Trying to put a call through to someone in the United States while you’re abroad? Before doing so, get to know about your communication options, international dialing, and the USA dialing code.
December 7, 2020 — 4 min read
Trying to put a call through to someone in the United States while you’re abroad? Before doing so, it’s essential to know about your communication options, international dialing, and US area codes, so you can make the best, most cost-effective option.
But what if you’re not sure about these?
Well, it’s time to pay attention to what a USA dialing code looks like, some common area codes in the US, and why your call to the US may not be working. You can refer to this article whenever you want to make calls to someone in the US.
Just like every country has its own international country code, so does the United States. While making an international call to a person in the US, make sure to add your country’s international dialing prefix (+) and dial the number “1” before the call. We’ve explained everything in detail further below.
When you put a call through to someone in the US while you’re in the US yourself, a standard American mobile number has 10 digits, following the format of (XXX)-XXX-XXXX. It looks like (123) 456-7890, where “123” is the area code, and “456-7890” is the rest of the phone number.
But if you’re calling the US from abroad, you need to make a slight change in the USA dialing code.
For example, if you call the Indian Embassy in Washington DC, USA, from India, the number is (202) 939 9889, so you’ll be dialing:
00 - the exit code for dialing outside the US
1 - the country code for USA
202 - the area code for Washington DC
939 9889 - the 7-digit phone number of the embassy
In short, you’ll need to dial 001-202-939-9889 for calling up the Indian Embassy in the USA from abroad.
You’ll find one or more area codes for each city in the US, and you can use these area codes for all the phone numbers in that region. Here are some common area codes in the country:
New York, NY - 212, 347, 718, 917, 929
Washington, DC - 202
San Francisco, CA - 628, 415
Los Angeles, CA - 213, 310, 323, 424, 661
Philadelphia, PA - 267, 215
Detroit, MI - 313
Chicago, IL - 312, 773, 872
Miami, FL - 786, 305
Boston, MA - 508, 617
Seattle, WA - 206
Dallas/ Fort Worth, TX - 972, 214, 469
Your call to the US won’t work if you:
Have the wrong area code
Don’t use the exit code for dialing out of your country
Don’t dial +1 before dialing the US phone number
Call someone in the US whose mobile phone doesn’t accept international calls
Alternatively, you can use online platforms like Whatsapp, Skype, Viber, or Ringo to connect with a person in the USA. Skype is a great option if you’re concerned about high phone bills—overseas calls are completely free as long as both users are connecting through Skype.
Almost every phone number in the US is attached to a voicemail, no matter if it’s a mobile phone or a landline number.
When you call anyone in the US, you might hear a notification saying that the person you’ve called up can’t take your call at the time, and asking you to leave a message for that person.
Once you call someone in the US, you might hear some common phone tones, like:
A standard dial tone that’s a lot like dial tones in other countries.
A constant beep-beep sound that tells you that the number you’re calling is busy.
A message that sounds something like “We’re sorry, you’ve reached a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service”, letting you know that the phone you’re calling can’t be reached.
When you’re calling the US or heading over to the country, you might want to have some options handy for making international money transfers - there’s no saying when you might need them!
For example, you can use the Xe website and app for fast, safe, and hassle-free money transfers to and from the US. All you need to do is download the Xe app or sign up today!
Register and send money