What is the exit code to call overseas from Australia?

It is 0011, or you can use the plus sign from any mobile. With StartACall you do not need the exit code, just type the plus sign, the country code and the number.

Why do I drop the leading zero?

The leading zero is a local trunk prefix that only works inside the country. When calling from overseas you replace it with the country code, so the zero is dropped.

Is calling a mobile more expensive than a landline?

In many countries yes, because of mobile termination fees. In the UK a mobile is about $0.0955 a minute and a landline about $0.0514.

Does the person overseas need an app?

No. You are calling their ordinary mobile or landline. They answer like any normal call, with no app and no account.

How can I tell if a number is a mobile?

Look at the prefix. UK mobiles start with 07, Australian mobiles with 04, and Indian mobiles with 6, 7, 8 or 9. In much of Europe a 6 or 7 after the country code means a mobile.

Can you give a worked dialling example?

A UK mobile written as 07700 900000 becomes +44 7700 900000. Drop the leading zero, add the country code, then press call in the browser.

Do I need a SIM to call an overseas mobile?

No. StartACall uses your internet connection in the browser, so there is no SIM and no roaming. You just type the plus sign, the country code and the number.

How to call an overseas mobile from Australia | StartACall | StartACall

The mechanics of dialling an overseas mobile

From a normal Australian phone, an international call starts with the exit code 0011, then the country code, then the number. So a mobile in the UK would be 0011, then 44, then the mobile number with its leading zero removed. The plus sign does the same job as 0011 and works from any mobile.

With StartACall you do not need the exit code at all. Type the plus sign, the country code and the number without its leading zero, then press call. We connect your browser tab straight to the overseas network, the same way on a computer or a phone.

Because the plus sign is built into the dialler, you can save a contact once in international format and ring them again later without rebuilding the number. The same saved number then works whether you call from home in Australia or while you are travelling overseas.

Why you drop the leading zero

Most countries write mobile and area numbers with a leading zero for local use. That zero is a trunk prefix that only applies inside the country. When you call from overseas, you replace it with the country code, so you drop the zero.

For example, a UK mobile written as 07700 900000 becomes +44 7700 900000. An Indian mobile keeps all ten digits after +91 since it has no leading zero, while a Vietnamese mobile written with a leading 0 has that zero removed after +84.

Mobile versus landline cost

In many countries a call to a mobile costs more than a call to a landline, because the local carrier charges a higher mobile termination fee. In the UK, for instance, a mobile runs about $0.0955 a minute while a landline is around $0.0514.

It is worth checking whether your number is a mobile or a landline before a long call. StartACall bills by the minute with no monthly plan and a small $0.004 connection fee, and your credit never expires, so you stay in control of the cost.

Spotting a mobile by its prefix

You can often tell a mobile from the digits at the front. UK mobiles start with 07, Australian mobiles with 04, Indian mobiles with 6, 7, 8 or 9, and Vietnamese mobiles with 03, 05, 07, 08 or 09. Across much of Europe, numbers starting 6 or 7 after the country code are mobiles.

Reading the prefix tells you roughly what a call will cost before you dial, since mobiles usually sit at the higher rate. When someone lists both a mobile and a landline, choosing the landline for a long conversation is a quick way to keep the cost down.

A worked example with StartACall

Take a UK mobile written locally as 07700 900000. Open StartACall, allow the microphone, then type +44 7700 900000, dropping the leading zero from the 07. Press the green call button and the browser rings that mobile directly over your internet connection.

The same three steps work for any destination. Type the plus sign, the country code, then the number with its local leading zero removed. There is no exit code and no SIM involved, so once the other person answers it behaves like any normal phone call.

If you ever struggle to tell a mobile from a landline, the rate shown before you dial settles it, since a higher per minute price almost always means a mobile. Either way you only pay for the minutes you use, and the first call is free, so you can test the line to that overseas mobile before adding any credit.

Call an overseas mobile from Australia

What you get

How it works

Open StartACall

Type the number

Tap call

Why people use StartACall

Instant setup

Pay as you go

No app, no SIM

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