How To Dial The Uk From The Us
International phone calls can get expensive. It pays (literally) to get it right. If you need to call someone in the United Kingdom (UK) from a phone in the US, you’ve got a few options. It’s cost-effective to call them using popular online calling apps like WhatsApp or Skype. These are free options as long as you subscribe to the relevant service. You can also use online meeting tools like Nextiva, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams. When you need to physically dial a UK number, like when you don’t have an internet connection, making a call to the UK from American phones becomes a little tricker. In this post, we include instructions for how to call the UK from a US-based phone number, dissect the intricacies of area codes and mobile phones (cell phones), and run through what you can expect to pay.
Calling in the United Kingdom
Like the US, counties and cities have different area codes in the UK. The majority of UK numbers have 11 digits. A minority of phone numbers have 10 digits. There aren’t any special circumstances for these numbers. It’s a matter of legacy number systems. A standard UK telephone number looks like this in the UK: 01632960345. This is commonly broken down into 0 1632 960345. 0 is the country (UK). 1632 is the area code. 960345 is the unique landline number.
UK dial codes by area
In the table below, you can see that not all UK area codes are the same length. For example, Aberdeen has the code 1224, but Belfast has 28. This doesn’t change the length of the overall phone number. It’s simply down to historical numbering systems. It’s worth noting that the area codes in UK phone numbers exist only to separate the geographical location. You can just dial the full phone number when you call a number. There’s no need to remember any associated area codes and areas. It’s standard practice in the UK to list the complete phone number in any directory, advertisement, or online listing.
Calling UK landlines from the US
Before you place a call to the UK, you must enter the 011 exit code. Next, dial the country code for the UK (44). This replaces the 0 on our example number (01632960345). Then dial the rest of the phone number as listed. There’s no need to pause when entering the UK area code. So, you’ve dialed 011 44 1632960345.
Calling UK mobile phones from the US
The process for calling UK mobile phones from the US is the same as calling a landline. The only difference is the digits dialed in the mobile phone number. There are no area codes associated with mobile phones in the UK. There are many mobile codes relating to different carriers like Vodafone, O2, and EE. Before you place a call to the UK, you must enter the 011 exit code. Next, dial the country code for the UK (44). Then dial the rest of the UK cell phone number as listed. So, you’ve dialed 011 44 7700900077.
Calling UK toll-free and non-geographic numbers from the US
Toll-free numbers in the UK are 0800 and 0808. These become +44800 and +44808 in the US. There is still a charge to call UK toll-free numbers in the US. Other 08xx and 03xx prefixes in the UK represent non-geographic phone numbers with varying calling costs. Using the same process, you can call any UK toll-free or non-geographic phone service. Before you place a call to the UK, you must enter the 011 exit code. Next, dial the country code for the UK (44). Then dial the rest of the phone number as listed. So, you’ve dialed 011 44 3069990000.
When to Call the UK
Time zone differences and national holidays are two major factors to consider when dialing a phone number in the UK. Time zone differences: The whole of the UK runs in the same time zone. So, if you’re calling someone in London, you can be sure they’re in the same time zone as someone in Glasgow or Cardiff. The UK follows Daylight Saving Time, which has two time zones during the year. Between the last Sunday in October and the last Sunday in March, the UK follows Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The differences between the US time zones and GMT are outlined below:
National public holidays
Expect most businesses, except those with dedicated 24/7 support functions, to be closed or operate shortened opening times during national holidays. The United Kingdom has eight standard national holidays. Note that New Year’s Day is awarded as a national holiday on a Monday when 1st January falls on a Saturday or Sunday. In special circumstances, the UK can add more national holidays. For example, in 2023, Monday, 8th May, was a national holiday due to the coronation of the new king, King Charles III. There are also some regional holidays to consider.
How Much Does It Cost to Call the UK From the US?
Calling the UK varies depending on whether you call a landline, cell phone, toll-free, or non-geographic number. The rates indicated below are taken from Nextiva’s international rate card. These are applicable when you use Nextiva’s VoIP phone system. Always check with your telephone provider if you’re unsure of the bundled minutes in your calling plan.
How to Make Business Phone Calls to the UK Using Nextiva
For security, international dialing is disabled by default on Nextiva accounts. Authorized account holders can enable international calls by contacting support. Once that’s enabled, dialing UK phone numbers from the US is easy. Dialing the United Kingdom from Nextiva: When calling the UK from the US using Nextiva, it would look like this: Step 1: Dial the exit code 011. This tells your phone service that you are trying to dial out of the United States. Step 2: Dial 44. This is the international country code for the United Kingdom. Step 3: Dial the area code. Area codes in the UK span from two to five digits. If you encounter any area code that starts with 0, you can omit the 0 while entering the phone number. Step 4: Dial the phone number. The phone number should have 10 digits, which includes the area code. If it is a mobile number, it will have nine digits.
How to call mobile UK numbers from the USA
If you’re calling a cellphone that has a UK number, all you need is a simple tweak to make sure your call gets through. Here’s how to do it in just four easy steps. Key in the exit code (011) Use the exit code or substitute it with the (+) symbol if you’re on a cellphone or using OpenPhone. Dial the country code (44) Right after the US exit code, the country calling code marks your call for routing to the United Kingdom. Dial the mobile code (7) When you’re calling a cellphone in the UK, the country’s mobile code (7) replaces the city code you’d have to use if you were calling a landline. Key in the mobile phone number With the appropriate exit, country, and mobile codes keyed in, enter the cell number you’re trying to reach, which should typically be nine digits long.
How to call UK landlines from the US
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what it takes to reach landline numbers based in the United Kingdom. Key in the exit code (+ on a mobile phone or 011 on landline) Dial the UK country code (44) Dial the area code Enter your recipient’s cell number
How to make business calls to the UK from the US
The easiest way to start dialing the UK is through OpenPhone. You can use our business phone system to call and text from your computer, smartphone, or tablet device. Once you sign up for an OpenPhone account, you can start calling by following these simple steps from the web or desktop app. Ensure you have international calling enabled by accessing your specific phone number’s settings (international calling and messaging should be toggled on). If you haven’t already, add credits to your account for international calling in the Billing section of the app.
UK area codes
Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the popular UK area codes when calling from the US:
FAQs
1. What is the process for calling UK mobile phones from the US?
The process for calling UK mobile phones from the US is the same as calling a landline. The only difference is the digits dialed in the mobile phone number. There are no area codes associated with mobile phones in the UK. There are many mobile codes relating to different carriers like Vodafone, O2, and EE.
2. How do I call UK toll-free and non-geographic numbers from the US?
Toll-free numbers in the UK are 0800 and 0808. These become +44800 and +44808 in the US. There is still a charge to call UK toll-free numbers in the US. Other 08xx and 03xx prefixes in the UK represent non-geographic phone numbers with varying calling costs.
3. What are the time zone differences to consider when calling the UK?
The whole of the UK runs in the same time zone. So, if you’re calling someone in London, you can be sure they’re in the same time zone as someone in Glasgow or Cardiff. The UK follows Daylight Saving Time, which has two time zones during the year.
4. What are the national public holidays in the UK?
Expect most businesses, except those with dedicated 24/7 support functions, to be closed or operate shortened opening times during national holidays. The United Kingdom has eight standard national holidays.
5. How can I make business phone calls to the UK from the US using Nextiva?
For security, international dialing is disabled by default on Nextiva accounts. Authorized account holders can enable international calls by contacting support. Once that’s enabled, dialing UK phone numbers from the US is easy.