Published : August 16, 20231800 numbers are helpful for both businesses and their customers. For businesses, these numbers increase calls received and improve market share. They also help companies to stand out. For customers, these numbers are a way to save costs on calling businesses. They also make it easy to reach relevant support persons.
Despite their popularity, sometimes you can face challenges when using 1800 or similar numbers, especially if you want to call from overseas. You might wonder, “Can I call 1800 number from overseas?” It might seem challenging to call a toll-free number in a different country than the one it is registered in.
This blog will tell you how to call an 1800 number from overseas.
But before we discuss the method of calling an 1800 number from overseas, let us look at what these numbers are, how they work, and what challenges you might face in calling them internationally.
What are 1800 Numbers?
1800 or toll-free numbers are phone numbers of businesses that customers or clients can call for free. These are specific numbers that establishments use to allow a caller to reach them easily. Therefore, these numbers are often customized to the business or are easy to remember. For example, 1-800 PET SHOP or 1800-111-2222.
1800 is one of the most common prefixes for toll-free numbers globally. However, depending on the country of your business, you can also use other prefixes. Some of these prefixes are 1300, 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, or 888. The prefix is followed by the destination number that connects to a particular business.
With toll-free numbers, you get three options: standard, international, and Universal international freephone numbers. Standard toll-free numbers are set up within a specific country, and people of that country can call that number.
For example, a standard toll-free number for a business from Canada can be used only by those within Canada. Customers from some other country, say the US or France, couldn’t call it.
International toll-free numbers are also specific to individual countries, but the calls are routed to a different country. For example, US customers can have an international toll-free number for a Canadian business that they can call, but French customers wouldn’t be able to call it. They would need a different international toll-free number for the same company.
In contrast, a Universal international freephone number allows customers from multiple countries to call. Customers from Canada, France, and the US can all call it if the business chooses these three countries. Of course, the more countries they select for this service, the more the number would cost.
"To call an 1800 number from overseas, dial your country's exit code followed by the U.S. country code '1' and then the 1800 number. Note: The call might not be toll-free abroad, and charges could apply. If unsuccessful, use alternative communication methods or the business's international contact info."
How Do 1800 Numbers Work?
1800 numbers are one of the simplest and most accessible ways for customers to contact businesses. They can call these toll-free numbers from mobile phones or landline phones free of cost. Sometimes toll-free numbers are integrated with Auto Attendants or IVR, and sometimes they give customers access to call centers or customer contact centers.
Customers can call toll-free numbers free of charge, but these calls are not entirely free to call. Businesses need to pay their telecom operator to get a toll-free number. Also, they bear the cost of the calls that customers make using these numbers. Local, national, or international calling rates will apply depending on where you call from.
Despite their many benefits and convenience, 1800 numbers have certain calling challenges. International callers can face these challenges using smartphones or trying to call from abroad. Businesses also face certain challenges. Before we talk about how you can dial toll-free numbers from overseas, let us look at some of these challenges.
Challenges of Calling 1800 Numbers from Overseas
Calling an 1800 number is one of the simplest ways of connecting to a business’s customer service representative. Unfortunately, you might face some challenges when calling an 1800 number from overseas. These are the most prominent of the issues you might encounter:
1. International Calling Restrictions
International calling restrictions might prevent you from calling a toll-free overseas number in three ways. Your telecom service provider might not offer international calling services. Or, the business’s toll-free number may not be configured for accepting international calls. Finally, the company might accept international calls from some countries but not from your specific country.
2. Time Zone Differences
Differences in time zones between your country and the country you want to call can also become an issue. For example, China is GMT+8 hours, while Colombia is GMT-5 hours. That is, there is a 13-hour time difference between the two countries. If you call from China at 2 PM, it might be 1 AM in Colombia!
This difference might be acceptable if the toll-free service is 24 x 7. However, some toll-free numbers work during office hours or for 12 hours a day. You must figure out when to call to reach the business in such cases. In the above example, if the toll-free number is available between 10 AM and 6 PM Columbia Time, you must call from China between 11 PM and 7 AM China Standard Time.
3. Cost Considerations
While standard toll-free numbers are free for customers to call, calling an 1800 number from overseas is not free. International call charges apply to such calls, and international rates are high. Inbound numbers from international locations can be charged, like direct overseas calls or a non-toll-free number. You can end up paying a hefty bill if you make a call to an 1800 number from another country.
Regardless of the challenges, you may need to call an 1800 or toll-free number from an international location, for instance, if you are travelling internationally. Let us look at how to call an 1800 number from overseas.
