You receive a missed call starting with +39 and you’re hesitant to call back. Before picking up or dialing the number back, knowing what this international dialing code corresponds to helps avoid both unpleasant surprises on your bill and scams. The code +39 designates Italy, but its functioning has some peculiarities that most guides overlook.
Received a +39 call: distinguish a real Italian number from a fraudulent call
A number that appears with the prefix +39 does not always come from a phone physically located in Italy. VoIP services and certain telemarketing platforms purchase ranges of Italian numbers to make calls from any country. As a result, your screen shows “+39” while the caller is thousands of kilometers away.
Further reading : Everything You Need to Know About the Price per Square Meter of Double Glazing and the Criteria to Consider
Some clues can help you sort things out before calling back.
- An Italian landline number starts with +39 0 followed by the city code (for example, 06 for Rome, 02 for Milan). If the displayed number does not contain this initial zero after the +39, it is likely a mobile or VoIP number.
- Italian mobile numbers generally start with +39 3. A missed call from a +39 3xx is consistent with a contact on the Italian mobile network.
- A very short number, without a recognizable city code, or that redirects to a generic English voice server often indicates a VoIP number used for commercial or fraudulent purposes.
If you are not expecting any calls from Italy, do not call back an unknown +39 without verification. Type the full number into a search engine: reverse directories and forums quickly report numbers flagged as unwanted.
Recommended read : Everything You Need to Know About the Evaluation and Criteria for Professional Titles in France
To understand in detail which country uses the +39 code and the reflexes to adopt when faced with this type of call, the topic deserves attention before moving on to the practical side.
Code +39 and Italian numbering plan: the rule of the initial zero
The majority of countries drop the zero from the local prefix when dialing a number from abroad. For France, for example, 06 becomes +33 6. Italy operates differently: the initial zero is retained after +39 for landline numbers.
Specifically, to reach a landline number in Rome with the local number 06 1234 5678, you dial +39 06 1234 5678. Removing the zero, as one would do for a call to France, results in a call failure or a wrong number.
Why this peculiarity exists
Italy integrated the regional prefix into the subscriber’s number during its numbering reform. The zero is an integral part of the number, not just a simple national routing prefix. This is a classic trap for anyone calling Italy for the first time.
For mobiles, the logic differs: the number starts with 3 (no zero), so you dial +39 3xx xxx xxxx directly. Landlines: keep the zero, mobiles: no zero in front of the 3.
Calling Italy from France: actual cost and mobile plan
From the European Economic Area, roaming rules govern fees when you are physically abroad. However, calling a +39 number from France (without leaving your home) falls under international calls, not roaming.
The price difference between calling an Italian landline and calling an Italian mobile varies by operator. Some plans include calls to European landlines but charge extra for mobiles. Others include both. Check your plan’s conditions before calling a +39, especially if the conversation is likely to last.
The case of the correspondent in Italy with a foreign plan
A point often overlooked: if your correspondent is physically in Italy but uses a French plan (or one from another country), you do not need to dial +39. Their number remains a French number, reachable with the usual +33 prefix. The prefix depends on the plan, not the physical location of the person.
This confusion leads to frequent call failures. Before dialing, simply ask your correspondent under which prefix their number is registered.
Dialing a +39 number step by step from a mobile
The process is simple once the logic is understood. From a mobile phone, the “+” sign replaces the international exit code (00 in Europe). Here’s the sequence based on the type of line you are calling.
- To an Italian landline: press + (hold the 0 key), then 39, then the complete number with its initial zero. Example: +39 02 xxx xxxx for Milan.
- To an Italian mobile: press +, then 39, then the number starting with 3. Example: +39 3xx xxx xxxx.
- From a French landline: dial 00 39 then the full number (with the zero for a landline, without an additional zero for a mobile).
The format with “+” is preferable: it works regardless of the country you are calling from, while the exit code “00” is specific to Europe.
European codes close to +39: avoid input errors
The code +39 is sometimes confused with other codes in zone 3, assigned to Europe by the International Telecommunication Union. +33 corresponds to France, +34 to Spain, +36 to Hungary, +30 to Greece. Just one wrong key press redirects the call to another country.
On a smartphone, saving the number in international format (+39 xxx) in your contacts avoids this type of misunderstanding. The phone will automatically adjust the dialing according to the country you are calling from.
The code +39 covers the entire Italian territory, including Sardinia and Sicily. There is no regional sub-code at the international level: +39 is sufficient, followed by the local prefix that identifies the city or mobile network. Keeping this logic in mind simplifies every call to Italy, whether to book accommodation in Florence or to contact a business partner in Turin.