How to Call International Phone Numbers
The growth of international trade, overseas travel, immigration and emigration has led to a more accessible and connected global community. Telecommunications companies have helped facilitate this trend with long-distance services and prepaid calling cards. Calling rates can vary from one country to another; for example, Verizon basic international calling rates are 78 cents per minute to Canada and nearly $5 per minute to China. Prepaid phone cards use a similar rate structure, allotting fewer minutes for calls to China than to Canada.
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Instructions
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Skip ahead to step 2 if you will not be using a prepaid phone card. Otherwise, dial the toll-free or local access number printed on the back of the card and enter the 12- to 16-digit PIN number when prompted.
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Dial "011" (the international call prefix), then the country code, city code and phone number. For example, when calling Athens, Greece, the entire number would look something like 011-30-21-123-4567. See "Resources" for help locating country and city codes.
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Listen closely for the recorded message to verify the card's remaining balance and the amount of time you have for the call. Calling card services calculate how long you can talk based on the available funds and the country you are calling.
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Tips & Warnings
When calling with a phone card, try to connect using the local access number instead of the toll-free number. Local access numbers usually do not charge a connection fee, keeping your balance intact and offering the maximum amount of "talk time."
References
Resources
- Photo Credit telephone lifted with globe europe image by patrimonio designs from Fotolia.com
