Q for phone "experts": what do you call the "011" when you dial long distance?
 

When we are in US or Canada, we dial 011 first and then Country Code + Area Code + phone number to call long distance outside North America.

I know that if you have a cell phone, you just enter "+" and it will dial this access code for you.

1) Is there a term for this number you have to dial to call long distance? is this called "continent code"?

2) Is there a place where you can look up what you need to dial using a land line in China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia etc. etc.??

3) Is this "access code" different for different country? or maybe for different continent?

It's called the international access code.

You'll often see international phone numbers listed as something like "+853.1234.5678". That notation means that you first dial the int'l access code, then the rest of the digits.

From a cellphone, it's easy:

"+" "country code" "area code" "number"

Regardless where you are in the world. You can use it here domestically if you want. Won't cost you any thing more.

But from a land line, this "international access code" can vary from place to place. For example, from Hong Kong, I can dial 001-1-713-xxx-xxxx for a Houston number. But "001" actually means using the long distance service of PWWC, the default long distance company. Or I can dial 009-1-713-xxx-xxxx if I want to use New World Telecom as my long distance carrier. There are also 006, 007 and so on.

That was just an example of how it varies country to country. You just have to ask locally.

So using your example, Ray ...

If I use a GSM cell phone, with a Hong Kong sim card (like from One-Two-Free), I can simply enter the prefix "+" and then 1-713-xxx-xxxx for a Houston number, the phone would be able to recognize where I am and dial the required International Access Code for me (the "+). Correct?

Yes. Real easy with a cell phone. Doesn't matter where you are, what SIM you use. Always just + 1 713 xxx xxxx