So, I found myself needing to make a call back to the States the other day. I’m over here in Portugal, enjoying the sun, but some things you just need a phone call for, you know? Couldn’t just send an email for this one.
First thing I did, honestly? I just picked up my phone and almost dialed the regular US number. Stopped myself right there. Figured that wouldn’t work, or if it did, my phone bill would probably give me a heart attack later. International calls, they can be tricky.
Figuring Out The Dialing Code Mess
Alright, so I needed the proper way. Had to do a bit of digging. My process went something like this:
- Step 1: Get Out of Portugal (Digitally speaking!) I learned you need an ‘exit code’ first. Tells the phone system you’re calling outside of Portugal. Found out for Portugal, that code is 00. Okay, easy enough.
- Step 2: Tell ‘Em Where You’re Going. Next up, the country code for the US. Pretty much everyone knows this one, it’s just 1.
- Step 3: The Specific Area. Then, you need the area code for the city or region you’re calling in the US. Mine was for California, so I needed that specific area code.
- Step 4: The Actual Number. And finally, the person’s local phone number. The standard 7 digits.
So, putting it all together, the sequence I needed to dial looked like this: 00 – 1 – (Area Code) – (Local Phone Number).
Checking Costs and Other Options
Before I actually dialled using my mobile, I quickly checked my plan’s international rates. Wasn’t thrilled. It wasn’t terrible, but definitely not cheap for a potentially long chat.
Then I remembered the obvious thing – apps! I checked if the person I needed to call used WhatsApp or maybe Skype. We both had WhatsApp, thankfully. So, connected to my Wi-Fi here, which is pretty decent, and decided to try that first.
Making the Call (The Wi-Fi Way)
Opened up WhatsApp, found their contact, hit the call button. Clear connection, worked perfectly. And the best part? No extra charge on my phone bill since it just used the internet connection I already have.
So, in the end, I used an app over Wi-Fi. Much simpler and cheaper for me.
But, it was good to figure out the actual dialing sequence (00 + 1 + Area Code + Number) just in case I needed it, like if I didn’t have Wi-Fi or needed to call a landline that wasn’t on an app. Always good to know the old-school way too, right? Took a few minutes to sort out, but got there in the end.
