how/if you can call 1800/toll free numbers for the usa from mexico?

[dreadsyd]

I’m from the USA and in Mexico now. Really need to pay some bills and contact the bank and such which are mostly all 888 and 800 numbers and I can’t seem to figure out how to call any of them. Does the 01 52 1 ??? ??? ???? format work? Please help I’m a 50 year old so not the greatest with technology

[admin]

Hello,

Toll free numbers are generally blocked for calls originating outside the US. Some companies however allow calling their toll free numbers from abroad. To call a US toll free number from Mexico you would dial 00 1 800 ??? ???? (or 888, etc). If you can’t get through try finding a regular phone number to call the bank’s customer service (try accessing their website online for info). Many banks do provide a regular contact number for these very instances.

[dreadsyd]

Thank you very much 🙂

[jimster]

sorry, but that information is incorrect and will result in a fast busy signal for most numbers

there are very few companies that have 800 forwarding systems that will take a mexican phone call and refer it to the united states, mostly companies such as airlines…

otherwise, according to the current telmex phone book, there are several conversions that can be made in order to call an american or canadian toll free number from mexico.
please note that these calls are no longer toll free, but at least you can get through to who you are trying to reach.

to call an 800 number, change the 800 to 880
to call an 888 number, change the 888 to 881
to call an 877 number, change the 877 to 882
to call an 866 number, change the 866 to 883

example: in order to dial “Adams Ant Company” in Toledo, Ohio, at 1-800-555-5565, you would need to dial 01-880-555-5565 (note the use of the mexican long distance code of “01”, not the mexican international access code of “001”)

[admin]

Hi Jim,
I appreciate your contribution to this thread. What you are saying used to be true until 2004 when the North American Numbering Plan Administration decided to reclaim these 4 area codes. See this PDF document for more info: https://www.nationalnanpa.com/pdf/PL_331_v2.pdf

[jimster]

hey look, i live and work here in mexico… i deal with this on a daily basis with condo renters who forget to tell their credit card companies that they are traveling abroad…

i just tested each of the conversions that i listed earlier… and guess what?

the numbers that are dialed using your instructions result in a spanish error message.

the numbers that were dialed using the conversion (i.e.: 880 instead of 800) result in an english language message stating, “access to the toll free number you have dialed is not available outside of the united states, if the call is answered, you will be charged the international rate”

sir, you should have done further research prior to quoting a document that was never implemented here in mexico… and isn’t that the whole point, to answer the original question correctly?

[Phobos]

Hi,

I just read this post and both jimster and admin are, in part, right.
I needed to call a 1-866-xxx-xxx number in the US while in Mexico.
I tried the combinations mentioned above, but the only one that worked was 001-883-xxx-xxxx . This was from a Telmex land line (not sure if this changes if you use a different company). I also got the female voice letting me know this would not be a free call, but I had to add the international code to dial (001).

Thank you very much, jimster, for your information! I had no clue we had to change the “area code” part of the number in order to connect 🙂

[chulogordito]

Jimster, the number substitutions worked just fine for me man. I appreciate the info.

[jordao]

Just wanted to post that it is June 2017, and I used the 887 to 882 switcheroo and it still works.

wish they would just post normal numbers, it is frustrating. We have free calling in all of North America from Mexico, but cannot access stupid Watts lines.

[Author]

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