I find that one of the most expensive things about living abroad comes when I want to call home. I haven't been able to find a decent long-distance plan that gives me good rates to the US. So far, I've been using a calling card, but it would be great if I could find a cheaper one.

Does anybody out there use a calling card to call home that has good rates to the US? If so, what's it called? I could do with a little money saved!
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VAPORITE SOLO (http://www.vaporshop.com/solo-vaporizer.html)

Try a company called The Minutes Direct. They've got a website and offer some really reasonably rates. With the advent of internet telephone services, that's really the way to go now.

I mostly use skype (http://www.skype.com/intl/fr/), which allows you to make unlimited calls through your computer for free as long as the other person has skype as well. All my family and friends have it, and it is amazing - the quality is excellent, and you can also do video calls if you have a webcam (great for grandkids/grandparents).

If they don't have skype, I use Telerabais (http://www.telerabais.com/index2.php), which costs 2.8 cents during the day and 1.4 cents nights and weekends. I like it because there are no connection fees and it doesn't require you to change services - it just comes as an extra page on your phone bill.

Video calls, now that's cool. I'm going to check this out. :)

Video calls, now that's cool. I'm going to check this out. :)


FREE video calls, now that's even better! :)

Skype is pretty cool, and I do use that to talk to my sister back home. But nobody else in my family has it. My parents don't even have a computer. They're cave people. But some of those suggestions are really good.
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Vapolution (http://www.vaporshop.com/vapolution-vaporizer.html)

You can also make calls from skype to a landline for less than 2 cents a minute. I tend to use Telerabais though, because I didn't want to have to purchase skype credit that would eventually expire.

I think we will soon see much easier ways of using Skype phones ...in the U.K. Tesco was doing a plan where calls were free if you were using the same handsets ...theirs, of course. I knew a fellow in Scotland who bought them for all his relatives and mailed them out internationally!

hi -
I pay a flat fee of 39 euros each month (plus the line fee to FranceTelecom) ..... and I have unlimited 24/7 calls to everywhere in France and to UK and USA... loads of other countries too! I keep my own number ... it's really simple and certainly helps with budgeting! Happy to provide details if you wish ......
Sarah

Just wanted to say too that if you're already in France, skype is offering free calls to French landlines until the end of the year!

I use phonexpat.com and calls to the US, Canada and the UK are 3 cents a minute, no setup fee and no monthly charge.

I use phonexpat.com and calls to the US, Canada and the UK are 3 cents a minute, no setup fee and no monthly charge.

Bob, have you ever considered using Telerabais? It's cheaper than phonexpat, and if you call abroad quite a bit, it can really add up.

Just had a look, but there is very little in the costs and you don't need to dial an access number with phonexpat. Think I'll stick with what I've got thanks.

Wow, guys, thanks for all the suggestions! Sam, thanks for the website. I checked it out and it looks perfect!

karenlyn, for 1 centime a minute to the States, fixed and mobile/cell, (and Australia), try Telesoldes (http://www.telesoldes.com/index2.php). No prpe-payment, no extra costs, you only need to put 1619 before the number you want to call, having signed up, and that's it. You get billed separately, online if you want, and FT's bill comes without any reference to it. Well worth it.

To check rates , choose the link on the left Consulter les tarifs and to sign up, the link M'inscrire, also on the left.

Whether local rate with Telerabais is cheaper than 1 ct/min I don't know, but the access number with Telesoldes (http://www.telesoldes.com/index2.php) is shorter, easy to remember, and you don't have to wait for the first number to be connected before dialling the number you want.

