How to Send a Text to Someone in Another Country

By Laurel Storm

Updated September 01, 2017

Keep in touch with distant friends and family with international text messages.
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The sending of text messages isn't limited to cell phones within a single country. As long as you know the cell phone number you want to contact and what country it is registered in, you can send a text to anywhere in the world, adding specific prefixes to the number itself to ensure your message reaches its intended destination.

Examine the phone number you want to send a text message to. If it is written starting with a plus sign, you can safely assume the international calling code is already included. If not, identify the international calling code using a list of international calling codes. For example, the calling code for the United Kingdom is "44."

Identify the exit code for the country your cell phone number is registered to. If you are in the United States, the code is "011."

Enter first the exit code, then the calling code, then the phone number when sending your text. If the phone number has a leading zero, remove it.

For example, to send a text message to the number "07700 900375" in the United Kingdom, you would enter "011447700900375" as the destination number.

If the above does not work, replace the exit code with a plus sign. For example, enter "+447700900375" instead of "011447700900375."

Warnings

Depending on your payment plan, sending international text messages may cost extra. Contact your wireless provider before sending any texts if you are unsure whether or not there are additional fees.

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