Country code Sweden, +46 or 0046?
There are two spellings for the Sweden area code, namely +46 and 0046. Which area code do you have to use? What is the difference between the two country codes for Sweden and what are the different versions for?
The country code of Sweden that starts with a “+” (i.e. +46) is the so-called international code (international spelling). It is primarily used in the mobile communications sector. Most cell phones can make an international call to Sweden using the +46 area code. This applies to almost every country in the world.
Unfortunately, there are phones (especially older models) that do not support the international spelling. The Sweden area code with leading zeros (0046) is then used on these phones. The leading zeros are also referred to as the so-called traffic elimination number. When you call, they indicate that it is an international call.
Problem: Access code and area code 0046
In fact, the 0046 variant is used for calls to Sweden, especially in Europe. In other countries of the world, the international code 0046 will not work. Example: In the USA, international calls to Sweden begin with 011. An international call here begins with the area code 01146.
Conclusion
For calls from UK to Sweden you can always use the country code 0046. In other countries, the two leading zeros must be replaced by a different access code. The international (+46) dialing code for Sweden works in all countries around the world. However, it is not supported in all networks and by all telephone devices.
Example of phone calls to Sweden
To illustrate the use of the international prefixes Sweden (+46 or 0046) here is an example again:
You want to call 456789 with the area code 0123 in Sweden. In this case you can use the following numbers (from UK/Europe):
0046 123 456789
If you use a mobile phone, the following notation also applies worldwide:
+46 123 456789