Getting Connected to Mexican Cell Phones

In many countries, you dial the same set of codes to connect with a cell phone regardless of where you or the cell phone are situated; but in Mexico, you need to learn a few rules to be able to connect to Mexican cell phone numbers.

Since the Telecommunication reforms of 2015, all calls to Mexican cell phones from Mexican land lines are treated as local calls and are included in most monthly land line telephone plans.

However, different codes need to be dialed depending on whether you are calling from a land-line or cell phone in Mexico—and there is also an additional code for calling a Mexican cell phone when you are dialing from outside Mexico.

Dialing to a Mexican cell phone from a land line in Mexico

The call must be preceded by a three digit number: 045, then the cell phone’s area code (two or three digits), and finally the cell phone’s own seven or eight-digit number, thus:

Dial 045 when you are calling a cell phone from a land line.  For example, if you are calling a Mexico City cell phone from a land line anywhere in Mexico, you would dial: 045 – 55 – 1234 5678.

Dialing to a cell phone from a Mexican cell phone in Mexico

If you are calling a Mexican cell phone from another cell phone inside Mexico, you ignore the 045 code and simply dial the other cell phone’s area code and the number, regardless of where your cell phone is based (or roaming), and regardless of where the other cell phone is based.  For example, if you are calling a cell phone in Puerto Vallarta from your Mexican cell phone you would dial the area code then the cell phone number. e.g. 322 – 1234 567.

Dialing to a Mexican cell phone from another Mexican cell phone abroad

If you are calling a Mexican cell phone from a Mexican cell phone that is roaming abroad, you ignore the 045 code and dial +52, then the other cell phone’s area code and the number, regardless of where your cell phone is based (or roaming), and regardless of where the other cell phone is based.  For example, if you are calling a cell phone in Puerto Vallarta from your Mexican cell phone while roaming in the United States you would dial the international access code, the area code, then the cell phone number. e.g. +52 322 – 1234 567.

Dialing to a land line from a cell phone in Mexico

When you are dialing from a cell phone in Mexico to a land line in Mexico, you simply dial the land-line’s area code and the phone number.  For example, if you are calling a land-line in Mexico City from your Mexican cell phone, regardless of the cell phone’s own code, or where you are located in Mexico, you would dial: 55 – 1234 5678.

Dialing a Mexican cell phone from abroad

When you are calling a cell phone number in Mexico from outside Mexico, it’s necessary to dial an additional “1” after Mexico’s country code (which is “52”) and before the area code.  You also ignore the 045, and simply dial the area code and the cell phone’s number.

If you don’t add the “1”, you’ll receive a recorded announcement asking you to redial using it.

For example, if you are calling from the USA to a cell phone in Mexico City, you would dial +52 – 1 – 55 – 1234 5678.  (Note that this is different to calling a land line in Mexico City from abroad, where the number dialed would be +52 – 55 – 1234 5678.)

Dialing abroad from a Mexican cell phone

If you are using a Mexican cell phone and you want to dial an international number, regardless of whether you are roaming or inside Mexico, dial the + sign, then the country code, the area code, and the phone number.  For example, to dial a number in New York, USA: +1 202 123-45678.

You can learn more about how to keep in touch by connecting to our comprehensive Guide to Communications in Mexico.