robertsn@iosg.enet.dec.com (Nigel Roberts 0860 578600) (07/24/90)
A few weeks ago I asked the readers of the Digest to send me their suggestions as to how a European visitor can survive in the very different world of U.S. telecommunications in such a way that he or she can avoid rip-offs and maybe even get a few good deals. Thanks to those people who did reply to me - although I didn't quite get as much response as I'd hoped, your suggestions were very welcome. (Any further suggestions are still welcome, of course). Most of the suggestions I received were also sent direct to the Digest, so I won't repeat them. One thing that does seem much more difficult than I'd expected is obtaining a U.S calling card (e.g. AT&T, Sprint, MCI). I had thought that it would be easy to get such a card which was billed via MasterCard, VISA or American Express. Not true. You can't even get an American Express 'Amex Expressphone' card billed to your Amex account if you live outside the U.S.A. (Shame on American Express). You CAN get an AT&T calling card if you live in Germany (billed via Diners or VISA), or if you are an American citizen living anywhere abroad (billed via a major credit card), but neither applies to me at the moment. With one thing and another, our trip has been postponed, so I have more time to do some research on the original subject. And as a number of people in Europe I have spoken to have expressed an interest, it seems likely that I will be putting my findings together in a small "self-help" booklet later in the year. Contributions are welcome, by MAIL or FAX (+44 206 393148). I'll also be looking for one or two reviewers, to catch any obvious telecom howlers. Thanks again for your help. Nigel Roberts; P. O. Box 49; MANNINGTREE; Essex; CO11 2SZ; United Kingdom Tel: +44 206 39 6610 and +44 860 57 8600 Fax: +44 206 39 3148