Karenlyn,
I have neuf telecom. I get free calls to USA, France & Portugal (my hubby has family there). Also included for 29.95 per month is internet and some TV channels (I have only phone & internet). I use my webcam to see my mom all the time, while talking w/her on the phone, which is great. She can see her granddaughters and also show me all the cute little outfits she is constantly buying for the new baby.
HOWEVER- I must warn you, this phone service does have some complications. If you speak fluent French, just dial 1099. They can explain the service much better than I can. Even with ramdom inconveniences, like being unable to make calls to US for short periods of time (sometimes the calls just won't go thru), it's still a good deal, since I talk to my mother several times a day, not to mention calling USA for many reasons other than family; I recently had to call my old High School to fax my records here so I could get my baby's passport- THAT was loads of fun, but much too long a story to type.
I hope this info helps. I can certainly relate to other "phone people"!
Best of luck. -Kim

Hi! I'm new here. I'm trying to go to Paris for the summer. i'd like to have a cell phone that can call the States... does anyone have any suggestions? i'm actually buying a new cell phone this month, because i need one with internet capabilities, so if anyone knows of a phone that works with Verizon (or Cingular, I might switch) AND can work abroad, that would be awesome. If not, where could i get a temporary phone to use over there that can call the States too?

Although I do like that Skype idea. I'm going to have to sign my parents up for that. :-)

Just make sure you buy a tri-band phone, and you will be fine. Be aware that it will be extremely expensive to call the US from your phone (at least a dollar a minute).

Another option with a tri-band phone is to buy a French sim card once you are in France. It'll cost you about 20€ or so, and then you will have a French phone number. It will still be very expensive for you to call the US, but at least you won't be paying international roaming fees at the same time.

And just a note, making a call from a French cell phone in general costs a lot more than it does back home, but one benefit of that is that all of your incoming calls are free.

If you really want to call home often and won't have a landline or regular internet access, calling cards are probably the way to go. You can find cheap ones in tobacco shops that only charge you 1-2 cents per minute.

PS. It will cost your family about 30 cents per minute to call a French cell phone.

I wish it was like that here. I can't understand why incoming calls aren't free....

I guess I"ll stick with skype or something. I'll have my laptop and i better have internet access where i'm staying! lol. does skype need a camera, or is it just audio?

What are all the phone things people were talking about where it's like, 2¢ a minute? Is that just landlines? Why is it so much more on cell phones?
What about calls to places in the country (france)?

Thanks for all the info!

hey everyone!

yorkiemama, i think that in the US, since incoming calls on cell phones aren't free, the cost of the call is cheaper (both sides share the cost of the call). here, because incoming calls are free, when you make an outgoing call on your cell phone, it costs a lot more money (since only the caller is paying for the call) so if you were to call a cell phone from a landline, it would really hike up your phone bill...

the best deals for calling abroad are with the landlines. although i vaguely remember seeing an offer from a cell phone carrier that you could call the US for the same price as a phone call in france. but i think you need to sign a 1 year contract for that plan...

what kind of internet access will you have in france? most of the internet service providers here now offer special packages where you can call abroad either for free or very cheaply.

It's actually better in the US - here's an example. In the US, I paid $36 for 500 anytime minutes, free in-network calling, and unlimited nights and weekends. In France, I pay 36€ (that's $46 with today's exchange rate) for 180 minutes and a few hours of free weekend calls only to those on the same network as me!! And this is considered to be a good deal. Yes, I have free incoming calls, but no one ever wants to call since it's so expensive. Now tell me which you prefer!! :p

You don't need a camera to use skype, and most laptops are equipped with a microphone, so you won't even need to buy a headset (though the quality is sometimes better with a headset because then you don't pick up all the background noise).

The phone cards and 10-10-220 like numbers only apply to landlines because, for whatever reason, it costs WAY more to call a cell phone than it does a house phone. Calls made to other cities in France are also more expensive, which is why, if possible, you should try to get one of those internet packages that offer DSL plus free phone calls to landlines in France and to several other countries in the world (including the US). Do not go with France Telecom, as they are more expensive than other operators such as Free or Neuf, and they also make you sign a one year contract, while some of the others don't.

i guess that makes sense.

i don't know what kind of internet i'll have - not sure where i'm staying yet. if you have any suggestions for a poor american in paris, i'm open! :-)

thanks!

I dont know what I would do without Skype. It's basically my only link right now with my fiance and it is a lifesaver. Sometimes the connection is not so great if your service isn't high speed but otherwise I have no complaints. It's also nice to see his face every day :)