Handy telephone dialing guide for Mexico

Dialing the phone in Mexico is a bit complicated due to different access codes and dialing instructions for the different carriers.

In order to make your life easier, for business or vacation travelers, here is quick comprehensive telephone dialing guide for landlines and cellular phones in Mexico.

Covers 90% of the telecommunications companies currently in Mexico.

Handy Telephone Dialing Guide for Mexico

Dialing Instructions for Telephones in Mexico
Dialing from	Received by	How to dial	Number of Digits
Landline in Mexico	Cellular in Mexico (local) same area code	044 + Area code + telephone number	13
Landline in Mexico	Cellular in Mexico, long distance	045 + area code + telephone number	13
Landline in Mexico (Not Telmex)	Cellular in Mexico, long distance	01 + area code + telephone number	12
Landline in Mexico	Nextel (local) same area code	Telephone number	8
Landline in Mexico	Nextel in Mexico, long distance	01 + area code + telephone number	12
Landline in Mexico	Long Distance, telephone in USA	001 + area code + telephone number	13
Landline in Mexico	International long distance	00 + country code + area code + telephone number
Cellular Phone in Mexico	Landline in Mexico (local call)	Telephone number	8
Cellular Phone in Mexico	Landline in Mexico, long distance	01 + area code + telephone number	12
Cellular Phone in Mexico	Cellular (local) same area code	Area code + number	10
Cellular Phone in Mexico	Celluar in Mexico, long distance	045 + area code + telephone number	13
Cellular Phone in Mexico	Nextel (local call), same area code	Telephone number	8
Cellular Phone in Mexico	Nextel in Mexico, long distance	01 + area code + telephone number	12
Cellular Phone in Mexico	Telephone in USA	001 + area code + telephone number	13
Cellular Phone in Mexico	International long distance	00 + country code + area code + telephone number	-
USA	Landline in Mexico	011 + 52 (country code for Mexico) + area code + number	15
International (not USA)	Landline in Mexico	00 + 52 + area code + number	14
USA	Cellular in Mexico	011 + 52 + 1 + area code + number	16
International (not USA)	Cellular in Mexico	00 + 52 (country code for Mexico) + 1 + area code + number	15
Lee Iwan Accumulated Experience	Business South of the Border	October 25, 2007

Telephone Dialing Guide for MexicoTelephone Dialing Guide for Mexico

The definitive guide on how to dial to Mexico

Starting today, November 4, 2006 there are changes on how to dial to cellular phones in Mexico.

The program called “El que llama paga”, which means “whoever calls, pays for the call”, allows you to call any cellular phone in Mexico and the recipient of the call does not have to pay. Previously the cost of the call was shared between both parties.

If calling Mexico from out of the country (International long distance):

• To a fixed landline phone: the exit code of the country (in the USA – “011″) + 52 + area code + telephone number

• To a Mexican cellular phone: the exit code of the country (in the USA – “011″) + 52 + 1 + area code + telephone number

If in Mexico, calling from a fixed landline phone to a Mexican cellular phone

• To a cellular phone in the same city: 044 + area code + telephone number

• To a cellular phone in another city: 045 + area code + telephone number

• To a Nextel of the same city: telephone number

• To a Nextel of another city: 01 + area code + telephone number

• From a fixed landline that is NOT Telmex to a cellular phone of another city:  01 + area code + telephone number

If in Mexico, dialing from a cellular phone

• To a fixed landline in the same city: telephone number

• To a fixed landline in another city: 01 + area code + telephone number

• To a cellular telephone in the same city: area code + telephone number

• To a cellular telephone in another city: 045 + area code + telephone number

• To a NEXTEL: telephone number

• To a NEXTEL in another city: 01 + area code + telephone number

Related Links

How to call Mexico from the USA

Changes for dialing long distance to cellular phones in Mexico

Changes – dialing long distance to a cellular phone in Mexico

New changes take effect for some cellular phone companies in Mexico on November 4, 2006.

The program is called “El Que Llama Paga Nacional”, which loosely translated means “Whoever Calls, Pays for the Call In Mexico”. Previously a long distance call to a cellular phone was shared between the caller and the receiver of the call.

New long distance dialing codes (after November 4, 2006) from “regular” landline phone to a cellular phone:

If calling from Mexico, long distance to a Mexican cell phone:
045-Area Code – Telephone number (the old code was 01-Area Code-Telephone number)

If calling from other countries to a Mexican cell phone: 52-1-Area Code- Telephone number (old code was 52-Area Code- Telephone number)

This 045 prefix applies to calls to cellular phones using Telmex, Telefonos del Noroeste, Telcel, Iusacell, Iusatel, Telefonica, Baja Celular, Telefonia Celular del Norte, Portatel del Sureste, Telecomunicaciones del Golfo and Unefon service. This represents 90% of the cellular phone users in Mexico.

The person on the cellular phone receiving the call will not be charged, however the person making the call from the landline phone will be charged approximately $ 3.00 Mexican pesos per minute (an increase of 300% from the current rate). The rates are still being negotiated between the companies and final results should be available from Cofetel in the next week.

The following companies have not signed the agreement: Axtel, Avantel, Alestra and Maxcom. Dialing to cellular phones using these suppliers will remain the same (01-Area Code- Telephone number) and the costs are shared between the person dialing and the person receiving the call.

Related Links

Cofetel

El Que Llama Paga Nacional (pdf)

How to call Mexico from the USA

What to dial in order to reach a cellular phone in Mexico

If you plan on living or doing business in Mexico, you will be calling cellular phone users.

