With over a million Brits living in the USA chances are you have a loved one or a colleague you’d like to stay in touch with across the ocean. With the latest advancements in technology, it is easier than ever to communicate with anyone from practically anywhere in the world. Connecting with any UK-based number from the US is a pretty simple task if you know the right area code and in which sequence you have to dial the number. However, calling the UK from the US can be expensive. In this article, we’re sharing the different ways you can call someone in the UK from the US, along with some tips for free international phone calls and advice on calling etiquette.
What is the Format of UK Phone Numbers?
The UK phone number format consists of the country code +44 followed by 9 or 10 digits. It’s important to note that any number with a leading zero is reserved solely for use by the 999 emergency services in England and Wales.
The Format of a UK Landline Phone Number
In the UK, landline telephone numbers are typically composed of nine or ten digits following the 0 trunk code or +44 international dialling prefix. The first part of a UK landline number is specific to one geographic area. It is referred to as the area code or dialing code. In the United Kingdom, area codes consist of two, three, four, or in rare cases, five digits (excluding the initial zero). Areas with shorter codes, usually major cities, allow for greater allocation of phone numbers as the local number section contains more digits.Four-digit area codes can either have six-digit subscriber numbers or a combination of five- and six-digit subscriber numbers. Meanwhile, three-digit area codes always consist of seven-digit subscriber numbers and begin with 011x or 01×1. Two-digit area codes, on the other hand, have eight-digit subscriber numbers and always begin with 02.
The basic format of a UK landline phone number will be: area code + landline number.
The Format of a UK Mobile Phone Number
Mobile phone numbers are 10 digits long and always begin with mobile code 7. Mobile phone numbers have their prefixes which are not geographical and are completely portable between providers. The basic format of a UK mobile phone number will be: mobile code prefix+ phone number.
Common Area Codes of the UK
Here are some area codes of major cities in the UK. You can check the full list of UK area codes here to know more about cities.
| City | Area Code |
| Aberdeen | 1224 |
| Birmingham | 121 |
| Cardiff | 29 |
| Glasgow | 141 |
| Liverpool | 151 |
| London | 20 |
| Manchester | 161 |
| Nottingham | 115 |
| York | 1904 |
How to Dial UK Phone Numbers Internationally from the US？
How do I Call UK Landlines from the US?
You will need to follow a handful of simple steps to reach a landline in the United Kingdom.
Step 1. Dial the International Access Code or Exit Code (011)
First, to dial the UK internationally from the US, enter the digit 011. This exit code signals that you are making a call outside of the United States. Alternatively, if you are on a cellphone, you may need to substitute the ‘+’ key for 011. Some cell phones require you to use this single key.
Step 2. Dial the Country Code (44)
Secondly, enter the UK country code: 44. Entering the country code will allow you to get through to any UK-based phone number.
Step 3. Dial the Area Code
The third step to calling the UK from the US is to dial the area code that corresponds to the area you’re trying to reach. Note that area codes in the UK have as little as two, or as many as five, digits. If you see a 0 at the beginning of the area code, don’t dial this digit. Enter only the subsequent numbers.
Step 4 – Dial the Phone Number
After you’ve entered the area code, you can enter the remaining portion of the phone number.
Including the area code, the complete phone number should have 10 digits.
An example mobile phone number in the UK would be: 011-44-117-1234-555
With these steps, you should be able to get through to any active landline in the UK from the United States.
How Do I Call UK Mobile from the US?
Calling a cellphone in the UK is as easy as dialing a landline. The only difference is that instead of dialing an area code, you should enter UK’s mobile code, which is 7. Here are the step-by-step instructions for dialing a cellphone in the UK:
Step 1. Dial the International Access Code or Exit Code (011)
Enter the exit code, 011 (or the ‘+’ key if you’re on a cellphone)
Step 2. Dial the Country Code (44)
After dialing the exit code, enter in 44.
Step 3. Dial the Mobile Code (7)
Instead of dialing a location-specific area code, enter the number 7. This is the UK’s mobile code.
Step 4. Dial the Phone Number
Enter the remaining portion of the phone number. For a cellphone, this should be 9 digits.
Here’s an example of what it would look like to dial a mobile phone in the UK: 011 (exit code), 44 (country code), 7 (mobile phone code), 555 123 456.
