Both resident Londoners and Americans visiting the city often want to make a phone call to the United States from London. Calling the United States from anywhere in Great Britain is easy once you know the procedure and keep the time difference in mind. The United States is one of 19 members of the North American Numbering Plan, and you can call any of them using the same access code.
Figure the time difference before you call. When it's 9 a.m. in London, it's 4 a.m. on the U.S. East Coast and 1 a.m. on the West Coast. You'll want to time your calls to avoid waking your party up in the middle of the night. Calling in the evening (London time) or on weekends will save you money, because rates are higher during business hours.
Understand the differences between the U.S. system and that used in London and the rest of England. Unlike England, all phone numbers in the United States have a three-digit area code (instead of two to four digits) and a seven-digit local number, for a total of 10 digits. You don’t have to use a prefix number to make a call to a cell phone.
Make a phone call to the United States from London by dialing 001 and then the area code plus the local seven-digit number. For example, if you are calling Atlanta, Georgia, you would dial 001 + 404 + (local seven-digit number). Use the same format for all NANP countries, because they all use the 001 international access code.
Economize by getting a discount calling plan or card. The telephone company you do business with probably has an international calling plan with reduced rates. Alternatively, companies such as PennyTalk, Pingo and Vonage all provide discount calling options.
Tip
If you need to look up a number in the United States, several online directories are available at no charge.
Tip
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Be mindful of daylight saving time when figuring out the time difference between Britain and the United States.
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