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Dialing international phone numbers can be done by prefixing a phone number with the current countries exit code (011 for USA), the country code of the number you are calling, and then the phone number you are dialing. This ends up being a fairly long string of numbers that is infinitely confusing to those who don't dial foreign numbers often, like 011 86 10 XXXX 5555. Another much simpler approach is to use the plus + prefix and the country code, skipping the exit code completely and leading to a shorter number and less dialing frustration.
There's not much to this, it's really just a matter of accessing the + key which is hidden by default on the iPhone's number pad:
- Press and hold 0 for a second or two until a the + plus sign appears to replace the 0
- Enter the international phone number and call as usual
Much easier, right?
Taking the earlier example, drop the 011 and instead use: +86 10 XXXX 5555. That is usually how you'll find international numbers written anyway, so it makes a lot more sense to use the plus sign than fiddling around with the unnecessary country codes which seem to trip people up frequently. If you intend to save an international number to your iPhone Contacts list, prefix it with a + and you'll be able to dial it as any other number – and here's the best part, it works even if you change the SIM card while you are traveling abroad.
Unless you have a generous international plan through your cellular provider, you probably won't want to aimlessly test this one since you could wind up with a hefty long distance bill.
Heads up to MacWorld for the + dialing tip, they point out some US carriers won't even accept the 011 exit codes with numbers which basically forces the usage of the plus number prefix anyway.
