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As landline connections tend to be more limited than cellular networks and the internet, you may wonder how to make an international call from a landline and whether it’s possible to do so. In this guide, we’ll look at whether you can call overseas over a landline, its consequences, and the easy steps you should take to do it. We’ll also compare the international calling rates of different landline providers. Let’s get started.
Can You Call Overseas From a Landline?
You can make international calls from a landline if your landline service allows it. However, international or long-distance calling over landline requires using the standard international calling format. This standard format contains an international dialing prefix followed by the country code, city code (also called the area code), and phone number.
International calling is similar to long-distance calling and comes with additional charges. These charges depend upon your landline provider but usually fall around a few cents for every minute. The location you’re calling may also impact the per-minute cost.
You can also opt for an international calling subscription for cheaper foreign calls. This way, you’ll be able to enjoy unlimited minutes (depending upon the plan) by paying a certain number of dollars every month.
How to Dial an International Call From Landline
Dialing an international call over a landline involves the following steps:
Step 1 – Dial 011
You must first dial the exit code for the US - 011 when dialing overseas from the USA
Step 2 – Enter the Country Code of the Person You're Calling
Next, enter the country code of the person you’re calling. You can place a quick Google search to find the calling code of the target user’s country. For instance, America’s calling code is +1, while the calling codes of Malaysia and China are +60 and +86, respectively.
Step 3 – Enter the Area/City Code
In this step, you’ll have to dig deeper into the target user’s location. First of all you must know their area/city code. Once you’re aware of it, enter this area/city code after dialing the prefix & country code. Google is again a good way around. But if you cannot find the exact area code of the target user’s location, consider asking them directly.
Step 4 – Dial the Rest of the Phone Number
Now that you’ve dialed your country code, the target user’s calling code & area code; it’s time to dial the rest of their phone number, also called the local phone number. The local number may consist of seven to eight digits.
Once you’ve dialed all 4 of these parts, the number would’ve shaped into a standard international number. Feel free to place a call on it over the landline.
For your convenience, here are a couple of examples of standard international calling numbers:
Example 1:
Standard International Number: 011-52-423-324-4452
Parts of the Number:
- Country code: 011
- Receiver’s country code: 52
- Receiver’s city/area code: 423
- Receiver’s local number: 324-4452
Example 2:
Standard International Number: 00-72-321-1124-3433
Parts of the Number:
- Country code: 00
- Receiver’s country code: 72
- Receiver’s city/area code: 321
- Receiver’s local number: 1124-3433
International Calls From USA- Price Comparison
Here we’ll compare the international calling charges offered by the top landline providers in the US.
1. Community Phone – Offering Best Calling Plans for Landlines
Community Phone offers cheap landline phone service across the United States. Their innovative landline base works off cell phone towers to ensure maximum reliability, flexibility, and user convenience.
The landline plans at Community Phone start from as low as $39/month and include unlimited nationwide calling. Community Phone's landline service is suitable for personal and business use. The quick 30-second landline setup makes it easy to get started without needing a time-consuming copper network installation or the internet for your home or office.
With affordable plans starting as low as $39/month, Community Phone’s landline service can save you hundreds of dollars on installation costs, setup, and maintenance. It is 31-35% cheaper than traditional and digital landlines, 20-25% cheaper than VoIP, and a whopping 73% cheaper than a cell phone.
International Calling Rates with Community Phone
When it comes to international calling, here’s an overview of Community Phone’s per-minute pricing for long-distance calls:
Afghanistan – $0.65 — 0.77 USD
Australia – $0.05 — 0.15 USD
Canada – $0.03 — 0.54 USD
France – $0.03 — 0.86 USD
Malaysia – $0.06 — 0.11 USD
How to Setup International Calling With Community Phone
You can call 229 countries at competitive and cheap international call rates with your Community Phone landline when you sign up with them. Here's how you can get started:
1. Contact Community Phone at 815-615-0667 and speak with a landline specialist.
2. Check your area for coverage.
3. Once the rep confirms coverage, choose a plan that suits your needs. You can also get a new number FREE or opt to transfer your existing number. More on transfer below!
4. Sign up with Community Phone
5. Ask the rep to enable the caller ID feature.
6. Install your landline base per instructions in the manual after you receive it.
7. Make a call and test if your caller ID works as intended.
Or you can port your existing landline number to Community Phone and enable caller ID.
Hand-Held Number Porting with Community Phone
Here's how you can port your number to Community Phone with their hand-held porting process:
1. Contact Community Phone at 815-615-0667 and speak with a landline specialist.
2. Check your area for coverage.
3. Choose a plan and sign up once the rep confirms coverage.
4. Inform them that you would like to keep your number and share information like - PIN, account number, billing address, and a letter of authorization.
5. Contact your old provider and request them to transfer your number to Community Phone.
6. Community Phone will port your number in 3-5 business days without disrupting service. Your dedicated rep will stay in touch with you if there are challenges during porting.
