An international call prefix or dial out code is a trunk prefix used to select an international telephone circuit for placing an international call. It is often referred to as IDD Prefix (International Direct Dialing)—a country will typically have a NDD Prefix as well (National Direct Dialing). The international dialing prefix must be dialed before the country calling code and the destination telephone number. It is synonymous with international access code or exit code. The international call prefix is part of the telephone numbering plan of a country for calls to another country.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) recommends the sequence 00 as a standard for an international call prefix, and this has been implemented by many countries, but not all of them. Some countries use the 00 prefix which is followed by the international carrier code.
When phone numbers are published for use abroad they typically include the country calling code, but show a plus sign (+) prefix in place of any international call prefix, to signify that the caller should use the prefix code appropriate for their country.
Many phones allow this "+" to be entered in their saved number lists, often by holding down the '0' key (most GSM mobile phones) or with two consecutive presses of the * key. When making a call the system then automatically converts the "+" to the correct international prefix, depending on where the phone is being used, which enables callers to use the same stored number when calling from either their own country or any other.
Calling the Dunedin City Council in New Zealand:
Some telecommunications service providers or mobile network operators (wireless carriers) have different international call prefix codes which callers or subscribers can use to route calls through specific networks, sometimes with special pricing arrangements.
Many countries also provide alternative dialling arrangements for calls to neighbouring countries.
Some of these variations from the generic codes are shown in the list below (but may be out of date).
0
Samoa
00 (the recommended ITU prefix)
Africa: all countries except Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda
Asia: most countries, with exceptions in Central Asia, South-East Asia and East Asia
Europe: all countries except Belarus and Russia
Middle East: all countries
North America: all countries except Cuba and those using 011
South America: most countries
000
Kenya
Tanzania
Uganda
001
Guyana
Hong Kong
Mongolia
001x, where x is the international carrier selection code consisting of one or more digits
Australia:
0011 – default carrier
0015 – default carrier – circuit switched connection (usually, for fax transmission)
0014 – Primus
0018 – Telstra
0019 – Optus – circuit switched connection (usually, for fax transmission)
009
Nigeria
00x, where x is the international carrier selection code consisting of one or more digits
Brazil:
0015 – Vivo
0021 – Embratel
0031 – Oi
0041 – TIM
Cambodia: 001, 007
Colombia: 005, 007, 009
Hong Kong:
001 – default carrier
002 – default carrier – circuit switched connection (usually, for fax transmission)
0030 – Hong Kong Broadband Network
0050 – ComNet Telecom (HK) Limited
0059 – HKC Network Ltd
0060 – PCCW
007 – Wharf T&T
008 – Hutchison Telecom
009 – New World Telecommunications Limited
A number of international call providers use 15XX and 16xx prefixes (External Telecommunication Service)
Indonesia: 001, 007, 008, 009
Singapore:
000 – default carrier
001 – SingTel
002 – M1
008 – StarHub
South Korea: 001, 002, 003xx, 005, 006, 007xx, 008
Taiwan: 002, 005, 006, 007, 009
Thailand:
001 – CAT Telecom standard
004 – Total Access Communication
005 (standard), 00500 (low cost) – Advanced Info Service
006 (standard), 00600 (low cost) – True Move
007 – TOT standard
008 – TOT low cost (via VoIP)
009 – CAT Telecom low cost (via VoIP)
010
Japan
011 – all countries in the North American Numbering Plan:
American Samoa
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Bermuda
British Virgin Islands
Canada
Cayman Islands
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Grenada
Guam
Roatan, Honduras
Jamaica
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Montserrat
Northern Mariana Islands
Palau
Puerto Rico
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Sint Maarten
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos Islands
United States of America
United States Virgin Islands
119
Cuba
1xx0, where xx is the international carrier selection code
Chile
8~10Belarus
Kazakhstan
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
8~xx, where xx is the international carrier selection code
Russia
8~10 – default carrier; Rostelecom (for carrier preselection service subscribers)
8~26 – Arctel
8~27 – Synterra
8~28 – Comstar
8~56 – GoldenTelecom
8~57 – Transtelecom
8~58 – MTT
8~59 – Orange Business Services
The following is a non-exhausive list of countries that allow for optional carrier selection in addition to using the standard prefix.
