using AT & T calling card in Japan when calling someone in Tokyo
 

Sorry if my title sounds confusing. I have an AT & T prepaid card that I want my mom to use to call my brother so she can let him know she has arrived in Tokyo so they can meet up.

I have used the card before when I visited my brother in Tokyo, but it's been a couple of years since I used it.

Can anyone tell me how to do this so my mom (76 yrs old, and very easily confused like myself) can inform her whereabouts to my brother in Tokyo?
Calling from the US, I know that I have an 800 and dial a pin when prompted, then I dial a country code, and then the phone number I'm trying reach. How do you do this if you're in the same country you're trying to call, like I said, as in Japan? the ATT instructions online is too confusing, maybe you can explain it to me slowly. ;)

Thanks in advance!

to me it would make not sense.....think about it.....you would be calling the usa to place a call to the country you are in.....get a local calling card...

I've had a pretty bad experience with a calling card bought outside the US. They didn't work. And when I used my credit card to make calls I was charged $40 for each attempted call I made that did not get through (5x). I've used my AT&T card in all my travels outside the US since, and it had not let me down. So I'm going to lend it to my mom.

Thanks for your reply though. I've figured it out. Just needed a direct access number, then follow the card instructions, then dial the local number (incl country code, city code, then the number). That's a lot of numbers to punch in, but hey, it works.

good luck...

i gave my AT&T card to the trash many years ago because calls in the usa were outrageous, never mind overseas...

have you thought about using skype? its free and fantastic

There are enough coin-operated public phones at Narita Airport. All your mother needs to do is to deposit something like 100 yen, dial the number (starting 03 for Tokyo and 8 digits), and pronto, she is connected!

I thought making calls using AT&T card within the country you're visiting was cheaper than using a local phone card. At least AT&T worked for me in Paris when trying to meet up with the apt owner from the airport. I've not tried skype, rh. Please explain. I'm a bit behind high tech stuff as you can tell.

Alec, that's probably my mom's best bet. I'll tell her to forget about the AT&T card and use the payphone. It's a pain in the a$$ to dial all those numbers just to make a single local phone call. Thanks for the suggestion.

Calling Tokyo from Narita Airport (Chiba-Prefecture) is a long distance call. Be ready with a few 100 yen coins just in case. Or you can buy a 1000 yen phone card. A card vending machine is always next to phones and takes 1000 yen notes.

Thanks for the tip, kappa!