How to Call to the Philippines from the USA

After reading this article you will know how to make a cheap call to the Philippines from the USA via your cell phone or land line.

The cost to call the Philippines from the USA has come down over the past few years and is now very inexpensive.

Further, you no longer need to leave the comfort of your home to purchase a phone card to call to the Philippines form the USA. You just need a computer and an Internet connection.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cell Phone
• Home Phone
• Philippines Phone Card

1. Dial 011. 011 is the USA exit code and should be dialed for all international calls placed from the USA or Canada.

2. Dial the country code for the Philippines: 63.*
   
   * Note: If you are calling a cell phone, you will need to dial 9 after the country code (e.g. 63-9).

3. Dial the 1 or 2 digit area code for the district you are calling in the Philippines. For Manila and San Pedro, the area code is 2.

4. Dial the 7-digit telephone number for the person you are trying to reach.

Tips & Warnings

• Some Philippines phone cards will require that you to use a local area access number to make your call. Please, check before dialing.
• If you have any connection problems, even after carefully following the aforementioned steps, dial the customer service phone number and ask for assistance.
• Philippines phone cards are available online and at many local stores, and make calling the Philippines much easier. A phone card can help you keep track of exactly how much your phone call is costing, without the nasty shock of a huge phone bill later.
• When choosing a phone card to call the Philippines, check to see how increments are billed (minuted rounding). Some phone cards round up to the next minute, while others can round up by 3 minutes, effectively increasing the cost of your call.
• Find out whether your Philippines phone card charges you even if the call is not connected or you reach an answering machine. Also, some cards carry a connection fee for each call regardless of whether you actually talk to someone at the other end. Try to find a phone card that does not have a connection fee.
• Dialing internationally directly from your phone may be extremely expensive, especially during business hours in the U.S. Find out what your regular long-distance carrier charges, and use a phone card if is cheaper.
• Calling an international cell phone number often makes the call even more expensive, especially without a calling plan or proper phone card. If you are unsure about the cost of your call, call the telephone company or check the international rates offered by your cell phone provider first to find out charges.

Resources

• Philippines Phone Cards
• Philippines Dialing Instructions