On the phone’s display, the call would read: 011-44-7-555-123-456.
How Much Does It Cost to Call the UK from the US?
Perhaps the most relevant consideration for anyone making international calls is the cost of doing so. International phone calls can be notoriously expensive and are often cost-prohibitive for people who would otherwise make them on a regular basis.
American carriers can charge unpredictable rates, or worse, cut your call off in the middle of a conversation if you’re on a prepaid line. To solve that, you need an idea of how much your carrier charges and if calling the United Kingdom is included in your phone plan.
According to Federal Communications Commission data, phone services like AT&T can charge as much as $3.70 per minute, or over $220 per hour, for a call to the United Kingdom. If you need to call the United Kingdom frequently for personal or business reasons, you could rack up bills worth several hundred of dollars every month.
Here are the major carriers’ basic rates posted on the web:
AT & T: AT&T Basic Rates; AT&T Mobile Termination Rates
Verizon: Verizon Basic Rates
T-Mobile: T-Mobile Basic Rates
| Basic International Rate | International Plan | |
| AT&T | $3.00/minute | AT&T International Calling Plan: $15/month, Unlimited |
| Verizon | $1.99 /minute | Global Choice United Kingdom: $10/month, 300 minutes Global Calling: $5/month, Landline – $0.06 /minute, Mobile $0.26/minute Global Calling Plus: $15/month, Unlimited |
| T-Mobile | $3.00/minute | Stateside International Talk: $15/month, Unlimited |
| Sprint | $3.00/minute | Sprint International Connect: $15/month, Unlimited |
How to Make Cheap Calls to the UK from the US?
Thanks to the VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, a technology that allows you to make voice calls using a broadband Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) phone line, free international calling has become real and accessible by just getting a VoIP app on your phone. Then you are all set to enjoy unlimited free calling wherever you are.
And that’s where Dingtone comes in: Dingtone is an online calling app that lets you use WiFi or cellular data to make domestic and international phone calls for free. Compared with landlines or traditional mobile service, Dingtone can be used anytime and anywhere in the world with absolutely no international charges – and, for that matter, without any charges whatsoever! If you want to make free texts and calls online, Dingtone is the top bargain. It’s consistently ranked as one of the best free calling apps on the market.
To make free phone calls via Dingtone, the following elements should be well prepared:
- A smartphone or device where Dingtone can be downloaded and installed on
- Enough credits (can be earned through numerous activities on the Dingtone app)
- Access from your smartphone or device to the Internet
- Get a Dingtone number (Any Dingtone user is allowed to get a number for free)
For businesses that need a way to communicate with customers and contacts in the United Kingdom, users are also allowed to use some useful features Dingtone holds: voicemail, call forwarding, blocking unknown phone calls and texts, and ringtones.
How to Get a UK Phone number from Overseas?
To make free phone calls from Dingtone to anyone, landline or mobile, local or international, the first tool you should have is a Dingtone phone number that does work. It’s so easy to get a UK phone number from Dingtone that it only calls for 3 steps.
- Step 1. Download and install Dingtone on your smartphone.
- Step 2. Tap “Connect” and then “Get Your First Phone Number”.
- Step 3. Select the country the UK, the area code, and the phone number and pay for it (You can pay with credits for a free number).
Now, you’ve got your Dingtone number that can be used to make overseas calls, send text messages and register for online accounts.
Things to consider before dialing the UK
- Know your Time Zones. The United Kingdom runs on a single time zone UTC+1, or one hour ahead of Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). Make sure to double-check these time differences before you place a call, as Daylight Saving Time in the US may affect them. Check out this free tool to compare time zones.
- Schedule your call ahead of time. Once you’ve determined the best time to call, notify the other person to avoid communication or availability issues.
- Check if there’s a different process involved when you’re calling a landline, compared to calling a mobile number.
- If you need to make frequent calls from the US to the UK, consider subscribing to your preferred service’s international calling plans. Dingtone simplifies calls to the U.K. so you can connect with business contacts in just a few clicks, every time you need to.
Bottom Line
Whether you’re calling the United Kingdom, Canada, or anywhere else on the globe, Dingtone offers a tailored phone system you can use for international calls and texts, without the headache of prepaid calling cards or exorbitant prices. Take Dingtone for a spin with a free seven-day trial now!