Phoning USA from China
 

What's the easiest/least costly way to phone home?

Come here and buy a "200" IP phone card in a denomination like 50 rmb (about $6). They are sold on every street corner. Then check the instructions on the back. Dial 200. Hit 3. Listen to the English instructions and enter the codes. Talk. When the money runs out it cuts off and you buy another card. Very simple and cheap. 50 rmb will get you more than 10 minutes to the U.S. <BR>A small tip from JC Tours.

Josh gave a great tip but that still comes out to be 60 cents per minute. Using my Sam's Club pre-paid ATT Card I was able to call the states for 34 cents a minute (only had one phone that I couldn't access ATT).<BR><BR>The access code to ATT is 10811 - wait (sometimes 30 seconds or more) and eventually an English ATT automated menu starts - from then on it is just like you are in the states.

just go to the local POST OFICE/ telecomunicaions center they usually have the cheepest rates...

We got a phone card from firstphonecard.com. It worked well in China, but we couldn't call the US from Hong Kong. It was reasonably priced, if I remember it was .19 per minute with NO other fees.

Just returned from China today. I usually dialed direct from the hotel room just for the ease of it. It usually ended up being about $1 per minute or less. I did make the mistake of using ATT's direct dial service along with my credit card once (and thank God I only did it once). I just returned home today and was horrified to see I was charged $67.04 for the call that lasted less than 15 minutes. I did buy an IP card for 50 yuan and was able to call the US for about 12 minutes. I had to have the shopowner help me though since the prompts were all in Chinese. <BR><BR>Just remember don't use ATT direct dial along with a credit card, the hotel's rates weren't too bad in comparison.

Thanks for the responses.