Simple Guide: How to Make a Phone Call – Step-by-Step Instructions
Making a phone call seems like a basic task in the modern world, yet sometimes we need a refresher, especially when dealing with new devices or situations. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps of making a phone call on various devices and platforms. Whether you’re using a smartphone, a landline, or an internet-based calling service, this article has you covered. We’ll explore the nuances of each method, ensuring you can confidently connect with anyone, anywhere.
## Understanding the Basics of Phone Calls
Before diving into specific instructions, let’s cover the fundamental elements of making a phone call:
* **Device:** You need a device capable of making calls. This could be a smartphone, a landline phone, a VoIP phone, or even a computer with the right software.
* **Phone Number:** The unique identifier of the person or business you’re trying to reach. Phone numbers consist of area codes, prefixes, and line numbers. International calls also require a country code.
* **Dialing:** The process of entering the phone number into your device.
* **Connection:** The establishment of a link between your device and the recipient’s device through a telecommunications network.
* **Communication:** The exchange of voice information between you and the person you’re calling.
## Making a Phone Call on a Smartphone (iOS and Android)
Smartphones are the most common devices for making phone calls today. Here’s how to make a call on both iOS (iPhone) and Android devices:
### iOS (iPhone)
1. **Unlock Your iPhone:** If your iPhone is locked, use Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode to unlock it.
2. **Open the Phone App:** Locate the Phone app icon on your home screen or in your app library. It typically looks like a telephone receiver.
3. **Choose Your Method:** There are several ways to initiate a call:
* **Dialpad:** Tap the “Keypad” icon at the bottom of the screen. This will bring up the dialpad, where you can manually enter the phone number.
* **Contacts:** Tap the “Contacts” icon. This will display your list of contacts. You can scroll through the list or use the search bar at the top to find the contact you want to call.
* **Recents:** Tap the “Recents” icon. This shows a list of your recent calls. You can select a number from this list to call them back.
* **Favorites:** Tap the “Favorites” icon. This displays a list of contacts you’ve marked as favorites for quick access.
4. **Dial the Number or Select the Contact:**
* **Dialpad:** Enter the phone number you wish to call, including the area code.
* **Contacts:** Tap on the name of the contact you wish to call. This will open their contact details.
5. **Initiate the Call:**
* **Dialpad:** Tap the green phone icon at the bottom of the dialpad.
* **Contacts:** Tap the phone number you want to call from the contact details screen. If the contact has multiple phone numbers (e.g., mobile, work), choose the correct one.
6. **During the Call:** Once the call connects, you’ll see the call screen. This screen provides several options:
* **Mute:** Mutes your microphone so the other person cannot hear you.
* **Speaker:** Turns on the speakerphone, allowing you to hear the call without holding the phone to your ear.
* **Keypad:** Brings up the dialpad again, useful for entering numbers during automated prompts (e.g., when calling a business).
* **Add Call:** Allows you to start a conference call by adding another person to the call.
* **FaceTime:** Switches the call to a FaceTime video call (if the other person has an iPhone and FaceTime enabled).
* **End Call:** Ends the call.
7. **End the Call:** Tap the red “End” button to disconnect the call.
### Android
The process for making a call on an Android phone is very similar to that of an iPhone.
1. **Unlock Your Android Phone:** Use your PIN, pattern, fingerprint, or facial recognition to unlock your device.
2. **Open the Phone App:** Find the Phone app icon on your home screen or in your app drawer. It usually resembles a telephone receiver.
3. **Choose Your Method:** Similar to iPhones, you have several options:
* **Dialpad:** Tap the dialpad icon (usually a number pad icon) at the bottom of the screen. This brings up the dialpad for manual number entry.
* **Contacts:** Tap the “Contacts” icon. This displays your contact list, where you can search for a contact.
* **Recents:** Tap the “Recents” or “Recent Calls” icon to view your call history.
* **Favorites:** Some Android phones have a “Favorites” tab or section for quick access to frequently called contacts.
4. **Dial the Number or Select the Contact:**
* **Dialpad:** Enter the phone number, including the area code.
* **Contacts:** Select the contact you want to call from the list.
5. **Initiate the Call:**
* **Dialpad:** Tap the phone icon (usually green or blue) on the dialpad.
* **Contacts:** Tap the phone icon next to the contact’s name or select the contact and then tap the phone number.
6. **During the Call:** The call screen displays similar options to iOS:
* **Mute:** Mutes your microphone.
