[comp.dcom.telecom] Calling US 800-Numbers From New Zealand

Richard Foulk <richard@pegasus.com> (05/21/91)

I have a friend that's moving to New Zealand soon.  She asked me to
check on the possibility of accessing US 800 phone numbers from there.

I expressed my skepticism but promised I would check.


Thanks,

Richard Foulk		richard@pegasus.com

hale@ucsd.edu> (05/25/91)

A friend of mine just returned from six months in New Zealand.  While
he was there he received a letter from the IRS claiming that he owed
money.  Since the letter was not decipherable due to lack of
information he asked us to get him a telephone number so that he could
call the IRS.

The 800 number that the IRS gives you does not work from New Zealand.
The normal phone number that we finally extracted from the IRS
connects the caller to a recording telling the caller to use the 800
number.  Catch 22.


Bob Hale          ...!ucsd!btree!hale
619-535-3234      ...!btree!hale@ucsd.edu

robert@uunet.uu.net> (05/25/91)

richard@pegasus.com (Richard Foulk) writes:

> I have a friend that's moving to New Zealand soon.  She asked me to
> check on the possibility of accessing US 800 phone numbers from there.

> I expressed my skepticism but promised I would check.

Contact AT&T (1-800-CALL-ATT) and find out about getting a USA DIRECT
card.  I bet you could use that to make 800 calls from abroad.  Anyone
know for sure?


Robert Oliver			
Rabbit Software Corp.		215 993-1152
7 Great Valley Parkway East     robert@hutch.Rabbit.COM


[Moderator's Nore: Mr. Oliver, please put your city/state in your
signature line!  With USA Direct, I think you pay for a call to the
IOC, and it is then dialed out to the desired 800 number.  PAT]

Jonathan Dwyer <jonathan@psych.psy.uq.oz.au> (05/26/91)

In article <telecom11.395.5@eecs.nwu.edu>, btree!hale@ucsd.edu (Bob
Hale) writes:

> The 800 number that the IRS gives you does not work from New Zealand.
> The normal phone number that we finally extracted from the IRS
> connects the caller to a recording telling the caller to use the 800
> number.  Catch 22.

This is a real problem outside the US.  More than once I've had the
problem whereby I call an 800 number from Australia or Japan, and am
unable to get through.  It's generally a TelCo recording saying that
the service is unavailable.  Then if I call the non-800 number I am
greeted by a message saying that the company wants my business, and
has installed an 800 number ... etc.

There's only *one* catch ... and it's the best catch of all!
   
In most cases I've just called another company who does *not* have the
800 service.  If I need that particular company, as I have once or
twice, I've had a friend in the US phone the 800 number for me, asking
that they call me abroad.  Funny, only once was there no call!


Jonathan Dwyer (+61(07) 3656207) - University of Queensland Psychology |
jonathan@psych.psy.uq.oz.au  St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland, AUSTRALIA|

Claus Tondering <ct@dde.dk> (05/27/91)

cbmvax!.UUCP!robert@uunet.uu.net (Robert L. Oliver) writes:

> Contact AT&T (1-800-CALL-ATT) and find out about getting a USA DIRECT
> card.  I bet you could use that to make 800 calls from abroad.  Anyone
> know for sure?

> [Moderator's Nore: With USA Direct, I think you pay for a call to the
> IOC, and it is then dialed out to the desired 800 number.  PAT]

I tried that a couple of years ago, but the USA Direct operator would
not connect me to an 800 number.


Claus Tondering
Dansk Data Elektronik A/S, Herlev, Denmark
E-mail: ct@dde.dk

gavron@uunet.uu.net> (05/29/91)

In article <telecom11.402.1@eecs.nwu.edu>, ct@dde.dk (Claus Tondering)
writes:

>> [Moderator's Note: With USA Direct, I think you pay for a call to the
>> IOC, and it is then dialed out to the desired 800 number.  PAT]
 
> I tried that a couple of years ago, but the USA Direct operator would
> not connect me to an 800 number.

A friend tried to reach my (US Sprint provided) personal 800 number
from Saudi Arabia.  She was informed that toll-free calls were not
possible.


Ehud Gavron   (EG76)  gavron@vesta.sunquest.com