How to Call the Philippines from the USA — Complete Dialing Guide
Calling the Philippines from the United States sounds simple — until your call fails, you get hit with a $60 bill, or you realize the number you saved years ago no longer works. This guide covers everything: the correct dialing format, the difference between 011 and +63, mobile versus landline rules, the Metro Manila number migration that catches most people off guard, and the cheapest ways to stay connected. We also cover the practical alternative that millions of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) already use — sending prepaid load instead of paying per-minute international rates.
The Correct Dialing Format: US to Philippines
Every international call from the US follows the same E.164 structure:
US Exit Code + Philippines Country Code + Area Code or Mobile Prefix + Subscriber Number
- US exit code: 011
- Philippines country code: 63
From there, the format splits depending on whether you are calling a mobile phone or a landline.
Calling a Philippine Mobile Number
Philippine mobile numbers are 10 digits long after the country code and always start with 9. When dialing internationally, drop the leading zero that Filipinos use domestically.
Format: 011-63-9XX-XXX-XXXX
Example: If the local number is 0917-123-4567, dial 011-63-917-123-4567.
Calling a Philippine Landline
Landline calls use a geographic area code instead of a mobile prefix. The format is:
Format: 011-63-area code-subscriber number
Common area codes:
| City / Region | Area Code |
|---|---|
| Metro Manila | 2 |
| Cebu | 32 |
| Davao | 82 |
| Pampanga | 45 |
| Iloilo | 33 |
Example: A Manila landline number 8123-4567 dials as 011-63-2-8123-4567.
011 vs +63: Which Should You Use?
Both work, but they function differently depending on what device you are using.
When to Use 011
The 011 prefix is the International Direct Dialing (IDD) code for the North American Numbering Plan. It is required when dialing from:
- Traditional US landlines
- Hotel or office PBX phone systems
- Legacy desk phones without digital protocol translation
If you are picking up a physical landline handset, you need 011.
When to Use +63
The plus symbol (+) is a GSM standard that acts as a smart, automatic exit code. When you dial +63 from a smartphone or VoIP app in the US, the network automatically translates the + into 011.
The advantage of +63 is portability. If you save a Philippine contact as +63-917-123-4567, that number will work from any country — the local network in the UK, Europe, Japan, or anywhere else will automatically convert the + to the correct regional exit code. If you save it as 011-63-917-123-4567, it will only work from the US and Canada.
Recommendation: Always save Philippine numbers in your phone using the +63 format. For manual dialing from a landline, use 011.
Common Dialing Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
Mistake 1: Keeping the Leading Zero
This is the most frequent error. Philippine mobile numbers are written domestically with 11 digits starting with 0 (e.g., 0917-123-4567). When dialing internationally, you must remove that leading zero.
Wrong: 011-63-0917-123-4567 — this creates an invalid number that the international switch cannot route.
Right: 011-63-917-123-4567
The same rule applies to domestic landline prefixes. If a Manila number is written locally as 02-8123-4567, drop the 0 when dialing from the US: 011-63-2-8123-4567.
Mistake 2: Confusing Mobile and Landline Numbers
Philippine mobile numbers are 10 digits after +63 and start with 9. Landline numbers use area codes (2, 32, 82, etc.) and do not start with 9.
If the number after 63 starts with a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 (other than mobile prefixes like 817), you are likely calling a landline. This matters because:
- Landlines cannot receive SMS. If you are texting a landline number, your message will fail silently.
- VoIP pricing differs. Some services charge different rates for mobile versus landline termination.
Mistake 3: Using Old Metro Manila Landline Numbers
This catches more people than any other landline issue. In October 2019, the Philippine National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) mandated that all Metro Manila landlines migrate from 7 digits to 8 digits. The old numbers are permanently dead — they will not ring, and you will hear a disconnection tone or error message.
To convert a legacy 7-digit Manila number to the new 8-digit format, you prepend a carrier-specific prefix:
| Carrier | Prefix to Add | Example |
|---|---|---|
| PLDT / Digital Telecom | 8 | 123-4567 becomes 8123-4567 |
| Globe / Innove / Globe At Home | 7 | 123-4567 becomes 7123-4567 |
| Bayan Telecommunications | 3 | 123-4567 becomes 3123-4567 |
| Eastern Telecom / Telecom Tech | 5 | 123-4567 becomes 5123-4567 |
| ABS-CBN Convergence | 6 | 123-4567 becomes 6123-4567 |
The tricky part is that you need to know which carrier hosts the destination landline. If you are calling a business, check their website or recent communications for the updated number. If you only have an old 7-digit number, the 8 prefix (PLDT) is the most common starting guess since PLDT holds the largest landline market share in Metro Manila.