* **Speaker:** Activates the speakerphone.
* **Keypad:** Displays the dialpad.
* **Add Call:** Allows you to add another call to create a conference call.
* **Hold:** Places the current call on hold.
* **Transfer:** Transfers the call to another number (depending on your phone and carrier).
* **End Call:** Ends the call.
7. **End the Call:** Tap the red “End Call” button to disconnect.
## Making a Phone Call on a Landline
While smartphones are dominant, landline phones are still used in many homes and businesses. Here’s how to make a call on a landline:
1. **Pick Up the Receiver:** Lift the handset from the base of the phone. This should give you a dial tone, indicating that the phone is ready to make a call.
2. **Dial the Number:** Use the number pad to enter the phone number, including the area code.
3. **Wait for the Connection:** After dialing, wait for the call to connect. You will hear ringing or a busy signal.
4. **Speak When Connected:** Once the other party answers, start speaking.
5. **End the Call:** Replace the handset on the base of the phone to disconnect the call.
### Landline Features
Landline phones often have features like:
* **Redial:** Allows you to call the last dialed number by pressing a redial button.
* **Hold:** Places the current call on hold.
* **Conference Call:** Some landlines support conference calling, allowing you to connect multiple parties.
* **Speed Dial:** Lets you program frequently called numbers for quick dialing.
## Making a Phone Call Using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
VoIP services allow you to make calls over the internet. These services are often cheaper than traditional phone lines, especially for long-distance and international calls. Popular VoIP services include Skype, Google Voice, WhatsApp, and Zoom.
### Skype
1. **Install and Open Skype:** Download and install the Skype application on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Open the app.
2. **Sign In or Create an Account:** Sign in to your existing Skype account or create a new one if you don’t have one.
3. **Find the Contact:**
* **Search:** Use the search bar at the top of the screen to find the contact you want to call by name or Skype username.
* **Contacts List:** If you’ve already added the person to your contacts, you can find them in your contacts list.
* **Dialpad:** If you want to call a regular phone number, tap on the dialpad icon and enter the number, including the country code if it’s an international call. You typically need Skype Credit or a subscription to call regular phone numbers.
4. **Initiate the Call:**
* **Skype Contact:** Click or tap on the contact’s name and then click or tap the audio call button (usually a telephone icon). For a video call, select the video call button.
* **Dialpad:** Tap the call button after entering the phone number.
5. **During the Call:** The call screen will display options like:
* **Mute:** Mutes your microphone.
* **Video:** Turns your video on or off (for video calls).
* **Share Screen:** Allows you to share your computer screen with the other person.
* **Add People:** Adds other people to the call for a group call.
* **Chat:** Opens a chat window to send text messages during the call.
* **End Call:** Ends the call.
6. **End the Call:** Click or tap the red “End Call” button.
### Google Voice
1. **Access Google Voice:** Go to the Google Voice website (voice.google.com) or open the Google Voice app on your smartphone.
2. **Sign In to Your Google Account:** Sign in with the Google account you use for Google Voice.
3. **Dial the Number or Select the Contact:**
* **Dialpad:** Click or tap the “Calls” tab and then click or tap the dialpad icon. Enter the phone number you want to call.
* **Contacts:** Click or tap the “Calls” tab and find the contact in your call history, or navigate to the “Contacts” tab and select the contact.
4. **Initiate the Call:**
* **Dialpad:** Click or tap the call button after entering the phone number.
* **Contacts:** Click or tap the phone icon next to the contact’s name.
5. **During the Call:** The call screen will display options like:
* **Mute:** Mutes your microphone.
* **Keypad:** Displays the dialpad.
* **Hold:** Places the call on hold.
* **Add Call:** Adds another call for a conference call.
* **Record:** Records the call (if enabled and permitted in your region).
* **End Call:** Ends the call.
6. **End the Call:** Click or tap the red “End Call” button.
WhatsApp is primarily a messaging app, but it also supports voice and video calls.
1. **Open WhatsApp:** Open the WhatsApp application on your smartphone.
2. **Select the Contact:** Find the contact you want to call from your WhatsApp contact list. You can only call people who are also WhatsApp users.
3. **Initiate the Call:**
* **Voice Call:** Tap the phone icon at the top of the chat screen.
* **Video Call:** Tap the video camera icon at the top of the chat screen.
4. **During the Call:** The call screen will display options like:
* **Mute:** Mutes your microphone.