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Steps to Call 1800 Number from Overseas
Source: Corefactors.in
Can you call an 1800 number from overseas? Yes, but not always. There are two things that you need to consider before calling an 1800 number from overseas:
1. The business that owns the number decides the call routing options for it. So, if a particular business does not accept overseas calls on its toll-free number, you won’t be able to call that number.
2. Your telecom provider in your country manages your calls. So, if your provider does not support international calls or calls to the country with the toll-free number, you won’t be able to call.
Once you have checked these two factors and found that you can call a particular toll-free number, you can follow the process given below. The process is relatively simple, involving a few steps.
Step 1: Type/Dial your country’s exit code.
Step 2: Type/Dial the receiving country’s ISD code.
Step 3: Type/Dial the toll-free prefix.
Step 4: Type/Dial the business’s toll-free telephone number.
Step 5: Press the call button (for mobiles).
A country’s exit code is a code number that you need to type to make calls out of that country. It is also called dial-out code or international call prefix. For example, the US’s international dial-out code is 011.
International Subscriber Dialing (ISD) code is a number that you need to add to a phone number to access a particular country’s phones. Each country has its unique ISD country code. ISD codes are also called International Direct Dialing (IDD) codes. For example, the US’s ISD code is 1.
As discussed, the toll-free number prefix can be 1800 or 1300 or 800/844/855, etc.
So, to call an 1800 number from overseas, you would dial: xxx (your country’s exit code) + yyy (destination country’s ISD code) + 1800 + zzz zzzz (destination business’s toll-free phone number).
For example, if you call from Hong Kong to an 1800 number in the US, you would dial 001-1-1800-123-4567.
Here, the exit code for Hong Kong is 001, and the ISD code for the US is 1.
Some businesses have different toll-free numbers for calling from mobile phones and landlines. Let us look at how to dial both these types of numbers from abroad.
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How do I call an 1800 number from a mobile?
It is possible to call an 1800 number from a mobile if your mobile operator allows international phone calls and if the business you are calling accepts international calls on its toll-free mobile number.
You can call an 1800 number from a mobile phone by following the dialling format for the toll-free mobile phone number: xxx (your country’s exit code) + yyy (destination country’s ISD code) + 1800 + zzz zzzz (destination business’s toll-free mobile phone number).
You can go through the following steps to call the number toll-free from abroad from a mobile phone:
Step 1: Type your country’s exit code.
Step 2: Type the receiving country’s ISD code.
Step 3: Type the toll-free prefix.
Step 4: Type the business’s toll-free mobile number.
Step 5: Press the call button.
Sometimes, the exit code is auto-dialled for mobile phone calls when you type the plus sign (+) before the ISD code.
For example, if you call from France to an 1800 number in Japan, you would dial 00-81-1800-123-4567 or +81-1800-123-4567.
Here, the exit code for France is 00, and the ISD code for Japan is 81.
Can I call 1800 numbers from the landline?
Source: Whatsag.com
You can also call 1800 numbers from a landline. Again, first, you need to check if your landline operator allows international calls and if the receiving business accepts them. To call the 1800 number, you can follow the calling format for toll-free landline numbers: xxx (your country’s exit code) + yyy (destination country’s ISD code) + 1800 + zzz zzzz (destination business’s toll-free landline phone number).
You can go through the following steps to make toll-free calls from abroad from a mobile phone:
Step 1: Dial your country’s exit code.
Step 2: Dial the receiving country’s ISD code.
Step 3: Dial the toll-free prefix.
Step 4: Dial the business’s toll-free landline number.
For example, if you call from the UK to an 1800 number in Brazil, you would dial 00-55-1800-123-4567.
Here, the exit code for the UK is 00, and the ISD code for Brazil is 55.
Now that we have discussed the basics of calling toll-free numbers from abroad, let us look at how to call 1800 numbers in some specific countries.
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How to Call an Australian 1800 Number from Overseas?
Yes, you can call an 1800 number in Australia from abroad. However, first, you need to ensure these two things:
The business in Australia accepts international calls.
Your telecom service provider allows international calls.
After ensuring both these factors, you can take the following steps to call the Australian 1800 number:
Step 1: Type/Dial your country’s exit code.
Step 2: Type/Dial 61, Australia’s ISD code.
Step 3: Type/Dial 1800.
Step 4: Type/Dial the business’s toll-free telephone number.
Step 5: Press the call button (for mobiles).
