Billing, plans and account
Can I call the US and internationally?
Yes. A 3CTel system can call the United States and most international destinations from any desk phone or app. How calls to the US and to each country are billed is set out on your quote and confirmed in writing before activation. You can also choose which destinations your users are allowed to dial, which is a useful control against toll fraud.
Calling the United States
US and Canadian numbers share the same dialling format, so staff dial a US number exactly as they would a Canadian one, with the area code and no international prefix. Whether US calling is included in your plan or billed by destination is stated on your quote; ask your specialist if your business calls the US often so the plan reflects that.
Calling other countries
International calls are dialled with 011 followed by the country code and number. Rates vary by country and by whether the destination is a landline or a cell phone, and they are listed for the destinations you tell your specialist you need. If your team regularly calls a particular country, say so during planning so it is quoted rather than discovered on an invoice.
- Calls to Mexico, the United Kingdom, India and other frequent destinations are supported; confirm the rate for each before activation.
- Some destinations, such as satellite services and premium-rate numbers, are blocked by default because they are commonly used in fraud.
- Toll-free numbers in other countries may not be reachable from Canada; check with your specialist before relying on one.
Controlling who can dial where
Not every extension needs international calling. Restricting it to the people who use it limits both cost and fraud exposure. Restrictions can be set per user or per group, and a per-account spend alert can notify you if usage rises unexpectedly.
In the admin portal, dialling permissions are found under Users → Calling Permissions. A 3CTel specialist can make this change for you.
Related questions.
Can staff abroad make calls as if they were in the office?
Yes. The desktop and mobile apps work wherever there is a usable internet connection, and calls placed through them show your Canadian business number. Calls are billed according to the destination dialled, not where the user is sitting.
How do I see international usage?
Call analytics and your invoice both break out calls by destination. If you want a monthly summary sent to a manager or bookkeeper, ask your specialist to set up a scheduled report.
Will international calling affect call quality?
Calls to other countries travel further and pass through more networks, so slightly higher delay is normal. Quality is generally good on a stable connection. If a particular destination sounds poor, report it so the route can be checked.
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