How to Make International Calls With Verizon

Verizon provides wireless phone services to more than 93 million customers in the United States as of September 2010. The company also furnishes landline services to more than 26 million homes and businesses. Prices and requirements for international calls differ for landline and wireless services. Both services permit you to choose discounted pricing plans for international long distance. A calling plan may save you a substantial amount of money over pay-per-minute rates. The Federal Communications Commission advises consumers to evaluate their calling habits and look at the total cost of international long distance packages, including taxes and minimum fees.

Advance planning can save you money on international calls.

Verizon Wireless

Step

Contact Verizon customer service either in person or by phone to select an international dialing plan. Request that the representative activate the I-Dial international calling service for your phone, if needed. Verizon Wireless does not require you to activate I-Dial service for countries that use 1+area code+phone number dialing.

Step

Visit the Verizon Wireless International Long Distance web page. Select a country by scrolling through the list under "Find Rates Where You Call." Click on "Go." A page will open that includes the country code, rate options and dialing instructions for that country. Canada, U.S. territories and some Caribbean countries do not require country codes. They use the same dialing pattern as U.S. phone numbers.

Step

Dial 011, then the country code followed by the city code and telephone number. Press "Send." Wait for the call to connect.

Verizon Land lines

Step

Look up the country code for the number you are calling on Verizon's list of International Calling Codes. Canada, some Caribbean nations and U.S. territories, including Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands use the same 1+ area code+ phone number dialing as U.S. numbers.

Step

Dial 011 followed by the country code, city code and phone number.

Step

Wait for an answer. Verizon indicates that you should expect to wait at least 45 seconds for the phone to ring.