How to get a phone number to call Australia cheaply?

If your business operates in Australia or you're planning to travel there, you'll likely need to make frequent calls to customers, partners, or friends in the country. This makes considering an Australian virtual phone number for your business a wise choice.

In this article, we'll cover everything you need to know, including telephone codes, Australian virtual phone numbers, how to dial Australia from another country, and the reasons why purchasing a local virtual number is beneficial. Let's dive in!

How to call Australia, whether to a landline or mobile phone?

To connect with Australia, simply follow these straightforward steps:

1. Dial your country's Exit Code. This code indicates that you're making an international call. For example, the USA exit code is "011".
2. Enter Australia's international code, which is "61".
3. Dial the mobile operator or Local City Code (usually a single number, for example, "4" is for mobile numbers).
4. Complete the rest of the number.

A standard mobile number in Australia will appear like this: 011-61-4-XXXX-XXXX. Note that you might have noticed a "0" at the beginning of Australian numbers; this is used for domestic calls within Australia and isn't necessary when calling from abroad.

If you are looking to make a call to Australia you should avoid hefty international call rates and think wisely about finding a cost friendly solution, if you don’t want to break the bank. You may not reside in Australia, but wish to make regular calls there. If this seems relevant to your situation, then the easiest, most cost effective solution is to register with a VoIP provider and set up an Australian virtual number. It sounds complicated, but calling Australia via the internet is easy.

This article explains how you can make calls to Australia, cheaply.

Step 1: Find a VoIP provider - Who Offers Virtual Numbers For Australia?

There are a variety of VoIP providers available to you however not all of them will provide Australia related virtual numbers or some may offer limited area codes. Be mindful about your selection at this stage. A virtual number is a telephone number without a directly associated telephone line. Usually, these numbers are programmed to forward incoming calls to one of the pre-set numbers.

You can gain a virtual number by signing up with a VoIP provider, selecting a phone number or porting in your pre-existing numbers, and assigning these numbers. Once this is set up, you can begin making and receiving Australian phone calls through your virtual numbers.

Step 2: Register With Your Chosen VoIP Provider

Zadarma provides a full variety of virtual numbers covering key locations across Australia. All you need is a mobile phone, tablet, or computer. Zadarma actually offers its users the opportunity to connect a phone number to Australia via mobile, PC, SIP gate, PBX, or any other device that supports SIP. In addition, you can forward your virtual phone number to any country.

Registering with a VoIP provider is very simple. If we take Zadarma’s process as an example, you first need to register on the Zadarma website and log into your personal account. Zadarma offers mobile, Toll-Free, and local numbers to most Australian cities, so you have a variety of local codes to choose from.

Step 3: Top Up Your VoIP Phone Account

Once you have registered, you will need to ensure you have some credit within your account. This often will have to cover at least the connection fee and the monthly fee for the first month. It is often recommended that you prepay a number to ensure you have enough credit before you make a call. You will often need to upload necessary documents if required and top up your account to allow for instant use. Your Australian virtual phone number will be linked to your VoIP account, so you can manage calls and texts from any device that your VoIP phone system supports.

Step 4: Selecting Your Australia Area Code

Like most international numbers, Australian phone numbers are prefixed with a variety of area destination codes depending on where your designated call is targeting. Most callers often have knowledge of where in Australia they wish to target. This will help you determine which area code to select.

For Australia specifically, Zadarma offers a vast variety of numbers for the following destinations. The list below shows the Australian area codes Zadarma offers.

Area code and Destination

• 048 Mobile
• 1800 Toll-free
• 087 Adelaide
• 0879 Alice Springs
• 0267 Armidale
• 0344 Bendigo
• 0288 Blacktown
• 073 Brisbane
• 0897 Bunbury
• 026 Canberra
• 0251 Canberra
• 0256 Coffs Harbour
• 088 Darwin
• 087 Darwin
• 0352 Geelong
• 07 Gold Coast
• 0243 Gosford
• 036 Hobart
• 0363 Launceston
• 0367 Launceston
• 0749 Mackay
• 039 Melbourne
• 038 Melbourne
• 024 Newcastle
• 086 Perth
• 0341 Sale
• 0753 Sunshine Coast
• 028 Sydney
• 0747 Townsville
• 0258 Wellington
• 0242 Wollongong

Step 5: Activating your call to Australia

Like most VoIP providers you can access your virtual number through the “Settings - Virtual Phone Numbers” section within your VoIP account. The activation happens after the verification of the details is confirmed. You will need to choose a suitable number and area code, from the area list. If you cannot find the exact city you are targeting, just select the closest destination area code. You are now ready to connect your phone number and make your virtual call to Australia.

Australia Virtual Numbers for WhatsApp

At Zadarma we have seen a rise in personal and business users now leveraging Zadarma’s virtual number service to activate and use WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business. It is popular as it offers an international communication solution without worrying customers about international calling rates. Once you have your virtual Australia number set up, then you can also apply this to your WhatsApp account to ensure your rates remain at a local level when WhatsApping Australia. You can find more information here on WhatsApp and virtual numbers.

Summary - How to make calls to Australia cheaply?

A virtual number with an Australian area code is the simplest most cost friendly way to make calls to Australia. A virtual number enables you to receive and make international calls, hassle free, whilst leveraging low cost local area code numbers. If you choose VoIP as your international calling solution, you will also be able to leverage the wider VoIP phone system features, while on the go, including call forwarding and voicemail.

If you are representing a business and are seeking to call Australia, then your local area code will boost your brand credibility and local presence. Whilst at the same time, your local Australian number will reduce long-distance call fees.