Calling Overseas from Australia

International dialing codes

International dialing codes are listed on the White Pages website.

International calling cards

Depending on your country of origin, a pre-paid international
calling card may be a cheap way to call friends and family
overseas. There are many different cards on the market, so it
really pays to do some research. Rates vary greatly depending on
which country you are calling. Also be aware that some cards carry
‘flag fall’ rates, whether or not the call goes through. The
benefit of these cards is that the most you will spend is the value
of the card; there is no risk of overspending or staying on the
phone longer than you can afford.

Home and mobile phones

Telstra, Australia’s largest phone company, has an International
Value Pack for home phones (also known as landlines), with low
rates to 70 countries.

In addition to Telstra, other mobile providers
such as Optus, Vodafone, and Virgin Mobile have plans
with reduced international call rates for people who regularly dial
overseas.

VoIP

The cheapest way to make international calls from Australia is
with VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). VoIP services, such as
Skype, allow telephone calls to be made over the internet using
your computer. Instead of a signal being transmitted along a phone
line, it travels via the internet.

A number of VoIP plans are available in Australia. Most are
between five and 20 dollars per month. Skype allows you to call
landlines and mobiles overseas from 2.3c per minute.

It is possible to set up an ‘Indial’ number in most cities around
the world, enabling your friends and family overseas to call you in
Australia for the cost of a local call.

InternetChoice offers a
free comparison tool for VoIP providers in Australia.