Frequently asked questions
On this page you will find general information and frequently asked questions from our users. Still have some questions of your own to ask? Feel free to contact us.
Overview & Getting Started
World Phone® is a mobile app that connects you over a short distance on the public Internet to a high quality low cost international telephone networks. This also gives you access to thousands of local telephone numbers in over 70 countries that you can rent - on your Android or iPhone handset.
- Low cost international calls compared to most GSM roaming costs,
- Excellent quality audio,
- Works with or without a SIM card (but needs Wi-Fi),
- Set up a local number that allows you to be local even when you are not,
- Very simple to use thanks to a high quality familiar looking interface that makes it intuitive to use,
- No need to remember passwords account names access codes or settings. Secure and familiar in-app purchase with Apple iTunes or Google Play.
After installing World Phone®, enter your mobile number and moment later you will receive a SMS with a code. Enter the code into World Phone® that completes the set-up process. Now every time the phone is turned on, World Phone® launches itself in the background and connects with our network selecting the best possible access point to the international telephone network. If the call button is still green, it means that a good quality connection is not available or the App is still looking for one. As soon as a good quality connection is set-up, the call button turns blue. If you have rented a local number our platform will decide on the best way to connect calls from that number to your location - even if you are in a different country.
World Phone® is free to download. In-app purchases are available for World Credit and phone numbers.
- We can charge less for calls because we do not need to have a contract with every mobile network in the world. We use the public internet for short VoiP hops which is free and then we use long distance networks which are very competitive so that rates are very low.
- World Phone® allows you to use a local number on your phone even when you have a roaming SIM card installed. This is a significant benefit.
- You can make high quality calls whenever you have a good quality connection to the Internet - and this works in some places where visited mobile networks do not work well!
- You can avoid having to carry around two phones.
No. We recommend that Emergency calls are made using your standard Phone app.
We've created the World Message App to make it easy and extremely cost effective to make and receive international SMS. It also has free app-to-app messaging and support for Virtual IDs and World IDs!
Learn more and download World Message here.
We offer full support for a range of languages:
Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian Bokmål, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, Ukrainian,and Vietnamese.
World Phone® is free to download. In-app purchases are available for World Credit and phone numbers.
To make a call through World Phone®, a user needs reliable WiFi connection or good 3G/4G signal with Mobile Data enabled on the device. Note that users must have available data (MB) when making calls through a 3G/4G network.
Yes, World Phone® connects users to our network through the internet. You can use either WiFi or cellular data.
How to
Users can purchase World Credit quickly and easily right from the app. Simply go Settings > Manage My Account > Recharge.
iPhone users must have an active iTunes account with valid credit card credentials. Alternatively, iPhone users can also purchase an iTunes gift card which can be purchased with cash from various retail outlets.
Android users must have an active Google Play account with valid credit card credentials or PayPal details. Alternatively, Android users can also purchase an Google Play gift card which can be purchased with cash from various retail outlets.
On iPhone: Go to your native device Settings > General > Language & Region > iPhone Language > Select preferred language order. This should automatically change the language used within World Phone®. If the newly set language fails to load in World Phone®, kindly restart the App.
On Android: Go to your native device Settings > Language and Input > Language > Select preferred language. This should automatically change the language used within World Phone®. If the newly set language fails to load in World Phone®, kindly restart the App.
On your device, simply go to Settings > Privacy > Contacts to allow this option.
All calls made can be found in History menu of World Phone®. Selecting the (i) symbol on the right of the call record provides additional information about the call including call duration.
In World Phone®, go to Settings > Manage My Account > Select Account > Select your Business or Personal account.
In the World Phone® App, go to Settings > Manage My Account > Set up a number.
Device Requirements – iOS
iPhone 5 or newer.
Android phones only need to support Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich or later
Android ver 4.4 and up (Kit Kat)
iOS 9.0 or later
Yes – it is an Apple requirement for Apps to work on all iOS devices registered to the same Apple ID. The same functionality applies to Android.
Yes. World Phone® syncs contacts from your native phone contacts list.
No. There is no need to enter a username or password to open the App or to make and receive a call.
When you purchase minutes or numbers you will need to enter your Apple ID or Google Play password.
If your phone is locked when you receive a World Phone® call, you can answer the call from the lock screen without unlocking the phone.
Yes. The volume slider is found in setting / sounds / ringer volume.
We offer 8 ring tones for you to choose from. We don’t yet have a feature that allows you to assign a different ring tone to specific numbers.
You can simply restore the download from the App Store, or Google Play Store. Registering your App with your original number will return your purchased World Credit and leased phone numbers.
World Phone® requires about 52 MB.
You can restore the App itself from the App Store or Google Play Store, to a new or repaired phone. Any contacts created in World Phone® are automatically created in your phone contacts. Life is a lot easier if you make regular backups of your phone.
You can ask your Mobile Network to unlock your iPhone – usually this just requires a code to be entered and maybe incurs a small fee. This will allow you to use a local SIM card when travelling. Try to set-up a roaming data package, so you have access to low cost data when roaming and then you can make low cost international calls with World Phone®. Turn off data roaming, and make calls with World Phone® whenever you can access Wi-Fi. World Phone® is not connected to the SIM card, so long as you have a Wi-Fi connection, you can make and receive calls. Using a local SIM card does have advantages – usually you get better Wi-Fi for less cost – so before you travel, ask your Mobile Network Operator if they can unlock your phone. There might be a fee to pay for unlocking, but free unlocks are becoming increasing common. Not sure if your phone is SIM locked – borrow a SIM card from another Network – and put it into your phone. If it lets you make a call then you are already good to go!
