Free International Calls to 60+ countries

Frequently Asked Questions

• How does "Free International Calling" work?
  It’s really simple: if you have minutes in your Tello plan, you can use them to call over 60 countries at no extra cost!
  
  How it works with your plan:

  • Plan Limits Apply: The number of international minutes you get is the same as the total minutes in your plan.
    Example: If you have a 300-minute plan, you have 300 minutes total to use for any combination of US and international calls.
  • Unlimited Plan Cap: If you have an "Unlimited" plan, you can use up to 1,000 minutes for international calls each billing cycle.
  • No Extra Fees: You don't need to buy a special international package to call countries on our free list.

  
  What you need to know:

  1. Check the List: Ensure your destination is on our Free Destinations List.
  2. Standard Deduction: Every minute you spend on an international call is simply subtracted from your monthly balance.
  3. Outside the List: If a country isn't on the free list, you can still call it using Pay As You Go credit.
• How do I dial an international destination?
  There are two easy ways to get your international call connected. Here is how you do it:
  
  1. From your phone’s keypad
  You can use either of these formats to dial out:

  • The "+" Method: Press and hold the 0 key until the + appears, then dial the Country Code + Area Code + Phone Number.
  • The "011" Method: Dial 011, then the Country Code + Area Code + Phone Number.

  
  2. From the "My Tello" App
  Our app makes it even easier:

  • Manual Dialing: Open the app keypad and dial the number (always include the country code).
  • Using Contacts: You can pick a contact directly from your phone's list. Just make sure the number is already saved in the international format (starting with + or 011).

  
  ✅Friendly Reminder:
  Minutes: Whether you call from your phone's keypad or the My Tello app, the minutes come from your same plan balance.
• What if the destination I want to call is not on the FREE list?
  If the country you want to call isn't on our "Free" list, don't worry! You can still connect using Pay As You Go credit.
  
  How to check rates:

  • Head to our International Calling page and type the country name into the search field.
  • We’ll show you the specific rates for calling a landline, calling a mobile phone, and sending a text.
• Will "Free International Calling" work when I’m outside the USA?
  Yes! Our "Free International Calling" feature follows your minutes, not your location. If you are calling a destination on our Free List, it doesn't matter if you are in New York or Paris—as long as you have a connection, the call is included in your plan.
  
  To stay connected while traveling abroad, you have three great options:
  

  1. Wi-Fi Calling & Text
     This feature allows calling & texting (sending & receiving) via the closest available Wi-Fi network which could be at a hotel, your office, at home, or even a Wi-Fi hotspot.
     If you have set up Wi-Fi Calling correctly, it does not use up data from your Tello data plan, it just uses minutes from your calling plan as long as the destination you are calling is included in our 60+ countries list.
     See full details on this blog.
  
  
  2. International Roaming
     You can now benefit from international roaming in 200+ countries and territories.
     Roaming calls, texting, and data costs are charged from your Pay As You Go balance, so you need a minimum of $5 Pay As You Go credit to activate international roaming.
     Check our International Roaming page rates and information.
  
  
  3. The "My Tello" App
     If your phone doesn't support Wi-Fi Calling, you can use our app over Wi-Fi to make calls.
     Good for: Making outgoing calls using your plan minutes.
     Keep in mind: You cannot receive calls or send/receive texts through the app—it’s for outgoing calls only.
• How are international calls charged?
  The cost of an international call depends entirely on where you are calling. At Tello, we keep it simple by splitting destinations into two categories: Free Destinations and destinations that will require Pay As You Go.
  
  1. Calling a "Free Destination"
  If the country you are calling is on our Free Destinations List:

  • Cost: No extra cost!
  • How it’s deducted: Every minute of international talk to a free destination will be deducted from your plan balance (minutes), just like a local call.

  
  2. Calling a "Pay As You Go" Destination
  If the country is not on the free list:

  • Cost: You will be charged a specific rate per minute.
  • How it’s deducted: These calls are charged from your Pay As You Go (PAYG) credit balance.
  • Check the Rate: You can look up the specific per-minute rate for any country on our International Calling page.

  
  ✅ Check the Rate:
  You can look up the specific per-minute rate for any country on our International Calling page.
• Which Tello plans include international calls & texts?
  Every Tello plan that includes minutes also includes free calls and texts to over 60 international destinations!
  
  How to find out if your destination is included:
  To see if you can call a specific country for free, head over to our International Calling page and follow these steps:

  1. Type the country name in the "Search Country" field.
  2. You’ll see three rates: Landline, Mobile, and Text.
  3. If it says "FREE": It’s included! Any minutes you use will simply be deducted from your monthly plan balance—just like a domestic call.
  4. If it shows a price: You can still make the call or send the text, but you’ll need Pay As You Go credit to cover the per-minute or per-message rate shown.

  
  ⚠️Important Note for "Data Only" Users:
  If you have a Data-Only plan (0 minutes), your plan does not include international calling minutes. To make calls, you would need to either:

  • Change your plan to include minutes.
  • Add Pay As You Go credit to your account.