How to Call South Africa Cheaply

International phone calls can be a nightmarish expense. I remember being a college student in NY while my fiancee (now husband) was doing a dissertation in South Africa. Calling everyday seemed prohibitively expensive, until we learned a few tricks to keep the costs low. Here's what you can do if you want to call South Africa cheaply...

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Use your pc and a microphone.
   
   If you don't mind a bit of a lag, consider using your computer to make the call. Get a microphone and headset for your pc (these are pretty cheap). Then, using a service like aol or yahoo IM, you can speak with your friend in South Africa while you chat. The benefits? It's as cheap as your internet connection, so you can talk as long as you want without a scary phone bill.

2. Always use a phone card.
   
   Seriously, the prices for an international phone card are low, and likely much lower than your current telephone service provider. You can buy an international phone card at most gas stations. The downside is that you may experience a higher rate of disruptions or poorer reception on occasion. If this happens, hang up and call again, and you will often get a better line.

3. Make reverse charge calls.
   
   If you are in South Africa, and want to call OUT, you can do a reverse charge call. Telkom's Home Direct service allows you to call an operator free of charge, either to place a call on your "phone home" account, if you have one, or to arrange a reverse-charge call. Given the prices charged by Telkom, you can stand to save a lot of money if the American or Brit pays the phone bill instead.

[sonni57]

on 5/18/2009 It's always good to know how to save money on long distance calls.