UK Country Code (+44): Complete Guide to Calling the United Kingdom
Complete guide to UK country code +44. Learn how to dial the UK from abroad, understand London, Edinburgh, Manchester area codes, mobile operators (EE, Vodafone, Three, O2), and save money on calls.
The UK country code is +44. Whether you're calling London, Edinburgh, Manchester, or anywhere else in the United Kingdom, you'll need to dial +44 followed by the area code (without the leading 0) and local number to connect.
- UK Country Code: +44
- London: +44 20 XXXX XXXX
- Edinburgh: +44 131 XXX XXXX
- Mobile: +44 7XXX XXXXXX
The country code +44 covers the entire United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
How to Call the UK
To call the UK from the USA:
- Dial 011 (US exit code) or press +
- Dial 44 (UK country code)
- Dial the area code without the leading 0
- Dial the local number
Example Calls
- London: 011-44-20-XXXX-XXXX (area code 20)
- Edinburgh: 011-44-131-XXX-XXXX (area code 131)
- Manchester: 011-44-161-XXX-XXXX (area code 161)
- UK Mobile: 011-44-7XXX-XXXXXX (drop the 0 from 07)
UK Area Codes (STD Codes)
| Area Code | City |
|---|---|
| 20 | London |
| 121 | Birmingham |
| 161 | Manchester |
| 131 | Edinburgh |
| 141 | Glasgow |
| 29 | Cardiff |
| 28 | Northern Ireland (all) |
⚠️ Important: Always drop the leading "0" when dialing from abroad. Domestically it's 020 for London, but internationally it's +44 20.
UK Mobile Operators
The UK has four major mobile operators:
- EE (~28%): Largest network, best 5G coverage, part of BT Group
- O2/Virgin Media (~23%): O2 Priority perks, Virgin Media bundles
- Vodafone UK (~21%): Strong international roaming, good rural coverage
- Three UK (~15%): Unlimited data plans, good value, expanding 5G
📱 UK Mobile Format: UK mobile numbers are 11 digits starting with 07XXX. When calling internationally, drop the 0 to get +44 7XXX XXXXXX.
Cost to Call UK
| Service | Rate |
|---|---|
| BubblyPhone | $0.01-0.02/min |
| Carrier (AT&T/Verizon) | $1.00-2.50/min |
| T-Mobile (Magenta) | $0.25/min or free |
| Skype | $0.023/min |
Time Zone
The UK uses Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) in winter and British Summer Time (BST, GMT+1) in summer:
- 9 AM EST = 2 PM GMT (UK)
- 12 PM EST = 5 PM GMT (UK)
- 2 PM EST = 7 PM GMT (UK)
The UK is 5 hours ahead of US Eastern Time. Call between 9 AM - 2 PM EST for UK business hours.
Pro Tips for Calling the UK
- Drop the Zero: This is the #1 mistake - domestic UK numbers start with 0, but drop it when calling internationally
- Special Numbers: UK 08 numbers are special rate (0800 is free). Avoid 09 premium rate numbers from abroad
- WhatsApp/iMessage: Very popular in the UK for casual conversations - free over WiFi/data
- Business Hours: Typically 9 AM - 5 PM Monday-Friday. Banks close at 4:30 PM
Ready to Start Calling?
Make international calls from your browser with BubblyPhone. No app needed, instant setup.
Get Started Free →