I’ve listed examples of how to correctly dial in order to reach a cellular telephone in Mexico. There are 3 scenarios; local calls, domestic Mexican long distance and international long distance.

Let’s assume you want to call a cellular telephone in Leon, Guanajuato and the cellular phone number is 123-4567.

Example #1: Local call. If you are in Leon, Guanajuato and are calling a cellular phone number in Leon, you would dial from any phone:

044-477-123-4567

The 044 is the local access code for local cellular numbers.

The 477 is the area code of Leon, Guanajuato.

The 123-4567 is the telephone number.

 

Example #2: Domestic Mexican long distance. Calling a Leon cellular phone number from another city in Mexico. In this case you would dial

New dialing code Nov. 4, 2006  045-477-123-4567

Where 045 is the Mexico domestic long distance access number for cell phones.

477 is the area code for Leon.

123-4567 is the telephone number.

 

Example 3#: International long distance. If you are calling from the USA to a Mexican cellular phone in Leon, Guanajuato. You would dial;

New dialing rule Nov. 4, 2006  011-52-1-477-123-4567

011 is the international access code.

52 is the country code for Mexico.

1 is the cellular phone code.

477 is the area code of Leon.

123-4567 is the telephone number.

 

Remember that area codes for Mexico City (55), Guadalajara (33) and Monterrey (81) are 2 digits, followed by the telephone number that has 8 digits. All other cities have a 3 digit area code and 7 digit telephone number.

 

Related Links

Changes for dialing long distance to cellular phones in Mexico

Tip: How to call Mexico from the US

Mexican Area Code Search (TELMEX)

How to do business in Mexico

Tip: How to call Mexico from the US

Calling Mexico from the US can be confusing to the novice.

To dial Mexico from outside the country, you must dial “011″ (access code) followed by the country code.

Mexico’s country code is “52″ (country code).

Next is the area code. Mexico telephone numbers have a three digit area code followed by a seven digit number for most of the country.

The exception to the rule (and this is Mexico, there are always exceptions to the rule) can be found in 3 cities; Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. These cities have a two digit area code followed by an 8 digit number:

• Mexico City “55″ + 8 digits, area code is 55
• Guadalajara “33″ + 8 digits, area code is 33
• Monterrey “81″ + 8 digits, area code is 81
• All other cities in Mexico “3 digits” + 7 digits, area code contains 3 digits

If you were to dial Mexico City: “011″ + “52″ + “55″ + telephone number (8 digits)

If you were to dial Acapulco: “011″ + “52″ + “744″ + telephone number (7 digits).

• UPDATE October 17, 2006 – If you are dialing a Mexican cellphone from the USA after November 4, 2006, you must dial “011″ – “52″- “1″ -”Area Code” – “Telephone number”, this new rule covers 90% of the cellular phones in Mexico. Changes for Dialing Long Distance to Cellular Phones in Mexico

Selected area codes for some Mexican cities:

 

Acapulco “744″ + 7 digits
Aguascalientes “449″+ 7 digits
Apizaco “241″+ 7 digits
Cabo San Lucas “624″+ 7 digits
Cancun “998″+ 7 digits
Celaya “461″+ 7 digits
Chihuahua “614″+ 7 digits
Ciudad del Carmen “938″+ 7 digits
Ciudad Juarez “656″+ 7 digits
Cuernavaca “777″+ 7 digits
Culiacan “667″+ 7 digits
Durango “618″+ 7 digits
Ensenada “646″+ 7 digits
Guadalajara “33″ + 8 digits
Guanajuato “473″ + 7 digits
Irapuato “462″+ 7 digits
Ixtapa “755 “+ 7 digits
Jalapa “932″ + 7 digits
Juchita “971″ + 7 digits
Leon “477″ + 7 digits
Los Mochis “668″ + 7 digits
Matamoros “871″ + 7 digits
Mazatlan “869″ + 7 digits
Merida “999″ + 7 digits
Mexicali “686″ + 7 digits
Mexico City “55″ + 8 digits
Monterrey “81″ + 8 digit
Morelia “443″ + 7 digits
Nogales “631″ + 7 digits
Nuevo Laredo “867″ + 7 digits
Oaxaca de Juarez “951″ + 7 digits
Playa del Carmen “984″ + 7 digits
Progreso “861″ + 7 digits
Puebla “222″ + 7 digits
Puerto Vallarta “322″ + 7 digits
Reynosa “899″ + 7 digits
Saltillo “844″ + 7 digits
San Francisco del Rincon “476″ + 7 digits
San Miguel Allende “415″ + 7 digits
Silao “472″ + 7 digits
Tampico “833″ + 7 digits
Tijuana “664″ + 7 digits
Torreon “871″ + 7 digits
Veracruz “229″ + 7 digits
Villahermosa “993″ + 7 digits

intl. access + country code + area code + telephone number

“011″ + “52″ + “2 or 3 digit area code” + “7 or 8 digit telephone number”

For a complete list of all Mexican cities, check out the TELMEX area code search page (in spanish) Link

 

Related Links

What to dial in order to reach a cellular phone in Mexico

How to do business in Mexico

How to negotiate with Mexican business people

Mexican official (and unofficial) holidays

Advice on what to expect when doing business with Mexico

Meeting people in Mexico – kiss, shake hands or hug?

Before you go on your business trip to Mexico

Tipping Guidelines for Mexico

Official Government websites of the 32 Mexican states