The Best Way to Call an International Phone Number From Verizon Cellphone
By Melanie Jo Triebel
As more and more people choose to have only cellphone service, rather than a home phone, and more people transact business on their cellular phones, international cellular calling is also becoming increasingly important. For Verizon Wireless customers, there are two different ways to place an international phone call, depending upon the destination country of the call: 10-digit dialing and international dialing.
Ten-Digit Dialing
The easiest way to call an international number is, of course, to use 10-digit dialing as you would to make a domestic call. Verizon offers 10-digit North American Dialing to specified countries. The name is a bit misleading, however. This service extends to the U.S. and Canada, as well as numerous island nations, such as Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Jamaica. The service doesn't extend to Mexico, however, although parts of the nation are located in North America.
International Dialing
You can't make an international call to most non-U.S. countries without purchasing International Dialing or I-Dial service. You need to choose a plan: Standard International Dialing or the International Long Distance Value Plan. The standard plan offers rates as low as $0.20 per minute, while the value plan offers rates starting at $0.06 per minute as of June 2011. In each plan, the rate varies by country and region. The value plan, however, allows calling to fewer countries and entails a monthly access charge.
How to Get It
You must sign up for an I-Dial plan to dial most countries outside the U.S. To qualify for I-Dial service, you must meet the company's payment history requirements, which the company doesn't disclose. Additionally, to get I-Dial service, you must be signed up for an adequate-length contract with Verizon. I-Dial can be activated by calling Verizon's customer service number or visiting a Verizon store.
How to Use It
Using I-Dial is comparable to making a long-distance call on a landline phone. You must first dial "011," then the country code, then the telephone number you would like to call. Then, hit "Send" just as you would when placing a domestic call. Verizon's (verizonwireless.com) website offers an International Service Web page providing information about country codes and dialing patterns for various countries.
Writer Bio
Melanie Jo Triebel has been writing since 2003. Her articles have appeared in such publications as the "ARIAS U.S. Quarterly" and the "Sidley Reinsurance Law Report." Triebel holds a B.A. in music from Chapman University and a J.D. from the Chapman University School of Law. She has practiced law for nearly a decade and is licensed in California and Illinois.