How to Call the United States From Portugal
Pick up the receiver., Dial the international call prefix., Dial the country code., Dial the area code., Dial the local number., Press Talk on a mobile phone., Pay attention to different time zones., Recognize when you have to drop a digit., Realize...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Pick up the receiver.
If you're using a traditional fixed phone or landline, pick up the receiver and listen for the dial tone.
There must be a dial tone before you can make a call.
To make a call from a mobile phone, turn on your phone, go into the telephone application, and bring up the keypad so you can dial the number. -
Step 2: Dial the international call prefix.
Every country has an international call prefix, also called an exit code, that must be dialled before you can call out of the country to another one.Dial
00.
This is the international call prefix for Portugal, and it must be dialled before making calls abroad.
If you're calling from a mobile phone, there may be a shortcut for the international call prefix.
Look for the + sign, which is the shortcut.
Sometimes it’s the same as the 0 button, and sometimes you can use ** as a shortcut., Just like every country has a unique international call prefix to dial out, so too does every country have its own code that you dial when you want to call in.Dial
1.
This is the country code for the US.
It’s also the country code for Canada and the Caribbean, because like international call prefixes, country codes can be shared by multiple nations.
A country code can be one, two, or three digits long, and some countries have separate codes for mobile phones and landlines.The US, however, is not one of these countries, so the code will always be the same, regardless of what kind of phone you're calling. , Bigger countries have area or city codes that divide larger geographical areas into small sections, and countries like the US have hundreds of area codes.
Most states have multiple area codes, and you will need to know the particular area code for the state and region you're calling.
Area codes in different countries can be one, two, or three digits long, but in the US they are all three digits.
When calling smaller countries, they may not actually have area codes, in which case you would only dial the international call prefix, followed by the country code and local number., This is the specific and direct number of the person or organization you wish to call.
This could be a landline on a fixed phone or a mobile number.In the US, local numbers are seven digits long.
Once you’ve inputted all the numbers, the number you dial should look something like this: 00 1 123 456
7890.
In this example, 00 is the exit number for Portugal, 1 is the country code for the US, 123 is the area code, and 456-7890 is the seven-digit local number. , If you're calling from a fixed phone, it will automatically begin to dial when you’ve inputted all the right numbers.
However, on a mobile phone, you will have to press Send, Talk, or the telephone icon to actually prompt the phone to dial the number you’ve inputted. , The world is divided into 24 different time zones, meaning that daytime for you may be the middle of the night for someone in another country.
When planning international calls, you have to consider both what time it is where you are and the time in the country and region you're calling.
Portugal falls into Western European Time.
The United States, however, span six separate time zones, including Alaska, Hawaii–Aleutian, Pacific, Mountain, Central, and Eastern Times.
This means that depending on where you're calling in the United States, the time there could be anywhere from five to 10 hours behind the time in Portugal., Some countries use what’s called a trunk prefix, and this is a digit that gets added to the beginning of a phone number when it’s being called domestically.
However, these won’t work when you're calling the number internationally, so the code must be dropped.
Trunk prefixes are often 0, so if you're having trouble calling an international phone number that starts with a 0, don’t dial the 0, and instead start with the next digit., Toll-free numbers are phone numbers that you can call for free because the subscriber takes on the charges on behalf of the caller.
They are usually used by businesses so that customers can contact them without incurring long-distance fees.Toll-free numbers are often set up to only accept calls originating in the same country, and this means they cannot be called from international locations.
If you're trying to get a hold of a company or organization in a different country, you will likely have to call their regular local line and incur the long-distance charges yourself. , While all phone providers are different and have their own rates, calling long distance and internationally is always more expensive than making local calls.
Depending on your carrier, international calls could range from a few cents to over a dollar per minute.
Some providers divide days into peak and off-peak hours, and it’s cheaper to make long-distance and international calls at these times.Off-peak hours are usually hours when businesses don’t operate, such as very early in the morning and late at night Talk to your phone provider before making any long distance calls if you're unclear about your phone plan.
Otherwise, you could end up paying extremely high rates if you don’t have a long distance plan in place. , Calling cards aren't always cheaper than long distance plans, but they can be if you get a good rate on the card or don’t make international calls often.
Calling cards are prepaid cards that you purchase to make phone calls, and often require the caller to punch in a series of numbers before placing a call.
Calling cards are usually designed for specific countries, so if you're looking for one to call the US from Portugal, make sure the card you buy is for calling North America.
Note that while some calling cards have great rates, they may charge service fees that eat into the amount of money available on the card for phone calls. -
Step 3: Dial the country code.
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Step 4: Dial the area code.
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Step 5: Dial the local number.
