How to phone home?

[Lauren C]

Hello, I was wondering, since I dont have a handphone and dont plan to get one, how do I phone home? Do I just go and buy an international phone card and use it at a public phone? I heard that if I use the hotel's phone, it is quite expensive. Thanks for the advice.

[Kim]

You are correct about the hotel phone-that is the most expensive way to go.

Go to any corner store, grocery store etc. and you will be able to buy a phone card. Sometimes they are ones that you swipe through the phone and others you have to dial a toll-free number, enter your card code then place your call. They are a decent value for your money.

In some countries, we used phone stores. You go into a little shop that has little booths, make your call and you pay when you're done. Check the rates first though, some are better than others.

The phone card idea is the easiest, although the cards are only good for each individual country so don't buy a large amount if you are going to another country in a day or two.

Kim

[Lauren]

Kim, thanks for the advice.

I was just wondering about the phone stores, sounds like a good idea cos you pay as you go, dont have to initially prepay an amount that I might not use up, which is a problem with prepaid cards.

Are these phone stores available in every country? The countries I plan to visit are Belgium, Holland, Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland and UK. Do these phone stores allow a reversed-charged call? I heard that depending on the rates, sometimes a reversed charged call is cheaper because the phone bill is in your home country's currency.Is this true? For example, a call from UK is in the pound, while if I reverse charge the call, then I only pay in the canadian dollar. This would help me save money, right?

Thanks.

[Kim]

I would have to say that I don't think that's right. I reversed a call in Europe to Canada and it was a ton more expensive. You pay in Canadian dollars all right but about 3 times more than you would with a phone card. Definately not the way to go.

We saw tons of the phone stores in Belgium but they were scarce in other countries.

Prepaid cards are good too, I wouldn't worry about that. Just buy small amounts in case you don't use it, and you can always buy more. The smallest amount will give you about one good call to Canada, so you will rarely waste it. (Here in Canada, I think you can buy a $5 card or something around there-it's like that)

Kim

[LHR02]

Buy a phone card at any tobacco shop and some train station kiosks .....normally under $20 for 120 minutes. They will be one of two types. Some are just insert and go, some give you an access number to call into first. I never found any that did not have instructions in English and there is no difference in price between the two types that I ever found. The absolute cheapest way to phone, if you are paying for it over there. Never use a hotel phone! A ten minute 'emergency' call from my hotel in Venice was $56.....yep, you read that right. The best way by far is to go to Sam's, or another 'discount' place like that and buy a prepaid before you go. They will list charges from nearly every country on the info sheet with it. And those cards will work fine in nearly any euro phone. No matter where you buy it, here or there, prepaid cards are the best value.

[tryshah]

Can I buy a phone card in America and use it in Europe?

[LHR02]

yes....I got an AT&T card from Sam's and used it trouble free while in Europe. And it was cheap enough....however, buy an international phone card in the country you are visiting for the best prices. I bought a 10 euro card in Italy last month and had 4 HOURS of credit to US with it! Any tobacco shop in nearly any country sells cards and they are the best way to go. Just be sure and specifiy international and do NOT get the one that you slide into the pay phone, you want the one that you punch in a series of PIN numbers as you can use it anywhere on any phone.