What you need to know about calling a 1300 number from overseas

Getting a 1300 number can be a great way for your business to expand its reach: you can use a single number to get incoming calls from anywhere in the country and all at a local rate. But what if you’ve set your sights farther—do 1300 numbers work internationally too?

While calling a 1300 number from overseas is possible for some people, it isn’t for others. It depends on the country you’re calling from as well as the telco whose services you’re using.

How do you know if you can call a 1300 number from another country?

There’s no hard and fast guide to it. If you want to know whether your 1300 number can be reached from a given country, you’ll have to look that country up specifically. From there, you can check whether or not the telcos there support calls to inbound numbers abroad.

On the other hand, if you find yourself overseas and want to reach a 1300 number in Australia, you can test it yourself.

This is how to call a 1300 number from overseas:

[International dial-out code] + (61) + your inbound number

Note that the international dial-out code and the cost to call a 1300 number will depend on the country and the foreign telco connecting the call, respectively.

There are many factors that determine whether a caller in another country can reach your 1300 number or not. These include the functionality of the local exchange and the services of their network operator.

To give a quick example, callers from the UK and USA are more likely to be able to reach your 1300 number. Callers from Mongolia? Less likely.

Are there any alternatives that can be called from other countries?

So, what are your options if you want to expand your business’s reach beyond the country?

Other common inbound numbers, namely 1800 numbers and 13 numbers, have the same conditions as 1300 numbers. That is, they might be reachable from overseas, but it varies from country to country, telco to telco.

A more reliable alternative would be inbound local numbers. While these numbers look like regular landline numbers, they function as virtual numbers with flexible call handling numbers. They allow you to establish a local presence anywhere without having to set up shop there—and despite the name, they can always be called from any country.

What’s the best way to get callers from overseas?

While a 1300 number can take calls from overseas, it’s not a surefire solution. If you’re actively trying to get customer calls from overseas, simply having one inbound number may not be your best option. It certainly won’t be the most reliable efficient way on your customers’ side.

Instead, you may want to advertise a separate number for international calls. You could, for example, set up a VoIP number that works for your target countries. Alternatively, you could get an inbound local number that’s guaranteed to receive calls from people no matter where in the world they are.

Don’t risk your customer calls.

Make sure your customers can reach you by setting up reliable, flexible inbound numbers for your business. Get in touch with our call solution specialists at 1300 50 10 50 or visit our site