Phone Calls, Leased Numbers, and Coverage
If you have access you the Internet, then you can use World Phone®.
World Phone® is automatically set-up when you download the App and install it. World Credit is available immediately on purchase through iTunes or Google Play (in App). Most numbers are available immediately (a few require extra ID checks – we will let you know).
Yes. 4G is usually excellent. 3G can be very good. 2G does not have the bandwidth to support high quality audio calls over mobile data. Wi-Fi varies considerably from place to place and from time to time. If sufficient bandwidth is not available for a good quality call, the CALL button will not change from green to blue.
World Phone® users buy World Credit to spend on calling via an in-app purchase. When you rent a local number the call charges are displayed in the app. A detailed list of call charges can be obtained from support@norwoodsystems.com
World Phone® users accept our Terms & Conditions when installing the App. These can also be found in settings/legal, along with our Fair Use policy. There is no “minimum contract length” or anything else like that. You can stop using the App whenever you want, although credit minutes remaining will not be refunded.
You can rent the same number on a month to month basis.
Yes, you can rent as many numbers as you like.
Yes. Local numbers that you have rented are specific to that country. If you visit a new country and you want to use a local number in World Phone®, you have to rent one for the new country. Numbers you have rented will work no matter which country you are in, just so long as you are connected to the Internet.
Inside the app, under settings/manage my account, we have provided “share” buttons that will include your new number in the message. The share button will generate a custom message for SMS, Email, Facebook posts, LinkedIn and more.
In World Phone®, your mobile number is the default number displayed, but you can choose to display any local number that you have purchased.
No, not using the App.
Usually when you receive a call you can see the number calling you, or the name if it is a person already in your contacts. However, sometimes when the Caller ID is withheld, this is a function of the telephone network and is not a limitation in the App.
Yes, users who have World Phone® installed on their devices can call other World Phone® users free of charge. This is available on iPhone and Android users. If a World Phone® user makes a call to any other number that is not registered with World Phone®, the user making the call will be charged for that call.
Correct. If you would like to receive international calls, it may be more cost effective to lease a World Phone® number. Your contacts can reach you on that leased number. As standard, the World Phone® service works through the internet so it is free.
Usually when you receive a call you can see the number calling you, or the name if it is a person already in your contacts. However, sometimes when the Caller ID is withheld, this is a function of the telephone network and is not a limitation in the App.
Yes, it will consume World Credit. The rate at which it uses credit depends on the number you have purchased. At the time of purchase, you will notice the price shown to you as a standard rate 1x, 2x, or 3x. You will be charged for incoming calls regardless of your/caller location and the rate depends on product purchased.
In the World Phone® App, to go to Settings > Manage My Account > Phone Numbers.
An in-app notification is sent to the user 1 week, 1 day and 1 hour before your leased number expires. In Settings > Manage My Account > Phone Numbers, just click the ‘RENEW’ button beside your leased number.
To set your leased number as your Calling ID, go to Settings > Manage My Account > Phone Numbers and click on your leased number to Set Calling ID. You can switch Calling IDs at any time.
If a country is not listed when choosing from the list of global numbers within the app then, to proceed further, the following is required from the person wishing to lease the number.
- Current [insert country name] address (address must be from the same area in [insert country name] as the number requested)
- Proof of address (utility bill copy - not older than 6 months)
- Passport or ID/Drivers license copy
- Name, business name and contact phone numbers
NOTE: If registration/purchase is done under a company name, the company registration certificate shall be provided instead of passport or ID copy.o We will then process your request with the relevant authorities.
Accounts & Billing
World Phone® displays your World Credit balance at the top of the dial-pad screen and under My Account.
World Phone® users can manage their accounts from inside the App.
World Phone® users purchase World Credit and numbers in advance (pre-pay) via their Apple iTunes or Google Play account.
The App is free to download.
World Phone® is prepaid so this does not apply, except under our Fair Use policy.
World Phone® displays your World Credit balance at the top of the dial-pad screen and under My Account.
Yes, call charges will include taxes if applicable.
No, not using our Apps.
Information & Privacy
Yes. You can view our Privacy Policy on our website on in the App under settings/Legal/Privacy Policy.
All we require is a valid mobile phone number. Downloads and in-app purchases are managed by iTunes or Google Play.
Yes. This is normal for billing purposes.
Simply delete the App from your devices.
Support & Troubleshooting
Losing a phone can be a traumatic and emotionally disturbing event. Phone loss trauma can be minimised if you get into the habit of regularly backing up your data and settings, using a screen lock PIN and we recommend travel insurance.
We provide support through an email system and the first place to reach out for help is support@norwoodsystems.com
For any issue relating to trying to activate the app, i.e. not receiving the activation code or unable to enter the activation code, please contact support@norwoodsystems.com. Our support team will generate and provide you with an activation code along with additional support if required.
If you did not receive your World Credit after making a purchase within the app (through iTunes or Google Play) and you have noted that you have been charged, kindly contact our support team at support@norwoodsystems.com so we can rectify the issue.
No, credit cannot be shared across two or more devices. You will need to set up separate accounts on different devices.
No, users cannot use two or more devices registered with the same number. It’s necessary to uninstall the app on one device and check if the other one works correctly. Or if required, uninstall from both devices and re-register with only one number.
Since World Phone® is specially designed for international calling, it can be sensitive towards phone number formats. This considered, try amending the saved contact by including the correct international code ‘+XX’ followed by its area code and correct phone number. If this doesn’t work, kindly get in touch with our support team at support@norwoodsystems.com.