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Step 6: Press Talk on a mobile phone.
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Step 7: Pay attention to different time zones.
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Step 8: Recognize when you have to drop a digit.
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Step 9: Realize that you may not be able to call toll-free numbers abroad.
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Step 10: Call at different times to save money.
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Step 11: Call with a calling card to save money.
Detailed Guide
If you're using a traditional fixed phone or landline, pick up the receiver and listen for the dial tone.
There must be a dial tone before you can make a call.
To make a call from a mobile phone, turn on your phone, go into the telephone application, and bring up the keypad so you can dial the number.
Every country has an international call prefix, also called an exit code, that must be dialled before you can call out of the country to another one.Dial
00.
This is the international call prefix for Portugal, and it must be dialled before making calls abroad.
If you're calling from a mobile phone, there may be a shortcut for the international call prefix.
Look for the + sign, which is the shortcut.
Sometimes it’s the same as the 0 button, and sometimes you can use ** as a shortcut., Just like every country has a unique international call prefix to dial out, so too does every country have its own code that you dial when you want to call in.Dial
1.
This is the country code for the US.
It’s also the country code for Canada and the Caribbean, because like international call prefixes, country codes can be shared by multiple nations.
A country code can be one, two, or three digits long, and some countries have separate codes for mobile phones and landlines.The US, however, is not one of these countries, so the code will always be the same, regardless of what kind of phone you're calling. , Bigger countries have area or city codes that divide larger geographical areas into small sections, and countries like the US have hundreds of area codes.
Most states have multiple area codes, and you will need to know the particular area code for the state and region you're calling.
Area codes in different countries can be one, two, or three digits long, but in the US they are all three digits.
When calling smaller countries, they may not actually have area codes, in which case you would only dial the international call prefix, followed by the country code and local number., This is the specific and direct number of the person or organization you wish to call.
This could be a landline on a fixed phone or a mobile number.In the US, local numbers are seven digits long.
Once you’ve inputted all the numbers, the number you dial should look something like this: 00 1 123 456
7890.
In this example, 00 is the exit number for Portugal, 1 is the country code for the US, 123 is the area code, and 456-7890 is the seven-digit local number. , If you're calling from a fixed phone, it will automatically begin to dial when you’ve inputted all the right numbers.
However, on a mobile phone, you will have to press Send, Talk, or the telephone icon to actually prompt the phone to dial the number you’ve inputted. , The world is divided into 24 different time zones, meaning that daytime for you may be the middle of the night for someone in another country.
When planning international calls, you have to consider both what time it is where you are and the time in the country and region you're calling.
Portugal falls into Western European Time.
The United States, however, span six separate time zones, including Alaska, Hawaii–Aleutian, Pacific, Mountain, Central, and Eastern Times.
This means that depending on where you're calling in the United States, the time there could be anywhere from five to 10 hours behind the time in Portugal., Some countries use what’s called a trunk prefix, and this is a digit that gets added to the beginning of a phone number when it’s being called domestically.
However, these won’t work when you're calling the number internationally, so the code must be dropped.
Trunk prefixes are often 0, so if you're having trouble calling an international phone number that starts with a 0, don’t dial the 0, and instead start with the next digit., Toll-free numbers are phone numbers that you can call for free because the subscriber takes on the charges on behalf of the caller.
They are usually used by businesses so that customers can contact them without incurring long-distance fees.Toll-free numbers are often set up to only accept calls originating in the same country, and this means they cannot be called from international locations.
If you're trying to get a hold of a company or organization in a different country, you will likely have to call their regular local line and incur the long-distance charges yourself. , While all phone providers are different and have their own rates, calling long distance and internationally is always more expensive than making local calls.
Depending on your carrier, international calls could range from a few cents to over a dollar per minute.
Some providers divide days into peak and off-peak hours, and it’s cheaper to make long-distance and international calls at these times.Off-peak hours are usually hours when businesses don’t operate, such as very early in the morning and late at night Talk to your phone provider before making any long distance calls if you're unclear about your phone plan.
Otherwise, you could end up paying extremely high rates if you don’t have a long distance plan in place. , Calling cards aren't always cheaper than long distance plans, but they can be if you get a good rate on the card or don’t make international calls often.
Calling cards are prepaid cards that you purchase to make phone calls, and often require the caller to punch in a series of numbers before placing a call.
Calling cards are usually designed for specific countries, so if you're looking for one to call the US from Portugal, make sure the card you buy is for calling North America.
Note that while some calling cards have great rates, they may charge service fees that eat into the amount of money available on the card for phone calls.
About the Author
Donald Kelly
Experienced content creator specializing in pet care guides and tutorials.
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