How to Call Dubai from the UK

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posted on 6 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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You can easily call Dubai from a UK phone by dialing 00, the UK’s exit code, followed by 971, the country code for the UAE, where Dubai is located. Next, enter the phone number you would like to reach. There are other ways to reach Dubai, depending on your budget and how frequently you plan to call. Although the apps used to make free internet calls, including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Skype, are banned in the UAE, there are still some low-cost alternatives you can try.

Steps

Using Your Phone

Dial 00, the UK exit code. Every country has an exit code you need to dial if you would like to reach a number outside the country. The exit code for the UK is 00.

Enter 9-7-1. This is the country code. Every country has its own code anywhere between 1 and 3 digits long. 971 is the country code for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where Dubai is located.

Press 4 and then the 7-digit phone number to reach a landline. 4 is the one-digit area code for landlines in Dubai. If you have been given a 7-digit number for Dubai without an area code and you know it’s a landline, press 4 before dialing the number.

Dial 50, 55, or 56, then the 7-digit phone number to connect to a cell phone. If the number you are trying to reach starts with the operator prefix 050, 055, or 056, it is a cell phone. Drop the 0 when calling from the UK. The operator prefix should already be included in the cell phone number when it is given to you.

Using an Online Service

Use Skype or Google Voice to call a landline or cell phone. Skype and Google Voice are banned in the UAE, so you can’t call Dubai for free over the internet. But you can use your Skype or Google Voice account in the UK to call a cell phone or landline in Dubai for a per-minute fee. Fixed per-minute rates do apply, so check how these compare to rates you can get through your landline or cell. If you plan to call Dubai often, you can sign up for one of the monthly subscriptions on Skype that allow you between 60 and 800 minutes of talk time to phones and landlines in the UAE.

Stay connected with social media. Use text and voice messaging on social media apps. Unfortunately, the calling features in popular social media apps like Facebook and Snapchat, as well as messaging apps like Viber and WhatsApp are currently banned in the UAE. All apps that use VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) are currently banned, but extremely popular apps like Skype and Facetime may be allowed in the future.

Consider an online provider specializing in international calls. Companies like Vonage send phone calls over the internet instead of phone lines. The difference is you can hook Vonage up to a landline instead of calling with your landline or cell phone. Vonage has different rate plans and subscriptions depending on your needs, and you can use their service to call within the UK and abroad.

Best Practices

Be aware of the time difference before you make the call. Dubai operates on Gulf Standard Time (UTC + 4). The UK operates on Greenwich Mean Time (UTC + 0) but follows Daylight Savings Time so it switches to British Summer Time (UTC + 1) between March and October. That means Dubai will either be 3 or 4 hours ahead of the UK depending on the time of year. Dubai does not follow Daylight Savings Time. If you are unsure, you can always check the current time in Dubai at https://time.is/Dubai. It may help to schedule the call in advance to make sure you are not disturbing your recipient at an inconvenient time.

Purchase an international calling card in advance, if needed. Calling cards offer reasonable prices for making international calls, and you can buy a card with however much talking time you need. They can be purchased online or in many newsstands and mobile phone stores. Check the details on the card to make sure you can call the UAE with it.

Talk with your landline provider about their international rates. Your landline provider may have packages you can add for calling the UAE. They may also have fixed rates for calling Dubai that do not require signing up for a package or adding any monthly costs to your bill.

Discuss the options with your mobile provider if you will call Dubai often. Many mobile networks offer international calling add-ons. If you call Dubai regularly, it may be worth it to add an international calling package. They can often be cheaper than those offered by landline providers.

Use the 18185 override if you don’t plan to make regular calls to Dubai. 18185 is a call routing service that allows you to bypass your landline or cell phone international rates and pay the fixed rates on the 18185.co.uk website instead. You will have to register an account and provide a payment method. You then dial their access number, followed by the number you would like to reach in Dubai. 18185 has fixed rates for each country. You will probably be able to find cheaper rates, but this is a good option if you don’t plan to call Dubai often.