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What Is IDD? International Direct Dialling (IDD) and Australia’s 0011 Dialling Code

IDD, or international direct dialling (also spelt international direct dialing), means you dial an overseas number yourself. In Australia the IDD prefix is 0011. This guide explains IDD codes, how to make an international call, and what IDD calls cost.

Updated 19 October 2026

IDD means international direct dialling. To make an IDD call from Australia, dial 0011, the country code, then the number without its first 0. On a mobile, type + in place of 0011.

What IDD Means

IDD means you dial an overseas number yourself, without an operator. Australia’s Telecommunications Numbering Plan defines an international direct dial service as “an international service with which the end-user makes calls directly, without the assistance of an operator” (ACMA Numbering Plan 2025). Before IDD, an operator connected every international call.

Australia’s International Dialling Code: 0011

The IDD prefix in Australia is 0011. The Numbering Plan lists 0011 as the access code for the “International direct dial service”. On a mobile phone you can type + in place of 0011. The plan also lists a second code, 0018, as an “International service”, but it does not say more about its use.

How to Make an IDD Call From Australia

An IDD call has 3 parts. You need to dial them in this order:

  1. 0011, the international call prefix.
  2. The country code, such as 44 for the UK or 91 for India. See our country code list.
  3. The area code and number without the first 0. A London number 020 7946 0000 becomes 0011 44 20 7946 0000.

International Call Prefix in Other Countries

Each country has its own international dialling code. The ITU recommends 00, and most countries use it (ITU dialling procedures). These are some that differ:

Country IDD prefix
Australia 0011
USA and Canada 011
Japan 010
Kenya 000
Russia 810
Singapore 001, 008
Indonesia 001, 008
South Korea 001, 002

People overseas who call Australia use their own prefix, then 61, then your number without its first 0.

IDD Code, Country Code and Area Code

  • IDD code (international prefix): takes the call out of your country. 0011 in Australia.
  • Country code: picks the country. +61 is Australia.
  • Area code: picks the region inside the country, such as 02 for Sydney. You drop its 0 on an IDD call.

When IDD Started in Australia

Australians could first dial overseas numbers themselves in 1976. Newspapers in March 1976 reported that direct international dialling, then called ISD, would start on 1 April 1976 from some Sydney, Melbourne and Perth exchanges. An advertisement that month told callers to “dial 0011 to have access to ISD” (Trove, National Library of Australia).

What an IDD Call Costs

Your phone plan charges its own IDD rate for each minute, unless the plan includes the country. A prepaid phone card is usually cheaper. You call a local access number, enter your PIN, then make the IDD call: 0011, the country code and the number. Card rates start at 1.6c a minute.

Calling Landline, no fee Mobile, no fee
USA 1.9c/min Easy Calling 1.9c/min Easy Calling
UK 3.2c/min Super Deal 9.8c/min Super Deal
New Zealand 2.6c/min Super Deal 17.8c/min Super Deal
India 2.8c/min India Call 2.8c/min Hello World
China 2.4c/min Day to Day 2.4c/min Day to Day
Philippines 13.3c/min Mabuhay Pinoy 14c/min Mabuhay Pinoy
Vietnam 5.8c/min Asian Connection 5.8c/min Asian Connection
Pakistan 4.3c/min Super Deal 4.7c/min Super Deal

Lowest rate a minute on a card with no connection fee. Checked 19 October 2026. See every country from A to Z.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does IDD mean?

IDD means international direct dialling: you dial an overseas number yourself, without an operator. In Australia the IDD prefix is 0011.

What is the IDD code for Australia?

Australia's IDD prefix for calls out of the country is 0011. Australia's country code, which people overseas dial to reach you, is 61.

Is +61 the same as 0011?

No. 0011 takes a call out of Australia. +61 is Australia's country code, which callers overseas dial to reach an Australian number.

How do I turn on international dialling?

Ask your phone provider. Some plans block international calls until you turn them on. A phone card works without this, because you first dial a local access number.

How do I dial internationally from Australia?

Dial 0011, the country code, then the number without its first 0. On a mobile, type + in place of 0011.

What is the cheapest way to make international calls from Australia?

A prepaid phone card is usually the cheapest way to call a normal landline or mobile overseas. Rates start at 1.6c a minute.

More Guides for Calling Overseas