How country codes work (and how to dial any number abroad)
International phone numbers look intimidating, but they follow one consistent pattern everywhere. Once you understand the three parts — the exit code, the country code, and the local number — you can dial any phone on earth without guessing.
The three parts of an international number
- Exit (or international access) code: tells your network you are calling abroad — 00 in most of the world, 011 in the US and Canada. The + symbol stands in for whatever the local exit code is.
- Country code: identifies the destination country — +1 for the US/Canada, +44 for the UK, +55 for Brazil, +34 for Spain.
- Local number: the area/city code plus the subscriber number. In some countries you drop a leading 0 from the area code when calling internationally.
Why the + symbol is the safest way to save a number
If you save numbers starting with + and the country code (for example +44 20 7946 0958), they work no matter where you are calling from, because your phone or app converts the + into the correct exit code automatically. That is why contacts saved in international format just work when you travel.
Dialing examples by destination
When you call with Hyallo, you just type the number in full international format and we connect it — no exit code to remember. Here are guides with the exact format and live per-minute rate for popular destinations:
