How do you call a 1800 number from overseas?

1800 numbers are popular among businesses and customers alike. Customers can dial them for free—hence the term “toll-free number”—and, thanks to this, businesses can get more calls. However, these numbers do occasionally raise questions. One that we get often is “How do you call an 1800 number from overseas?”

The process of calling is fairly simple, but there are other things to keep in mind, including how much it costs and whether it’s possible at all (it isn’t always). That said, let’s go through these common questions one by one.

Can you call 1800 numbers from overseas?

The short answer is “Yes but not always.”

There are two factors that come into play here. First is that call routing options for each 1800 number are determined by the number’s owner. If they choose not to accept calls from overseas, then you won’t be able to reach them.

The other thing to consider is that when you call a toll-free number from abroad, your calls are handled by your telco in that country. If they don’t support inbound calls to Australia, then you’re out of luck.

Many factors influence whether a caller in another country can reach an Australian 1800 number or not. You’ll have to look up each country and their service providers individually to see if they support calls to Australian 1800 numbers.

How do you call a 1800 number from overseas?

Once you know whether you can call—or just want to test it yourself—making the call is pretty simple.

To call an Australian toll-free number from overseas, dial the following:

[International Dial-Out Code] + [61 (this is Australia’s country code)] + inbound number

Are toll-free numbers free internationally?

Toll-free numbers are registered to specific countries. This means that Australian 1800 numbers are only free to call from within Australia.

Calling from overseas, you’ll have to pay international call charges. The exact amount will depend on what method you use to make the call.

How can I make sure overseas callers can reach me?

If your business uses a toll-free number and you want to make it available to overseas callers, there are a few steps you can take, but it’s not a 100% guaranteed solution. If you set your call routing to direct overseas calls to a certain answerpoint (or answerpoints), then you’ll get calls from abroad—but callers are still subject to their telcos’ restrictions.

The same is true for 13 numbers and 1300 numbers. Whether people can reach them from overseas or not depends on their service providers.

A more reliable alternative would be to advertise another number for overseas callers. As far as inbound numbers go, your best bet would be a virtual local number. They’re flexible, like other inbound numbers, but can always be reached through international phone calls.

Make sure your customers can reach you

With the right business phone setup, you can make sure your customers can reach you no matter where they’re calling from. Get in touch with our inbound number specialists at 1300 255 835 (1300 ALLTEL) or www.alltel.com.au