The Ministry of Communications is responsible for the telephone systems strategic, long term planning and Anatel (Agencia Nacional de Telecomunicacoes is responsible for regulatory functions.

The Ministry of Communications is responsible for the telephone systems strategic, long term planning and Anatel (Agencia Nacional de Telecomunicacoes is responsible for regulatory functions.

Dialing

Local Calls

Local phone numbers are arranged as nnnn-nnnn, with the first digit identifying the service associated with the phone number. 2 to 5 connects to a fixed phone, while 6 to 9 connect to mobile phones.

Local directory assistance can be obtained by dialing 102, but the service is charged as a regular local call.

Calling Long Distance

The choice of long-distance carrier determines the actual digit sequence to be dialed.

1. First dial the carrier selection code
2. then the area code
3. then the individual number

For example, to call the number 2222-2222 in Fortaleza (area code 85) using the long-distance carrier Oi (selection code 31), one would dial 0 31 85 2222 2222.

• Several of the most popular carrier selection codes are:
• 12 CTBC
• 14 Brasil Telecom
• 15 Telefónica
• 21 Embratel
• 23 Intelig
• 25 GVT
• 31 Oi
• 41 TIM (Telecom Italia Mobile)

Calling to Brazil

To call Brazil, dial: International Access Code + 55 + City Code + The Number.

City Telephone Codes:
• Alegre 27
• Belem 91
• Belo Horizonte 31
• Brasilandia 61
• Curitiba 41
• Rio De Janeiro 21
• Salvador 71
• Santo 132
• Vitoria 27

Calling from Brazil

Outbound international calls use a 00 prefix, followed by the carrier selection code, and than the international phone number.

Selecting a carrier can be tricky since they charge different rates, not all of them operate in all of Brazil, not all forward international calls, and some do not put calls through to some remote or rarely called countries. Note these factors in choosing a long distance carrier.

As of January 2009, Embratel is the only carrier offering operator-assisted international calls, by dialing 0800-703-2111.

Companies

The telephone industry is privatized and the country is divided in geographic regions, each with its own local operator.
Embratel - long distance and international calls carrier
Intelig - long distance and international calls carrier
Telefonica - subsidiary of Spanish holding Telefonica. Operates long distance and international calls.
Oi - Operates long distance and international calls. This is one of the biggest private Brazilian corporations

To compare prices and standard rates, go to:
http://sistemas.anatel.gov.br/.

Collect Call

To call someone and charge the call to them, dial the number with a prefixed special code. The person receiving the call will hear a message asking them to accept the charges and if the person being called hangs up within the first six seconds of hearing the caller's name, nothing is charged.

Prepaid Cards

Calling cards can enable you to call long distance or internationally at a lower rate then by using a landline or mobile. They are perfect for travelling or if you only need to make an occasional long distance call. Here are several different online companies offering cards:
www.callingcards.com/index_brazil
www.enjoyprepaid.com
www.comfi.com/calling-cards/Brazil
www.baseops.net/phonecards/brazil
www.cloncom.com/phone-cards/brazil