How to call an international phone number for the first time

How international phone numbers are formatted

Every phone number in the world follows a standard format called E.164, maintained by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). An E.164 number looks like this:

+1 202 555 1234

Breaking that down:

• + stands in for your country's international dialing prefix. In the US it is "011," in the UK and much of Europe it is "00." The plus covers all of them.
• 1 is the country code for the US and Canada. Country codes are 1 to 3 digits.
• 202 555 1234 is the national number, including the area code.

So a UK mobile saved as 07911 123456 in your contacts becomes +44 7911 123456 internationally. The leading 0 gets replaced by the country code 44.

Common country codes

These are just common examples. FreeCallMe reaches more than 220 countries, and every country code is public record maintained by the ITU, so searching "[country] phone country code" gives you any of them in seconds.

The key rule: drop the leading zero

In most countries a domestic number starts with a 0. That zero is a domestic trunk prefix, part of the routing for calls inside the country, not part of the actual subscriber number. When you call internationally, you drop it and replace it with the country code.

The US and Canada are the exception: there is no leading trunk zero to drop, so a US number is simply +1 followed by the 10 digits.

How to actually make the call

A complete example: calling a UK mobile

Say you want to call a friend in London whose UK number is 07890 123456.

• The international format: +44 7890 123456 (drop the leading 0, add country code 44).

• From your mobile: type +447890123456 and call. Your carrier connects it. Check your plan for the rate.

• From FreeCallMe: go to /call, select United Kingdom from the dropdown, type 7890 123456(just the national number), and click Call. It is a couple of cents a minute, shown before you dial, and comes from a VoIP number. Your friend's phone rings normally.

• Via WhatsApp: add your friend by their number +447890123456, tap the call icon, and you are connected free, as long as you both have data or Wi-Fi.

Common first-timer mistakes

• Dialing the number with the leading zero. The most common error. +44 07890 123456 will not connect. Drop the zero after the country code.

• Forgetting the country code entirely. Dialing just 07890 123456 from the US tries to reach a US number in that format, which either fails or hits a wrong number.

• Using '011' instead of '+'. From a US landline you dial 011 then the country code then the number. On a mobile or a browser dialer, just use '+'. The plus sign is universal.

• Dialing at the wrong time. Check the time zone first. A 10am call for you might be 2am for them. The UK is about 5 hours ahead of US Eastern; India is roughly 9.5 to 10.5 hours ahead, depending on daylight saving.

Frequently asked questions

How do I dial an international number?

Use the format + country code + local number, and drop the local leading zero. For example, a UK number written 07700 900123 becomes +44 7700 900123. On a mobile or browser dialer, the plus sign replaces any '011' or '00' international prefix.

Do I drop the leading zero when calling internationally?

Yes, in most countries. The leading 0 is a domestic trunk prefix, not part of the subscriber number, so you replace it with the country code. The US and Canada are the exception: there is no trunk zero, so a US number is simply +1 followed by the 10 digits.

What is the cheapest way to call internationally?

If the person has an app like WhatsApp, an app-to-app call is free. To ring an actual phone number without a monthly plan, a browser VoIP dialer is usually cheapest. FreeCallMe is pay-as-you-go from about a cent a minute, with the exact rate shown before you dial. See the full cost comparison →

What does the + sign mean in a phone number?

The + is shorthand for whatever international dialing prefix your country uses (011 in the US, 00 in the UK and much of Europe). Writing a number with + means it works from anywhere without you having to know the local prefix.

How much does it cost to call the UK or India?

On FreeCallMe, a UK number is usually a couple of cents a minute and India is about $0.08 a minute, with the exact figure shown before you dial. A 20-minute UK call runs around $0.40, and a 20-minute India call around $1.60. On a standard mobile plan without an add-on, the same calls could cost many times more.