So, the format of your call will be xxx (your country’s exit code) + 61 (Australia’s country code) + 1800 + zzz zzzz (destination business’s toll-free landline phone number).
For example, if you are calling an Australian 1800 number from China (exit code 00), you would dial 00-61-1800-123-4567.
If the toll-free prefix of an Australian toll-free number is different from 1800, you would use that prefix instead.
How to Call the 1800 Indian Toll-free Number from Abroad?
Source: Myoperator.com
You can also call the 1800 toll-free number in India from overseas. As in other cases, first, you must ensure that both the business and your telco will allow you to make the call. Then you can follow these steps:
Step 1: Type/Dial your country’s exit code.
Step 2: Type/Dial 91, India’s ISD code.
Step 3: Type/Dial 1800.
Step 4: Type/Dial the business’s toll-free telephone number.
Step 5: Press the call button (for mobiles).
So, the format of your call will be xxx (your country’s exit code) + 91 (India’s ISD code) + 1800 + zzz zzzz (destination business’s toll-free landline phone number).
How to call an 1800 number in India from the USA?
If you’re wondering how to call Indian toll-free number from the US, then this is the answer.
You can use the format discussed above to work out how to call the 1800 number in India from the USA. The US’s exit code is 011. India’s ISD code is 91.
So, you can call 011-91-1800-123-4567. Or, if you call from a cell phone, you can dial +91-1800-123-4567.
How do I dial an 1800 toll-free number to India from Canada?
Dialing the 1800 toll-free number from Canada to India is similar to dialing it from the USA. Like the US, Canada’s exit code is also 011.
So, you would call the toll-free number in the same way by dialing 011-91-1800-123-4567 or +91-1800-123-4567 (only from mobiles in some cases). Of course, as mentioned earlier, the business has to allow international calls from Canada, and your Canadian telco has to permit international calling.
Conclusion
In this post, we have discussed the process of calling toll-free numbers from abroad. Can you call an 1800 number from other countries? Yes, but not always. Essentially, as long as both the business you are calling and your telecom operator support international calls, particularly from your country, you can call toll-free numbers from abroad.
There are charges, which could be high. But the calling process is fairly simple. You need to know your country’s exit code and the receiving country’s ISD code to make such calls. As long as you are enabled to make such calls and have the necessary information, you can use the format discussed in this post to make calls to toll-free numbers globally.
FAQs:
1. How do I call a US 1 800 number from Germany?
You can call a US 1800 number from Germany if the company that owns the 1800 number accepts international calls and your German telco allows them.
You can call the 1800 number using Germany’s exit code and the US’s ISD code, followed by 1800 and the business number. Germany’s exit code is 00. The US’s ISD code is 1. So, you could dial 00-1-1800-XXX XXXX to call the 1800 number.
2. Can I call 1 800 from Europe?
Yes, you can call 1800 numbers from Europe as long as both the destination business as well as your telephone operator permit international calls.
To make an 1800 call from Europe, you can dial 00 (the exit code for all European countries except Belarus and Russia), followed by the ISD code of the country where the toll-free number is registered. Then you can add 1800 and the business’s specific number.
To call from Belarus or Russia, you can use the exit code 8~10 (dial 8, wait for the dial tone, and dial 10).
3. How do I call a US 0800 from abroad?
Overseas callers can call a US 800 number from abroad by using that country’s exit code, followed by 1 (US ISD code), 800, and the business’s toll-free number. The format you can follow is xxx-1-800-yyy yyyy.
4. How do I dial an 1800 number from Mexico?
To call an 1800 number from Mexico, you need Mexico’s exit code, the destination country’s ISD code, and the 1800 number of the business you are calling.
Mexico’s exit code is 00, so you can dial in the format 00-xxx-1800-yyy yyyy.
5. Does it cost to call 1800 numbers from a mobile?
Usually, it does not cost to call 1800 numbers from a mobile within the same country. However, some numbers might have costs attached if called from a mobile. International calls to toll-free numbers from mobiles will almost certainly cost you charges.
6. How do I get an 1800 number from Google?
Google does not supply 1800 numbers. However, its Google Voice app allows you to receive calls and make free international calls.
Updated : November 21, 2023
Supriya Bajaj is a senior content developer with immense experience in the VoIP telephony domain. With a deep knowledge of VoIP systems and emerging technologies in the field, she provides insightful and targeted content. Known for simplifying complex topics and her thought-leadership articles, Supriya delivers actionable content for both technical and non-technical audiences.
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