How to Dial Long Distance on a House Phone
By Pilar Ethridge
Sometimes you'll want to phone your friends and relatives who live in another area code. Whether you want to share good news or simply hear a loved one's voice, it's helpful to know how to properly dial long distance. You'll have to keep a few things in mind depending on where you're calling. But, overall, you'll get the hang of long-distance dialing from your home phone after just a few tries.
Domestic Long-Distance Calls
Step 1
Pick up your house phone's receiver and listen for a dial tone. If you don't hear one, someone might be using the phone. It's also possible that your telephone service is interrupted.
Step 2
Dial 1 before making a call to a location within the United States. This includes calls to Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico.
Step 3
Dial the three-digit area code. Then input the seven-digit phone number. You should be dialing something like: 1-000-000-0000.
International Long-Distance Calls
Step 1
Check for a dial tone on your home phone and then dial 011.
Step 2
Input the country code and city code after dialing 011. Each country as well as the cities within that country will have a unique code. For instance, if you wanted to call someone in Venice, Italy, you'd have to dial 011 followed by 39, which is Italy's country code; and then 041, which is the city code in Venice.
Step 3
Complete the call by dialing the local phone phone number. Without dialing 011, the country code and the city code, the local telephone number will not work.
References
Tips
- Check with your phone service provider for rates when making long-distance calls.
Writer Bio
Since 2006, Pilar Ethridge has had the pleasure of honing her writing skills as the assistant editor of the newsletter from a Washington, D.C. nonprofit organization. Her interests include children's media, film, American pop culture, crafts, and performing arts in general. Based in Southern California, Ethridge received a Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal studies from the University of California.