01x, where x is the international carrier selection code consisting of one or more digits:
Israel, in addition to the standard prefix 00 for default carrier (see Telephone numbering in Israel)
012 – 012 Smile
013 – 013 NetVision
014 – Bezeq International
015 – Hallo 015
016 – Golan Telecom
017 – Hot Mobile
018 – Xfone
019 – Telzar
10x, where x is the international carrier selection code consisting of two digits:
Georgia, in addition to the standard prefix 00 for default carrier
1000 – default carrier
1007 – Caucasus Online
1010 – MagtiCom
1011 – SystemNet
1012 – SystemNet
1013 – MacroCom
1015 – SakTelComPlus
1016 – Silknet
1017 – SystemNet
1018 – Global Erty
1019 – Akhtel
1027 – CallCenter
1040 – IntelPhone
1041 – V-TEL Georgia
1050 – MagtiCom
1051 – Caucasus Online
1052 – Alex Development Georgia
1053 – Sky Service
1054 – Lagi
1057 – NewCom
1060 – GeoNet
1061 – Silknet
1062 – Geocell
1063 – Black Sea Telecom
1064 – Central Communication Company of Georgia
1065 – New Net
1067 – GeoTel
1069 – Service
1072 – TelMax
1075 – Wi-MAX Georgia
1076 – Silknet
1094 – Warid Telecom Georgia
99x, where x is the international carrier selection code consisting of one or more digits:
Finland, in addition to the standard prefix 00 for default carrier (see Telephone numbering in Finland)
9900 – default carrier
990 – TeliaSonera
991 – Elisa Oyj
992 – Globetel
994 - DNA Oy
99511 – Helistamine OU
99532 – Elisa Oyj
99533 – DNA Oy
99541 – DNA Oy
99555 – DNA Oy
99559 – Elisa Oyj
99566 – Datalahti Oy
99577 – DNA Oy
99588 – Globetel
99590 – TeliaSonera
99599 - Nettia
996 – DNA Oy
998 – Orange Business Finland Oy
999 – Elisa Oyj
0
Bahrain (now 00)
El Salvador (now 00)
Falkland Islands (now 00)
Malta (now 00)
Myanmar (now 00)
00
Cambodia (now 001)
Mongolia (now 001)
Sint Maarten (now 011)
Tanzania (now 000)
000
Rwanda (now 00)
001
Japan (now 010)
002
Paraguay (now 00)
0030
Hong Kong (CTI, which now uses 1666)
005
Singapore (now 001)
007
Malaysia (now 00)
009
Denmark, including Faeroe Islands and Greenland (now 00)
Sweden (now 00)
010
United Kingdom (now 00)
05
Fiji (now 00)
Papua New Guinea (now 00)
07~
Spain (now 00)
09
Namibia (now 00)
Netherlands (now 00)
South Africa (now 00)
095
Norway (now 00)
099
Guinea-Bissau (now 00)
101
Malawi (now 00)
110
Zimbabwe (now 00)
15
Chad (now 00)
16
Republic of Ireland (now 00)
Somalia (now 00)
19
Central African Republic (now 00)
France (now 00)
800
Estonia (now 00)
8~10
Armenia (now 00)
Azerbaijan (now 00)
Estonia (now 00)
Georgia (now 00)
Kyrgyzstan (now 00)
Latvia (now 00)
Lithuania (now 00)
Moldova (now 00)
Ukraine (now 00)
90
Burundi (now 00)
92
Pakistan (now 00)
95 for NANP and 98 for the rest of the world
Mexico (now 00)
99
India (now 00)
the former Yugoslavia (successively replaced by successor republics with 00)