If you grew up with ten-digit numbers, an area code in parentheses and a 1 in front for long distance, European numbers can look slippery. The same fax line may be printed on a letterhead as "04 12 34 56 78," "+33 4 12 34 56 78" or "+33 (0)4 12 34 56 78." Which digits belong in the number you type? This guide covers the seven countries CaptainFax serves, with made-up example numbers so you can see the pattern.
The three building blocks
Country code. Identifies the country when you call from abroad: 33 for France, 351 Portugal, 1 Canada, 49 Germany, 34 Spain, 39 Italy, 32 Belgium. It follows a plus sign. From a US phone, the plus stands for 011, the international exit code. Europeans use 00 instead.
Trunk prefix. The digit added when calling inside a country, usually a zero. It's like the 1 Americans dial for long distance. In most countries it vanishes when you call from abroad. Italy is the big exception.
Area code and subscriber number. The geographic part, then the line.
On the send form, you pick the destination country in its own field and then enter the number, so what you need to get right is everything after the country code. You never type 011 or +. If you're unsure how a number will read, run it through the number checker. The full list of destinations is on the destination pages.
Country by country
All examples are invented and show layout only.
France
Ten digits starting with a zero: 04 12 34 56 78. The zero is the trunk prefix and disappears internationally: +33 4 12 34 56 78. Geographic landlines start with 01 to 05; 09 numbers are typically internet-box lines. Mobiles start with 06 or 07 and cannot receive faxes.
Common error: keeping the zero after the country code, which gives a number that doesn't exist.
Germany
After the zero, area codes can be anywhere from two to five digits, and subscriber numbers differ in length too. A Berlin number can be written 030 1234 5678, or +49 30 1234 5678 when dialed from abroad. The zero of the area code is dropped.
Common error: copying "(0 30) 12 34 56 78" with the bracketed zero included. The zero in brackets is the trunk prefix. Leave it out once Germany is selected.
Spain
Nine digits and no trunk prefix at all. Landlines begin with 8 or 9, with 91 for Madrid and 93 for Barcelona, written for instance as 911 234 567. International form: +34 911 234 567. Nothing is dropped.
Common error: adding a zero out of habit.
Italy
Here the zero is part of the number. Landlines start with 0 plus the area code (06 for Rome, 02 for Milan), and you keep it even from abroad: +39 06 1234 5678. Mobiles start with 3 and can't receive faxes.
Common error: dropping the zero because other countries do. It is the single most frequent Italian mistake.
Portugal
Nine digits, without any trunk prefix. Landlines begin with 2 (Lisbon is 21, Porto 22): 212 345 678, or +351 212 345 678 internationally. Numbers that start with 9 are mobile.
Common error: using a mobile-looking number from a business card. Check that the first digit is 2.
Belgium
A zero trunk prefix, and short area codes for the larger cities: 02 for Brussels, 03 for Antwerp. 02 123 45 67 turns into +32 2 123 45 67. Elsewhere the area code is three digits after the zero, for instance 04x around Liège.
Common error: typing the 02 as if it were all part of the subscriber number.
Canada
The easy one for you, since it follows the same plan as the US: a three-digit area code and seven digits, ten in total. Montreal uses 514, Toronto 416. The full form is +1 514 123 4567. Enter the ten digits without a leading 1; the destination country field already accounts for it.
Common error: typing the 1 twice, once as the country code and once as the long-distance habit.
Typing errors worth catching
- Transposed digits. Read the number aloud once.
- Copying the voice number instead of the fax number. Many organizations publish both on one line.
- Pasted symbols. Spaces, dots, dashes and parentheses are usually harmless, but a pasted non-breaking space can be invisible.
- Pasting "011" or "+" with the country code when the country is already chosen.
- Reading errors from a scanned letterhead: 0 and O, 1 and 7, 5 and S.
- An old number. Offices change numbers when they change carriers. When in doubt, ask for it in writing.
- Date confusion in the surrounding text. If you are copying a number from an e-mail that also contains dates, make sure the digits you grabbed are not a day and month.
A habit that saves failed sends
Take the number from a recent document, say it aloud, enter it, compare the result with the original and run it through the checker. Confirm it's a landline: mobiles can't receive faxes. The answers page covers other reasons a send can fail. Remember also that offices abroad close when it is still the middle of your day; a Paris office is six hours ahead of New York.
FAQ
Do I keep the first zero when I type the number?
It depends on the country. France, Germany and Belgium drop it, Italy keeps it, and Spain and Portugal have none. Pick the country in its own field first.
Can I fax a number in the US?
No. Only landlines in Canada, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and France can be reached.
Is it worth checking a number on a long document?
Yes. One page is free, but from two pages the price is €3.99 per send, and a wrong number means starting over. See the rates page.
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