# Phone Usage In The Philippines



## ldwand (Nov 9, 2014)

Hello, I might have asked this question before, but I don't think so. I've been in the Philippines going on 3 plus years and I still can't get a complete grip on the Phone system in the Philippines,anyway my problem lol. Now, my question I will go back to the US to visit my family for the Thanksgiving Holiday. What would be the cheapest and easiest way to use my Philippino smart phone when I arrive there as well as a stop over in Inchon, Korea. I have a Globe micro sim card installed in my phone only. I've heard that Philippino sims won't work in the US and I was told just to buy a bunch of prepaid cards and just use them on international and roaming. But I want to make local or long distance calls in the US while I'm there also. Need help, everybody I talk too really can't answer me because they have never gone to the US.


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## cyberfx1024 (May 21, 2015)

ldwand said:


> Hello, I might have asked this question before, but I don't think so. I've been in the Philippines going on 3 plus years and I still can't get a complete grip on the Phone system in the Philippines,anyway my problem lol. Now, my question I will go back to the US to visit my family for the Thanksgiving Holiday. What would be the cheapest and easiest way to use my Philippino smart phone when I arrive there as well as a stop over in Inchon, Korea. I have a Globe micro sim card installed in my phone only. I've heard that Philippino sims won't work in the US and I was told just to buy a bunch of prepaid cards and just use them on international and roaming. But I want to make local or long distance calls in the US while I'm there also. Need help, everybody I talk too really can't answer me because they have never gone to the US.


You can use a Tmobile prepaid sim card while you back in the USA. They work with GSM phones.

The vast majority of the world uses GSM while the USA and some other countries use CDMA.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

When I go to the US I use a service called Roam Mobility. You buy a SIM card and then when you go to the US you activate as many days as needed. Full coverage, Unlimited text and calls to Canada and the USA plus 400 mB 4G data for $US 5 a day with a discount for a complete month. You keep the US number and have a choice of location for the number. Mine is for Grand Forks ND as that is the closest place to my home and the one single place in the US I go to most often. I have had it for several years, you need to use it one day a year so I take the unlimited text option for one day ($3) once a year if I don't go back just to keep my number.

In Canada i have a 7-11 SIM card. It costs $CDN55 for one month of unlimited texting and in Canada calls plus 3 gB data. I use that for in Canada when I'm home on a visit. It needs to be topped up at least once a year ($10) if not used. I believe that the have a US service simular to what they offer in Canada.

Globe also has a roaming option, I believe that it is more expensive than the Roam Mobility service but it uses your Philippine number, but that will depend on usage. A text message costs the same as sending one from here to the US and data is very pricey.

My Globe SIM card worked in Canada, I received several text messages last time I was home and sent a couple. Never tried voice calls or used data as I had a good data plan on my 7-11 card.

As long as your Philippine phone is unlocked, it will work well in the US on any network that accepts SIM card phones.


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## kenslvr (Aug 21, 2013)

*phone usage in the PI*

OK, I feel a little stupid even asking the question, but how do you make a simple call in the Philippines? In the US you use a three number area code and then the last four digits. (555-1212) It's different here. Please educate me. Advanced studies in international calling are also welcome.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Howdy, don't worry the question is quite normal. If the destination phone is a land line in a different provincial area then just dial the two digit area code ahead of the number. So calling Pampanga just dial 45 ahead of the number. I think in some cases it may be 045 but one of the two combos will work.

Calling from the US and I suppose other countries dial 011+ 63 +two digit area code + the local number. If calling to a cell phone here in the Philippines just drop the area code.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

In Canada and the US the country code is 1, here it is 63, the UK is 44. Every country has a different country code. Some are 3 digits.

The next grouping is the area code, followed by the city code followed by the specific number. To use the NA example 1-212-555-1212 1is for Canada and USA, 212 is NY state. 555 doesn't exist but a 3 digit number here would be the exchange followed by the individual subscriber number. ( Actually that number gets you the NY directory assistance.)

Outside of Canada and the US you dial either + or 00 to get the international calling. Then the country code etc. In Canada and the US you dial 1 for Canada and US numbers then the 10 digits for area, city and number. If dialing outside of outside of Canada and the US then dial 011 plus country code etc.


When outside of Canada and the US, and calling within the country you are in, drop the +country code and dial 0 then the remaining digits. 

If you are still confused Use this site.

https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/dialing.html


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## expatuk2016 (Mar 20, 2016)

Int call from the Philippines is via the int operator you dial 109, but its very espensive ! Calling friends and family abroad from the Philippines most here use facebook messenger or Viber ! Even using viber to call landlines is cheaper than using PLDT


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## hogrider (May 25, 2010)

expatuk2016 said:


> Int call from the Philippines is via the int operator you dial 109, but its very espensive ! Calling friends and family abroad from the Philippines most here use facebook messenger or Viber ! Even using viber to call landlines is cheaper than using PLDT


I don't have any problem dialling overseas numbers direct from my Philippines mobile number.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Land Line*



kenslvr said:


> OK, I feel a little stupid even asking the question, but how do you make a simple call in the Philippines? In the US you use a three number area code and then the last four digits. (555-1212) It's different here. Please educate me. Advanced studies in international calling are also welcome.


If you have a landline such as PLDT and I think Globe landline (no loading SIM) the number will look like a stateside number (XXX) XXX-XXXX, but when dialing to those prepaid SIM cards purchased in the malls, sari-sari or grocery stores such as Globe, Smart, Sun ect... the numbers are confusing. 

Area code link and dialing instructions made simple: https://countrycode.org/philippines

Even me I have difficulty figuring it out at times so when I do get it right I make sure to jot down the correcting dialing number sequence, especially important family contacts.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

hogrider said:


> I don't have any problem dialling overseas numbers direct from my Philippines mobile number.


No problem calling but VoIP systems are much cheaper. You need a decent internet connection but these are easily found in major cities here. Rural areas may be a problem.

Best for a lot of calling to Canada and the USA is MajicJack. You get a US or Canada number with unlimited calling to North America. Your folks at home can call in on it as well You can use a regular phone connected to your router or an app in a smartphone.

You can also send and receive texts on a US number. (Not Canada numbers yet.)


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## JRB__NW (Apr 8, 2015)

Within the Philippines most people use cell phones and you just dial the 10-digit number direct. To call landlines you need to use the two digit provincial code as Asian Spirit described. 

For overseas calling my GF and I use Viber when I'm in the States and it works great. Call, video call, message, send pics, etc. It does require a decent mobile data or wi-fi connection when calling. It's also encrypted for security.


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## JRB__NW (Apr 8, 2015)

I utilize an AT&T prepaid SIM number when I'm in the States. Just pop it into your phone. It costs about $50/mo with unlimited data. When I go back to the Philippines I change the plan to basic minutes and put $100 into my account and they will hold the number for up to a year without incurring any monthly charges. That way when in the States I always have the same number.


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