How to Call United States From India

The way international calls are made is very different from the way people call in their home country. Whether you’re calling your friends or family back in the United States, you need to plan your call in advance to save yourself from big calling bills.

You need to follow these steps in order to call in the United States from India

00-1-Area Code- Landline Number

Area Code- If the place you’re calling has an area code, dial the area code of that city after dialing ISD code. In case, there is no area code, dial the ISD code followed by the recipient’s mobile number.

If you’re calling to a mobile, then you need to dial like this: 00 + 1 + 10 Digit Mobile Number.

You can dial 911 in case of an emergency (Police, Ambulance, and Fire). The ISD code of the United States is 1. When calling within the United States, ISD code along with the area code needs to be dialed. In the United States, there are 291 area codes and you need to know the area code in order to make an international call.

Some of the area codes of the cities/region in the United States are:

It’s better to check the time before calling someone in the United States. There is a time difference of approx. 10 hours 30 minutes between India and the United States. Though some city like Las Vegas and San Francisco have a time difference of 12 hours and 30 Minutes with India.

Additionally, you can also use international calling cards to make calls to the United States from India. Calling cards can help you save a lot in international calls. It is a prepaid method of making an international call where you only need to pay for the calling time in advance. They help you plan your budget for long distance calls. Also, they are cheaper than local network companies and other long distance call providers.

Using these phone cards to India is simple. You get a local access number (used to gain access to your calling card) in your email when you buy one. Also, some calling cards provider assign a PIN number (Personal Identification Number to verify your identity) which is also sent through email. You just need to dial toll-free access number (800) or the local access number and enter the PIN number when prompted. After you dial the PIN number, you need to dial the recipient’s number. For international calls, users need to dial 011 + country code + city code + phone number.

If you want to make another call just after your first call, just dial the recipient’s number in the above-mentioned format and you can skip entering your PIN number again and again. Also, you can avail pinless dialing service, which allows the user to use the calling card without entering the pin number. A total of six numbers can be registered for use with pinless dialing. Though not all calling cards support pinless dialing. You can also save up to 20 numbers in your speed dial. It allows you to dial the saved phone numbers automatically.

You can also check with your long distance provider to find out how much it will cost if you dial through your mobile and how much it will cost if you dial through your landline. In some countries calling from a mobile phone is expensive than calling from a fixed (landline) number. You can also ask for a discount plan if you’re going to make regular calls to certain countries. Instead, you can also sign up for one country plan. For example, if you’re going to make regular calls to the United States, then signing up for a plan meant for the United States can help you save more money. Also, the total cost is more likely to be more than the advertised rate.

Research is the key to cheaper calls. Always, research different cheaper ways for international calls before you finally sign up for a plan. Phone cards to India are a better option when compared to long distance providers. You can also check for international plans with your mobile service provider. A lot of mobile service providers offers a lower rate of international plans. Always keep long-term and short-term things in mind before purchasing a plan or a calling card. For example, if you stay in the US and going for a vacation in India, you might need to call your family back in the US but for a short period of time but, if you have relatives in the US whom you’re going to call regularly, buy a plan that fits your long-term goal.