7. Once your number has been ported successfully, test activation by making a call.
8. Cancel service with the old provider once you have confirmed that your number has moved to Community Phone.
Key Features
1. Call Waiting
Never miss another call with the call waiting feature. Two tones indicate a call waiting when you are engaged on another call. This feature allows you to answer the second call or let it go to voicemail.
2. Caller ID
Enable the caller ID feature to show your name or both name and number when you call someone. Talk to a Community Phone landline specialist to learn more!
3. Call Forwarding
Forward calls to another number of your choice temporarily when you cannot answer calls from your Community Phone's personal or business landline.
Benefits of Switching to Community Phone
Community Phone's landline service has many benefits, such as:
Unlimited nationwide calling: Stay in touch with loved ones with unlimited minutes without fearing a massive phone bill.
No internet or copper wire required – Unlike traditional landline services, Community Phone doesn't require setting up a copper wire or internet network and boasts a quick 30-second setup.
World-class support: Experience the best-in-class support when you contact Community Phone via mail, chat, or phone and have your questions and concerns addressed by subject matter experts.
Works during power outages: The landline base has a battery backup of up to 12 hours, ensuring your phones continue to work during blackouts and power outages.
Click here to get started with Community Phone's landline service today.
2. AT&T
Using AT&T’s landline service is an alternative way to call overseas from the US. Its landline plans are based on the VoIP standard and require access to the internet. So, the company leaves you with two options – you can either opt for its phone + internet plan or the phone + internet + TV package. That said, the former plan starts from $79.99/month while the latter one costs $154.98/month.
Read More Here: Is VoIP Considered a Landline?
International Calling Charges
Calling overseas using AT&T requires you to sign up for its international calling plan, which starts from $15/mo. It lets you call 80+ countries from the US but requires an existing subscription to its regular landline plan.
Features
- Quick & easy setup
- Unlimited overseas calling with an international calling plan
- Fit for business needs as well as home use
- Offers neat & clean sound
Read More: Alternative to AT&T Landline Phone Service
3. Cox
Cox’s home phone plan starts from $20/month and offers limited calling with many extra features like Simultaneous Ring, automatic call blocking, and caller ID. What’s more, Cox offers unlimited nationwide calling.
International Calling Charges
Cox offers international calling and supports 200+ countries. The provider offers different foreign calling plans for different needs. However, their pricing is not revealed and requires you to contact their sales team.
Features
- Simultaneous ring, speed dial, and call forwarding
- Lets you keep your existing phone number
- Provides high-quality international calling
4. Frontier
Frontier is yet another landline provider that supports international calling. Its landline plans are based on VoIP and include an internet subscription to enable calls over the landline.
International Calling Charges
Frontier’s home phone plan comes at a monthly recurring cost of $63.99, with unlimited long-distance and local calling. The dedicated international calling plans are also available at an extra cost of $19.99.
Features
- Unlimited local & international calling
- Caller ID, call waiting, and voicemail
- Decent sound quality
5. Spectrum
Last but not the least, Spectrum also supports international calling on its landline plans, which start from an additional $14.99/month as part of an expensive bundle. This landline plan offers instant tracking to 911 services with unlimited nationwide calling. Moreover, it throws in 28 additional features like readable voicemail, simultaneous ring, and call waiting.
International Calling Charges
Spectrum’s international calling plan starts from $5/month and lets your landline phone connect to over 70 countries around the world. Alongside this subscription, each call costs a certain amount, depending on where you place the call.
Features
- 28 extra calling features
- Instant tracking to over 911 services
- Cost-effective solution
- Easy to set up and use
Read More Here: Alternative to Spectrum
Frequently Asked Questions
Here we’ll answer the most popular questions regarding international calling over landline.
Do you get extra charged for calling internationally?
International calling comes at an extra price in most cases. How much additional you have to pay depends upon your landline service provider and is usually calculated per minute. However, most providers offer long-distance or international calling plans to allow cost-effective worldwide calling.
How much do international business calls cost?
International business call prices depend upon various factors like your landline provider and the country/region you’re calling. But generally, the charges fall around half a cent or less per minute. That rounds off to a couple of dollars for a 5-minute call.
Community Phone offers cost-effective landline services to businesses, including international calling. Click here to get started with Community Phone’s business landline service.
Do I get charged for incoming calls on the landline?
You’ll be charged for incoming calls on your landline if you’re physically outside your landline’s local coverage area. The location of the caller doesn’t matter.
Conclusion
Making international calls over landlines is possible but come at an extra price. The price upon your landline service and the country you’re making a call to. Moreover, calling a foreign number requires using a standard international calling format – it includes your country code followed by the target user’s country code, area code, and the local number.
That said, Community Phone is among the most cost-effective landline services that support international calling. CLICK HERE to sign up at Community Phone today.
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