* **Video:** Turns your video on or off (for video calls).
* **Speaker:** Activates the speakerphone.
* **End Call:** Ends the call.
5. **End the Call:** Tap the red “End Call” button.
### Zoom
While Zoom is best known for video conferencing, it also allows for phone calls, particularly through Zoom Phone (a paid service).
1. **Open Zoom:** Open the Zoom application on your computer or smartphone.
2. **Access Zoom Phone (if applicable):** If you have Zoom Phone, you will see a “Phone” tab or icon in the Zoom interface. Click or tap on it.
3. **Dial the Number or Select the Contact:**
* **Dialpad:** Click or tap the dialpad icon and enter the phone number, including the country code if necessary.
* **Contacts:** Select a contact from your Zoom contacts list.
4. **Initiate the Call:**
* **Dialpad:** Click or tap the call button after entering the phone number.
* **Contacts:** Click or tap the phone icon next to the contact’s name.
5. **During the Call:** The call screen will display options like:
* **Mute:** Mutes your microphone.
* **Keypad:** Displays the dialpad.
* **Hold:** Places the call on hold.
* **Transfer:** Transfers the call to another number.
* **Record:** Records the call (if enabled).
* **End Call:** Ends the call.
6. **End the Call:** Click or tap the red “End Call” button.
## Making International Phone Calls
Making an international phone call requires a specific format:
1. **Dial the Exit Code:** The exit code (also known as the international access code) allows you to dial out of your country. The most common exit code is `011` for North America. You can find the exit code for your country with a quick online search.
2. **Dial the Country Code:** The country code is a one, two, or three-digit number that identifies the country you’re calling. For example, the country code for the United States is `1`, for the United Kingdom it’s `44`, and for Australia it’s `61`. A comprehensive list of country codes is easily available online.
3. **Dial the Area Code (if applicable):** Some countries have area codes or city codes that you need to dial before the local number.
4. **Dial the Local Phone Number:** This is the specific phone number of the person or business you’re calling.
**Example: Calling a phone number in London, UK from the US:**
* Exit Code (US): `011`
* Country Code (UK): `44`
* Area Code (London): `20`
* Local Phone Number: `1234 5678`
Therefore, you would dial: `011 44 20 1234 5678`
## Troubleshooting Common Phone Call Issues
* **No Dial Tone:**
* **Landline:** Check if the phone cord is securely plugged into both the phone and the wall jack. Try a different phone cord. If the problem persists, there might be an issue with your phone service, and you should contact your provider.
* **Smartphone/VoIP:** Ensure your phone is connected to a network (cellular or Wi-Fi). Restart your phone or VoIP device.
* **Call Fails to Connect:**
* **Incorrect Number:** Double-check the number you dialed for any errors. Make sure you’ve included the correct area code or country code.
* **Network Issues:** There might be temporary issues with your network. Try again later or switch to a different network (e.g., from Wi-Fi to cellular data).
* **Blocked Number:** The person you’re calling might have blocked your number.
* **Poor Call Quality:**
* **Weak Signal:** A weak cellular or Wi-Fi signal can cause poor call quality. Move to an area with a stronger signal.
* **Network Congestion:** During peak hours, network congestion can affect call quality. Try calling at a different time.
* **Hardware Issues:** There might be a problem with your phone’s microphone or speaker. Try using a headset or speakerphone.
* **Echo:**
* **Speakerphone:** Using speakerphone in a room with hard surfaces can cause echo. Try using a headset or moving to a room with more soft furnishings.
* **Network Issues:** Sometimes, echo is caused by network issues and there’s not much you can do except try again later.
## Tips for Making Clear and Effective Phone Calls
* **Speak Clearly:** Enunciate your words and speak at a moderate pace.
* **Avoid Background Noise:** Minimize background noise by calling from a quiet location.
* **Be Prepared:** Have any necessary information ready before you make the call (e.g., account numbers, dates, names).
* **Be Polite:** Treat the person you’re calling with respect, even if you’re frustrated.
* **Take Notes:** Jot down important information or action items during the call.
* **State Your Purpose:** Clearly state the reason for your call at the beginning.
* **Confirm Information:** Repeat important information back to the other person to ensure accuracy.
By following these steps and tips, you can confidently make phone calls on various devices and platforms and ensure clear and effective communication. Whether you’re calling a friend, family member, or business associate, these guidelines will help you stay connected in today’s fast-paced world.