If you’re living and working in Australia but need to conduct business in the United States, you’re probably trying to find the simplest way to call the USA from Australia.
When you consider country codes, time zones, and fees for international calls, placing a call to the US from Australia can feel intimidating. That’s why, in this article, we’re breaking it all down for you.
We’ll take you step-by-step through calling the USA from an Australian mobile phone or landline. Then, we’ll give you important tips on how to factor in time zones and international fees for a smooth international calling experience.
How to call the USA from an Australian mobile number
When placing international calls, you need to know the international dialing codes that direct your call out of your current country and into the destination country. The process is slightly different depending on whether you’re using a mobile phone or a landline.
If you’re trying call USA from Australia on a mobile phone, follow these steps:
- Enter “+” on your phone’s dial pad. This is usually done by holding down the “0” key. Mobile phones automatically translate the “+” into your location’s international exit code.
- Enter “1” for the US country code.
- Enter the area code for the city you are calling. In the US, this is a three-digit code associated with a certain geographic area. You can look up the area code for some of the biggest US cities in the chart below. Most businesses in the US, however, list their area code along with their phone number.
| City | Code |
|---|---|
| Boston | 617 |
| Chicago | 312, 773, 872 |
| Dallas | 214, 469, 972 |
| Denver | 303, 720 |
| Detroit | 313 |
| Houston | 713, 281, 832 |
| Los Angeles | 323, 213 |
| New York City | 212, 646, 917 |
| Philadelphia | 215, 267, 445 |
| Phoenix | 602 |
| San Antonio | 210, 726 |
| San Diego | 619, 858 |
| San Francisco | 415, 628 |
| San Jose | 408, 669 |
| Seattle | 206 |
- Dial the number of the person you are trying to reach.
On mobile phones, international calls to the US are pretty simple to make. The phone takes care of the international code, and you’ll have your destination phone number at the ready. All you need to remember is to dial “1” to reach the US
How to call the USA from an Australian landline number
Calling the USA from an Australian landline is a little different. Because landlines can’t automatically detect your location and enter the international exit code for you, you’ll have to enter it manually.
Here’s how to do it:
- Dial 0011 on your landline. This is the Australian exit code.
- Dial 1 for the US country code.
- Dial the appropriate area code.
- Enter the rest of the local number.
Looking to instead call Australia from the United States? Check our guide on how to call Australia from the US.
How to factor in the time difference when calling the US from Australia
Both Australia and the United States cover several time zones. To accurately factor in the time zone difference, you’ll need to know your Australian time zone as well as the time zone of the US location you’re trying to call.
Australian time zones cover UTC +8 to UTC +11. The contiguous US — that is, every state except Alaska and Hawaii — covers UTC -8 to UTC -5. Both countries also observe Daylight Savings Time, which impacts the local time in most regions.
Because there are so many components to understanding the time difference between the US and Australia, your best bet for choosing the right time to call is to use a world clock tool like Time and Date. In the example below you can see Sydney is 16 hours ahead of New York.
You can personalize a tool like this to show the times in the locations you need to call most often. This way, you can always be sure you won’t accidentally call your colleagues in the middle of the night.
How much does it cost to call the US from Australia?
When you call the US from Australia, you’ll pay the current international rate from your phone carrier or provider.
If you’re using a VoIP phone provider, you might see rates as low as $0.01 per minute. Cellular providers may charge up to $3 or $4 per minute.
Some phone providers also offer international calling packages or deals where you can make unlimited calls to the US and other countries for a small monthly fee.
No matter what phone provider you’re using, be sure to check the international calling rates carefully before calling outside of your country to avoid surprise charges.
How to call the USA from Australia without paying international fees
If you’re trying to avoid international fees altogether, consider a business phone solution with unlimited free calls to the US, no matter where in the world you’re located.
With OpenPhone, you can get a second phone number you can use to call or text the US and Canada as much as you want. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Melbourne or Sydney, New South Wales, or Victoria — you’ll still be able to stay in touch with your US-based colleagues. If you’re looking to build a presence in North America, this also gives you a local number based on a specific US or Canadian area code.
Your second phone number on OpenPhone lives easily on your existing smartphone. The OpenPhone app looks and feels just like any other messaging or phone call app you use. It’s the easiest way to call the USA from Australia for free.
OpenPhone helps you call USA from Australia with ease
Making international calls is often a stressful and complex undertaking. Between changing time zones and confusing international rates, calling the US from Australia can seem like it’s more hassle than it’s worth.
With OpenPhone, you can make international calls to the US from Australia easily and with no additional charges. Your OpenPhone number lives on your existing device, ready to help you collaborate with your coworkers no matter where you are in the world.
Ready to make international calls to the US as easily as possible? Start your OpenPhone free trial today.
The post Call USA from Australia: The easiest way to call from mobile or landline appeared first on OpenPhone Blog.