Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Telephone
Domestic Calls
Telephone area codes begin with 0 and consist of up to four digits - the Naples area code
is 081. The area code is followed by a number of anything from four to eight digits. The
area code is an integral part of the telephone number and must always be dialled, even
when calling from next door. Mobile phone numbers begin with a three-digit prefix such
as 330. Toll-free (free-phone) numbers are known as
numeri verdi
and usually start with
800. Nongeographical numbers start with 840, 841, 848, 892, 899, 163, 166 or 199. Some
six-digit national rate numbers are also in use (such as those for Alitalia, rail and postal in-
formation).
Italians choose from lots of providers of phone plans, making it difficult to make gener-
alisations about costs.
International Calls
The cheapest options for calling internationally are free or low-cost computer programs
such as Skype, cut-price call centres or an international calling card
(scheda telefonica in-
ternazionale),
which are sold at newsstands and tobacconists. Cut-price call centres can be
found in the main cities, and rates can be considerably lower than from Telecom
payphones for international calls. Place your call from a private booth inside the call
centre and pay for it when you've finished. Direct international calls can also easily be
made from public telephones with a phonecard. Dial 00 to get out of Italy, then the rel-
evant country and area codes, followed by the telephone number.
To call Italy from abroad, call the international access number ( 011 in the USA,
00 from most other countries), Italy's country code ( 39) and then the area code of the
location you want, including the leading 0.
To make a reverse-charge (collect) international call, dial 170. All operators speak
English. Or, use the direct-dialling (Country Direct) service provided by your home-coun-
try phone company (such as AT&T in the USA and Telstra in Australia). You simply dial
the relevant access number and request a reverse-charge call via the operator in your
country. Numbers for this service include the following:
»
Australia
(Telstra) 800 172 610
»
Canada
800 172 213
»
New Zealand
800 172 641
»
USA
(AT&T) 800 172 444