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Post by tigerlilly on Apr 27, 2006 20:14:09 GMT -5
do I have to buy one for each country I go to - or do they work all over the place??? I know here in Canada you can get one for all the different provinces and the US - how does it work over there??
~michelle~
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Post by me on Apr 27, 2006 20:43:06 GMT -5
they are country specific. frankly, i've been frustrated by phone cards in the past; in Italy, i bought one at a tobacco shops and then found that it didn't work. when i went back to the shop to return it, the shop was next to the hostel where i was staying in Sienna, the guy wouldn't take it back and was, like, "that's your tough luck." [not literally, we just suddenly couldn't communicate] major caveat emptor! <that said, i've *never* had a problem with phone cards in Germany or Austria>
i suggest you buy them at the post office in Italy. at least that's official!
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Post by Jules80 on Apr 27, 2006 21:19:06 GMT -5
if you're just planning on calling home, there's always the bell call me card. also you get a calling card with your bell account. i just used that. all i was doing was checking in with my parents every few days so they didn't worry. that you just have to ask bell to activate it for international calling.
that avoids the trouble of buying a new one in each country.
jules
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Post by me on Apr 27, 2006 21:25:46 GMT -5
the American phone cards charge such a premium to make a call from overseas with their card, it's cheaper to buy a calling card, even to use just once. besides, the euro phone companies often require that the local call rate be paid to make the call to a US phone company. i'd assume it's the same for canadian bells. - d if you're just planning on calling home, there's always the bell call me card. also you get a calling card with your bell account. i just used that. all i was doing was checking in with my parents every few days so they didn't worry. that you just have to ask bell to activate it for international calling. |
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Post by euroman2006 on Apr 28, 2006 15:30:44 GMT -5
So wait.. the ATT card that I can purchase that has 200someodd minutes won't be a useful thing to buy in the States after all?
It's better to just get one over there?
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Post by me on Apr 28, 2006 17:04:17 GMT -5
idon'tknow, my info on this may be too out of date.
as i recall, ATT required a 5 min. minimum, or something like that, which means if you get an answering machine, about US$5 is gone. i always called first to make sure someone was home, before i called back with the card.
also, as i recall, one had to hake a "local" call to ATT to get the ball rolling, to access the ATT call system.
bear in mind, all this may be old school. the system may be much more user friendly now.
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Post by LHR02 on Apr 28, 2006 17:09:42 GMT -5
I've used both...local and ATT...and the locals always worked out cheaper. David is correct, ATT has this nasty surcharge business. In any country I have found the cards I bought at Western Union office to be the most reliable. They have never failed me and 5 euros normally get you several hours, yes I said hours, of calling to US. Like David said, those from tobacco stands, which I have also used quite a bit, now and then don't work. Just be sure wherever you get them that they are the ones that you have to dial a number, enter your PIN and then your destination number...NOT the swipe things! Those are a real pain in the butt...finding a phone that will accept them.
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Post by me on Apr 28, 2006 17:13:36 GMT -5
i don't call home anymore. just go to a 'net café and e-mail my sister. she passes my greetings/msg along.
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Post by tigerlilly on Apr 28, 2006 17:31:45 GMT -5
ok - i'll go with the western union way - sounds like the easiest. this is my first big trip and my mom is nervous so I need her to hear my voice probably every few days. she's cute and I love her for her worries.
3 more sleeps to go!!! woo hoo!!
~michelle~
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Post by LHR02 on Apr 28, 2006 17:36:15 GMT -5
Just rememer...even fom WU, cards bought in one country will only work in that country, so never get more than 5 euros! But youwill be amazed at howmuch calling time that will get you! Have a great trip! Check in now and then and let us know how you are doing.
Bon Voyage!
ging
Exception being Spain and Portugal....I did have a card that worked in both!
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Post by me on Apr 28, 2006 18:01:15 GMT -5
go get 'em, Tiger (lilly)!
- d
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Post by euroman2006 on Apr 29, 2006 21:58:27 GMT -5
Same situation here tigerlily, folks want me to call every few days. I thought about getting a GSM card, but my phone won't work in the countries I'm going to and I don't plan on getting another one for this. Although that would be convienent for other things I figure the best bet will be to do as you guys say and get a card at a western union office.
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Post by WillTravel on Apr 29, 2006 22:10:17 GMT -5
I just bought calling cards at corner-store type places in various countries. I'd ask the clerk the best one to buy to phone Canada and he would tell me the best one. Then I'd go to a pay phone and use it. It seemed to work out well.
Note that if you have web access, you can send text messages to cell phones via the Fido or Rogers web sites (if the person you're calling has that sort of phone plan). I suspect the other Canadian cell service providers have something similar.
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Post by madamtrashheap on Apr 30, 2006 22:28:19 GMT -5
The emailing thing would probalby work best, but yeah you've got to let mothers hear your voice every now and then! Can't remember all the countries you're going to, but here are some guidelines for you: if you do decide to buy phonecards in each country then go for the lowest amount possible (Ging mentioned Euro5, which is about the minimum).
In Italy there is a card called "Europa" (purple and green) which is around Euro5 and lasts forever. You can use it all over Italy (just follow the instructions on the back) and now it seems that you don't have to "activate" (ie put money in) the phone to get a line. That said, if you buy the "scheda telefonica" or regular telephone cards, the top corner is perforated so you need to snap this off before you use it, and check the expiry date on the back before you leave the shop (as per David) to save any hassle.
Austria is the other place you might have issues calling from public phones. Both here and Italy often require you to put money in or insert a local phone card before you can dial even a toll free number.
If you do go with a pre-bought phone card from home, make sure you get a list of the local access numbers for each country you're visiting as they often just give a single 1800 number that doesn't work in European countries.
Have fun, and say hi to you mum for me! ;D
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