Content

• Steps

The process of making a phone call to China may seem confusing, but it is not. When you want to make a call, press the exit code of the country you are in, followed by 86, and finally dial the landline or mobile phone number you want to call. If you like, you can make a phone call using an application on an available Wi-Fi device. Both of these methods allow you to easily make successful calls to anywhere in China.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Call by phone

1. 

   

   
   
   Press the exit code for the country you are in. The exit code, also known as the international prefix code or the outbound call code, is a number that allows you to call outside of your home country. Each country has a different exit code. For example, the US escape code is 011, for Nigeria it is 009, and in Vietnam it is 00.
   • You can find the exit code by contacting the telecommunications company or doing a quick search on the internet. You just need to type in your country name followed by the "outgoing call code" or "phone exit code".

2. 

   
   
   Dial 86 to connect with China. This is the country code for China. Country codes usually have 1-3 digits. This number identifies the country you are calling; Each country has a different code.

3. 

   Identify the phone number you want to call a fixed or mobile number. In China, mobile phone numbers have 11 digits (excluding exit code and country code), and always start with 1, while landline numbers usually have 6-8 digits (excluding exit code and country code).
   • It is important for you to know if the number you want to call is a landline number, as you will not dial an area code when calling a mobile phone in China.

4. 

   
   
   Dial cell phone number to call. If you call from Vietnam to China, the phone number you need to dial will be something like: 00-86-155-5555-5555. 00 is the exit code, 86 is the area code, and 155 5555 5555 is the mobile phone number.

5. 

   Press the area code or city code to call the landline. The area code will narrow the specific area in the China you are calling.
   • China area codes have 2-4 digits. For example, the area code for Thuong Hai is 21, while the area code for Cam Chau is 0787.
   • The Chinese government portal has completed a list of China's area codes. Available at http://www.china.org.cn/english/MATERIAL/120745.htm

6. 

   Press the phone number next to the area code to call a landline. For example, if you call landlines from Vietnam to Shanghai, you would call: 00-86-21-55-5555. 00 is the exit code, 86 is the country code, 21 is the area code for the city of Shanghai, and 55-5555 is the landline number.

7. 

   Check out local time. Although Chinese territory spans over 5 geographically different time zones, the whole country uses only Chinese standard time, also known as Beijing time. Chinese Standard Time is 8 hours ahead of GMT (GMT + 8). That means if you call at 1pm in London (GMT), then in China it is 9pm. If you call at 1pm from Washington, DC (EDT), it will be 1am in China. Vietnam time is 1 hour later than China time. Remember to check the local time before making a call so that you do not call in inconvenient times.
   • Many websites will allow you to check current Chinese time; This is a great way to ensure that calls are at the right time.

8. 

   Consider buying an international phone card. You can buy these cards online or at convenience stores. These cards usually have cheaper rates than your current mobile operator, and these are prepaid cards, so you won't be surprised when you receive unexpected high phone bill notices. advertisement

Part 2 of 2: Using apps to call China

1. 

   Make sure you are connected to wi-fi. If you have a Wi-Fi connected device, you can use the app to make phone calls to China. Make sure you have your phone, tablet, laptop, or other device connected to Wi-Fi.
   • If you don't have a Wi-Fi connection at home, look for a wi-fi hotspot at the library, coffee shop or restaurant and connect there.
   • Remember that many apps like Facebook or WhatsApp are banned in China. Make sure the app you choose works in China.

2. 

   Use Skype to call China. Sign in to Skype and click on the phone icon. This will open the dialer panel. The cost of the call will also be displayed on the screen. This price depends on the country being selected.
   • Click on the country name above the phone dialer panel. A drop-down menu lists the countries names, and you will choose China. The country code will be entered automatically.
   • Enter the area code (if calling landlines) and the phone number you want to call. Remember that if you are calling from a cell phone, the first number should be 1.
   • After entering the number, click the green call button, and your call will be made.

3. 

   Calling China via FaceTime. If you have an Apple device then the Facetime app is also available. Open the app and sign in with your Apple account. If you are using an iPhone, you will be logged in automatically.
   • Enter the phone number or email address of the person you want to FaceTime with, then tap the video or audio icon to make the call. If you select the audio icon, you will only hear the sound.
   • To use FaceTime, the person you want to call must also have Facetime.
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