I am wondering if someone could tell me how to call collect a US number from Spain. I will have a phone for voice only with a SIM card that I will buy in Spain. Thanks in advance.

I'm not sure how that's done any longer. With VOIP (skype, etc), messaging and emails, I haven't called collect in years, but I guess it's still used.

I have not done this in Spain. I have done it in Italy. The success depended on the temperament of the European operator I got to deal with. If the operator was in a bad or I don't care mood, collect calls that requires call processing in the US before directed to a live US operator (why in the world do US companies do this on collect call lines?)always ended up in - "no one answered I am sorry, bye." (although I could hear what was going on.)

Because of this, if I have to call US, I don't bother with "you can call us collect from the Europe" numbers, but use a funded Skype or Google voice (they say it is not supported from overseas, but I used it with and without US based VPN to call US). If I have to use a real phone, I use a locally bought international phone card. For credit card problems, I use Visa/MC's European toll free numbers.

The term in Spanish is "llamada de cobro revertido" ("call of reversed coverage").

I only know how to make a collect call within Spain (1409 for calling a landline, 210 for calling a mobile), but not how to do it to call overseas.

It may also depend on what company network the SIM card you're buying is a part of.
Ask when and where you buy the SIM card.

BTW - when you buy the SIM card, have your passport with you, the dealer has to transmit your details to a government office and get confirmation before you can get the card. This can take time! It's an anti-terrorist measure, nothing personal...

<i>BTW - when you buy the SIM card, have your passport with you, the dealer has to transmit your details to a government office and get confirmation before you can get the card. This can take time! It's an anti-terrorist measure, nothing personal.</i>

Is that a new thing? I didn't have to do that in 2010.

I would do it the old fashioned way that's been in use for decades, prior to cell phones - USA Direct via AT&T. All you need is the access code for the country you're calling from. Here's the link.

http://www.att.com/esupport/traveler.jsp

The change in the law went into effect a couple of years ago. Anyone with an existing pay-as-you-go service had to show a passport when recharging the sim. It doesn't take any more than a few minutes to do the procedure.

Thanks. I was asking as credit card companies provide a number for collect calling if your card is lost and stolen. At the same time I was reading that calling their toll free numbers from abroad many times doesn't work....

Oops.. I forgot to ask. Greg, you mentioned "for credit card problems, I use Visa/MC's European toll free numbers.". My cards do not show this number. Does anyone have that? Thanks

Get a regular number for credit card companies and banks etc., too many times the collect number doesn't work no matter what they'll tell you at the home office, nor does the 800 number of course, so write down a regular number and spend a few pennies for the emergency.

@michelhuebeli: agreed.

I did get local and regular numbers as suggested. Hopefully there will be no need to use them. Thanks for the comments and suggestions.