How to Call 1800 Numbers: Free Calling Guide for Australians
Calling 1800 Toll-Free Numbers from Australian Phones
Free Calling Instructions
- Dial the complete 10-digit 1800 number (1800 xxx xxx)
- Completely free from any Australian phone
- No charges to landlines or mobiles
- Doesn’t use mobile plan minutes or credit
- Cannot be called from overseas
How to Call an 1800 Number for Free
Calling an 1800 number from Australia is simple and completely free. Dial the full 10-digit number starting with 1800—no area codes, no prefixes, just the number as displayed. The call connects for free from any Australian landline or mobile phone with no charges applied to your phone bill and no consumption of your mobile plan’s included minutes.
For example, to call 1800 123 456, dial exactly: 1-8-0-0-1-2-3-4-5-6. The call is toll-free, meaning you pay absolutely nothing regardless of how long you stay on the line. The business you’re calling covers 100% of the call costs, which is why they choose 1800 numbers—to remove all barriers to customer contact.
For businesses wanting to understand how 1800 numbers operate, see our detailed guide on how 1800 numbers work in Australia.
Calling from Australian Landlines
When you call an 1800 number from an Australian landline, the call is completely free with no charges whatsoever. It doesn’t matter if your landline plan includes local calls, charges per call, or uses timed billing—1800 calls bypass all of these and cost you nothing. You can talk for hours without any charges appearing on your phone bill.
This is different from 1300 numbers, which charge local call rates even from landlines. With 1800 numbers, the toll-free nature applies universally—every caller from every type of phone pays nothing. This makes 1800 numbers ideal for customer service lines, support centers, and any business function where you want customers to call without cost concerns.
The geographic location of the business you’re calling is irrelevant. Calling an 1800 number from Sydney to a Perth business costs you nothing. Calling from regional Tasmania to metropolitan Melbourne costs you nothing. The toll-free benefit applies regardless of distance or location.
1800 numbers are completely free from mobile phones—the call costs you nothing and doesn’t consume any of your mobile plan’s included minutes. Whether you’re on a prepaid plan, post-paid plan, or pay-as-you-go, 1800 calls are toll-free with zero charges or minute consumption.
This is particularly valuable given that most Australians now use mobile phones as their primary calling device. Businesses offering 1800 numbers remove a significant barrier to contact—mobile users don’t need to worry about using their plan allowance or incurring excess charges. This encourages longer, more detailed conversations, which is exactly what businesses want for customer service and support.
The toll-free benefit applies across all Australian mobile carriers including Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, and all MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators). There are no compatibility issues or network-specific restrictions. For more details about what 1800 numbers are and how they differ from other business numbers, read our guide on what are 1800 numbers in Australia.
Standard 1800 numbers cannot be called from overseas—they only work within Australia’s domestic telephone network. If you’re traveling internationally and need to contact an Australian business with an 1800 number, the toll-free number won’t work from overseas phones.
Your options include: asking the business for an alternative international-accessible number (many businesses list a standard geographic number for international callers), using a VoIP service that provides an Australian phone number (services like Skype can give you an Australian number that can dial 1800 numbers), or waiting until you’re back in Australia to make the call.
Some businesses specifically configure their 1800 numbers to accept international calls, though this is uncommon because it significantly increases their call costs. International callers calling an Australian 1800 number would still call for free, but the business pays substantially higher per-minute rates for international call termination.
What Happens When You Call an 1800 Number
When you dial an 1800 number, your call routes through Australia’s telephone network to the business’s virtual phone system. This system reads their configured routing rules and forwards your call to their designated phone—typically mobiles, landlines, or office systems. The routing happens in milliseconds, so you experience immediate connection with no noticeable delay.
You might hear standard ringing, or the business might have configured a custom greeting or IVR menu (like ‘For sales, press 1. For support, press 2’). If calling outside business hours or when all lines are busy, you may be directed to voicemail. The specific experience depends on how the business has configured their 1800 number.
From your perspective, it’s just like any other phone call—except it’s completely free and you can stay on the line as long as needed without worrying about costs. This encourages thorough conversations, detailed enquiries, and comprehensive problem-solving, which is why businesses choose 1800 numbers for customer-facing services.
Troubleshooting 1800 Number Calls
If you’re having trouble calling an 1800 number, first verify you’re dialing the complete 10-digit number including the 1800 prefix. Common mistakes include leaving off digits, transposing numbers, or adding unnecessary zeros. The number should be exactly 10 digits starting with 1800.
Ensure you’re calling from within Australia using an Australian phone. 1800 numbers don’t work from overseas unless specifically configured for international access (which is rare). If you’re calling from Australia and the call still doesn’t connect, the issue is likely with the business’s phone system—they may have configuration errors, run out of account credit, or have technical issues on their end.
If you consistently have trouble calling 1800 numbers (not just one specific number), contact your phone provider to ensure the service is activated on your account. This is extremely rare with major carriers but can occasionally occur with newer or smaller mobile providers. For more troubleshooting help, see our guide on 1800 numbers not working.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Calling 1800 Numbers
Are 1800 numbers really free to call?
Yes, 1800 numbers are completely toll-free from any Australian phone. No charges apply to your phone bill, and mobile calls don’t consume your plan’s included minutes.
Do I need to dial anything before the 1800 number?
No, just dial the complete 10-digit 1800 number exactly as shown. Don’t add area codes or country codes when calling from within Australia.
What’s the difference between calling 1800 and 1300 numbers?
1800 calls are completely free for you—the business pays all costs. 1300 calls cost you local call rates (typically 25-40¢) with the business paying connection costs. If a business offers both, 1800 is always free while 1300 charges apply.
Can I call 1800 numbers from my mobile without using my minutes?
Yes, 1800 calls from mobiles are completely free and don’t use any of your plan’s included call minutes. You can talk as long as needed with zero impact on your mobile plan.
