bellutta@uunet.uu.net (Paolo Bellutta) (08/27/89)
Some questions about calls between USA and Europe: - 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? - What is USA Direct service? In which direction you use USA -> Overseas or vice versa? - Is there a way to call 800 numbers (in the US) from Europe (being charged for the call, of course!)? - How could I reach a US directory assistance service from Europe? Any help appreciated. Paolo Bellutta I.R.S.T. vox: +39 461 810105 loc. Pante' di Povo fax: +39 461 810851 38050 POVO (TN) e-mail: bellutta@irst.uucp ITALY bellutta@irst.it
covert@covert.enet.dec.com (John R. Covert 27-Aug-1989 0943) (08/27/89)
Paolo Bellutta <mcvax!irst.it!bellutta@uunet.uu.net> asks: > >- 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? MCI now has a service similar to AT&T's USA-Direct service. They call the service "Call USA." With it, you may call someone in the U.S. collect or with an MCI Calling Card, but not with any other credit card. >What is USA Direct service? In which direction you use USA -> Overseas or >vice versa? USA-Direct is a service provided by AT&T to allow calls from overseas to the U.S. to be placed with AT&T operators rather than with PTT operators. As with Call USA, only collect or AT&T calling card calls may be made. As I have mentioned in earlier replies, USA-Direct does not change the rate charged for AT&T Calling Card calls from overseas to the U.S. What it does provide is added convenience, some freedom from hotel surcharges (but of course hotels could, in some cases, program their billing systems to recognize USA-Direct numbers and put a surcharge on your bill anyway), and occasionally provides AT&T Calling Card service from countries where the PTT operator won't place AT&T Calling Card calls or where operators can't be reached from coin phones (e.g. Germany). >- Is there a way to call 800 numbers (in the US) from Europe (being charged >for the call, of course!)? No. In an earlier reply it was suggested that you could call the Plant Test Numbers associated with the 800 Service number. While that would work in some cases, not all 800 numbers have Plant Test Numbers that can be dialled from a regular phone. It's possible to have 800 Service delivered directly from AT&T on Megacom trunks (and other carriers can provide similar direct arrangements), and even where the 800 Service is delivered from local exchanges, in many areas it is common practice to use special 800 Service prefixes that are not diallable from the regular telephone network. >- How could I reach a US directory assistance service from Europe? USA-Direct will currently connect you to US directory assistance at no charge. Just ask for directory assistance for the area code you're interested in. If you don't know the area code, the USA-Direct operator can tell you the area code for any city in the country. /john