Philippine Mobile Prefixes: Identifying the Network
Knowing which network a number belongs to matters if you are sending load or using a VoIP service that charges different rates per carrier.
Globe Telecom and TM (Touch Mobile)
0817, 0904, 0905, 0906, 0915, 0916, 0917, 0926, 0927, 0935, 0936, 0945, 0956, 0977, 0995
Smart Communications, TNT, and Sun Cellular
0813, 0907, 0908, 0909, 0910, 0913, 0918, 0919, 0920, 0928, 0939, 0946, 0961, 0998, 0999
DITO Telecommunity
0895, 0896, 0897, 0898, 0991, 0992, 0993, 0994
One caveat: Since the Mobile Number Portability Act (Republic Act No. 11202) took effect, subscribers can switch networks while keeping their original prefix. An 0917 number is almost certainly Globe, but it is no longer guaranteed.
US to Philippines Time Zones
The Philippines operates on a single time zone — Philippine Standard Time (PST), which is UTC+8. The Philippines does not observe Daylight Saving Time, but the US does. This means the time difference shifts by one hour depending on the season.
| US Time Zone | During US Standard Time (Winter) | During US Daylight Saving Time (Summer) |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | Philippines is 13 hours ahead | Philippines is 12 hours ahead |
| Central (CT) | Philippines is 14 hours ahead | Philippines is 13 hours ahead |
| Mountain (MT) | Philippines is 15 hours ahead | Philippines is 14 hours ahead |
| Pacific (PT) | Philippines is 16 hours ahead | Philippines is 15 hours ahead |
Quick Reference
- Your 8:00 AM Monday (Eastern) = 9:00 PM Monday in Manila (winter) / 8:00 PM Monday (summer)
- Your 8:00 AM Monday (Pacific) = 12:00 AM Tuesday in Manila (winter) / 11:00 PM Monday (summer)
Practical tip: If you are calling a Manila office, your best window is late morning US Eastern time (around 9–11 AM), which falls during evening hours in the Philippines. If you are calling family, early evening US time generally works well — it is morning in Manila.
Cheapest Ways to Call the Philippines from the US
Option 1: Major US Carrier International Plans
Without an international add-on, US carriers charge punishing rates for calls to the Philippines:
- AT&T: Around $3–$4 per minute pay-per-use. Their $15/month international add-on drops this to $0.20/minute — but you still pay per minute on top of the monthly fee.
- T-Mobile: Similar structure — roughly $3/minute base rate, with a $15/month "Stateside International Talk" add-on reducing calls to $0.20/minute.
- Verizon: The $10/month "Global Choice" plan gives 120 minutes to the Philippines. After that, overage kicks in at $0.20/minute.
These plans work if you make occasional short calls, but the costs add up fast. A one-hour family call at $0.20/minute still costs $12 — and that is after paying the monthly subscription.
Option 2: VoIP-to-PSTN Services
These apps let you call Philippine mobile and landline numbers directly from your phone. The recipient does not need internet or the same app — the call terminates on their regular phone.
- Google Voice: $0.11/minute flat rate to any Philippine number. No subscription required. Simple and reliable if you have a Google account.
- Boss Revolution: $0.125–$0.177/minute depending on the terminating network. Offers a $13/month plan with 2,000 minutes to Globe numbers.
- Rebtel: $0.109/minute to landlines, $0.159/minute to mobile. $10/month gets you 120 minutes.
- Viber Out: $0.085–$0.16/minute depending on destination type. Subscription plans available starting around $10/month.
Important note on Skype: Microsoft is retiring the consumer Skype application in May 2025. If you have been using Skype Credit to call the Philippines, you will need to transition to one of the alternatives listed above. Do not rely on Skype for new calling needs.
Option 3: Free OTT Apps (Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, FaceTime)
Apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, and Apple FaceTime offer free voice and video calls. But "free" comes with a critical catch for the Philippines.
The problem: These apps require both sides to have active internet. In the Philippines, roughly 95% of mobile users are on prepaid plans. They buy data in small, metered amounts called "load" and frequently turn mobile data off to conserve it. If your relative's data is off when you call, the app will ring on your end but their phone will never receive the call. You have no way of knowing.
OTT apps also cannot reach landlines, government offices, banks, or anyone without a smartphone and active data connection.
When OTT apps work well: If the recipient has a stable Wi-Fi connection or an active data promo, these apps are genuinely free and offer the best call quality. The challenge is ensuring that connectivity exists on the other end.
The Smarter Approach: Send Prepaid Load Instead of Calling Directly
Here is the strategy that most guides miss, and it is the one that the Filipino diaspora has been using for years.
Recharge Your Philippine SIM Now
