Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Cheap ways to make international phone calls?

mirevolver · 12-03-2006, 09:47 PM

I have T-Mobile, and here's how my international plan goes.
Depending on the country, the rate falls into one of 6 price ranges.

$0.49 (Canada)
$0.99 (most european countries)
$1.49
$1.99
$2.99
$4.99

While in the country, the rate is applied anytime the phone is on an active call (Making a call, recieving a call, checking voicemail). It doesn't matter if the call is to someone in the building next to you, or to someone back in the US, it's the same rate.

T-Mobile does offer a way around that though if you plan on being in the country for an extended period of time. Say I was spending a year in Germany, I could pay $0.99/minute anytime I use my phone, or I could walk into a T-mobile store in Germany and get a SIM card for the local network (either a prepaid one or by signing up for a plan there). Then I would just swap out the US SIM card with the German SIM card and suddenly I have a local German cell phone with a local German number. (You do have to get your phone's release code before leaving the US to do that though.)

I don't know if Verizon phones use SIM cards, or if there is a way you can convert a verizon phone onto a country's local network. You would have to call their customer support to find out.

Otherwise the best thing to do is go into an internet cafe in the country you will be residing in and get an international phone card. And whatever you do, don't use the card on a payphone, I did that once and my 500 minute card lasted 10 minutes.

12-03-2006, 09:47 PM	#6 (permalink)
mirevolver Inspired by the mind's eye. Location: Between the darkness and the light.	I have T-Mobile, and here's how my international plan goes. Depending on the country, the rate falls into one of 6 price ranges. $0.49 (Canada) $0.99 (most european countries) $1.49 $1.99 $2.99 $4.99 While in the country, the rate is applied anytime the phone is on an active call (Making a call, recieving a call, checking voicemail). It doesn't matter if the call is to someone in the building next to you, or to someone back in the US, it's the same rate. T-Mobile does offer a way around that though if you plan on being in the country for an extended period of time. Say I was spending a year in Germany, I could pay $0.99/minute anytime I use my phone, or I could walk into a T-mobile store in Germany and get a SIM card for the local network (either a prepaid one or by signing up for a plan there). Then I would just swap out the US SIM card with the German SIM card and suddenly I have a local German cell phone with a local German number. (You do have to get your phone's release code before leaving the US to do that though.) I don't know if Verizon phones use SIM cards, or if there is a way you can convert a verizon phone onto a country's local network. You would have to call their customer support to find out. Otherwise the best thing to do is go into an internet cafe in the country you will be residing in and get an international phone card. And whatever you do, don't use the card on a payphone, I did that once and my 500 minute card lasted 10 minutes. __________________ Aside from my great plans to become the future dictator of the moon, I have little interest in political discussions.