abroad
   2. How to Call From / To the USA for Free or Cheaply
   3. How to Write an American Phone Number

   How to Call from a Landline in the USA Abroad

   To place a call from the United States using a cell phone or landline (if you do not have the number saved in the international format with a plus sign), you must insert the prefix 011 before the phone number itself. This code signals that the call is directed outside of North America (the USA and Canada share a unified numbering plan). For comparison, in the UK, Europe, Australia, or New Zealand, this function is typically performed by two zeros (00) or the plus symbol (+).

   Next follows the country code of the destination you are calling. The United Kingdom uses 44, Ireland 353, Australia 61, and New Zealand 64. Only then do you enter the phone number (usually dropping the leading zero of the local area code or mobile number).

   The complete dialing sequence for a call to the UK would look like this: 011 44 7700 900 000.

   For cell phones, I recommend saving all numbers directly with the placeholder plus symbol, i.e., in the format +44 7700 900 000. This ensures you can connect without issues from any location worldwide.

2. How to Call From / To the USA for Free or Cheaply

   You can make calls to and from the USA for free using mobile apps such as WhatsApp, Skype, Messenger, FaceTime, or Zoom. The advantage is the option for video calls, though an internet connection is required.

   To ensure data connectivity in the USA, which is essential for these apps, I recommend using an eSIM from Airalo. If you need to call standard landlines or cell phones (without the recipient using an app), the most cost-effective service is Skype (Skype Credit). Prices for calls to landlines start at approximately $0.030 per minute. For more frequent calls, activating a monthly subscription is worth considering.

3. How to Write an American Phone Number

   Phone numbers in the USA and Canada have a fixed 10-digit format. The first three digits designate the Area Code, while the remaining seven make up the unique phone number. The notation can take several forms:

   • (503) 820-8987 – the format commonly used domestically within the USA.
   • 011 (503) 820-8987 – the dialing sequence used for calling from a US landline to another international destination (listed here for illustration).
   • +1 (503) 820-8987 – the international format you should use when calling the US from abroad or saving the number to your mobile contact list (+1 is the country code for the USA).