covert@covert.enet.dec.com (John R. Covert 28-Aug-1989 0026) (08/28/89)
>What is the cheapest way to call Eurpoe from the US? The call from a >pay-phone need $6.80 in quarters and dimes, and it is always hard to find >them. The call from a m/hotel room is more expensive (> $9). I recently >read on the news that MCI accepts Visa Cards. Does it even for foreign >people? If so what is the procedure to use MCI + Visa, what is the minumum >length of the call I will be billed ? Are there othe phone companies that >allow the use of a credit card? In an earlier reply to this I read your question backwards. You're asking about calling Europe from the U.S., but I answered the opposite question. MCI has not yet started accepting VISA cards for operator assisted calls, although I, too, have heard reports that they would. A call to an MCI operator results in the answer, for now, that they do not accept bank or T&E cards. There are local operating company multi-carrier phones in strategic locations which have card readers and accept various cards, but these, in my experience, invariably will not allow international calls when a bank or T&E card is used. Only telephone company cards work in these phones for international calls. There are AT&T phones (with a small CRT providing instructions) located in strategic places (airports, hotel lobbies, etc.). Some but not all of these will accept American Express and other cards. The initial three minutes will be expensive (6.62 for Italy and several other countries) but the additional minutes will be at the same rate as for direct dialled calls, 1.09/.82/.65, depending on time of day. These are, of course, the same rates you pay when you shove cash into the phone. International Telecharge, Inc. (ITI), whose operators are reached by dialling ITT's code (10488-0), will supposedly place calls to Italy charged to VISA cards, but as is typical with AOS companies, cannot currently quote their rates, so you may just be opening your wallet to them if you place a call through them. /john