Karen Hyatt

What is the least expensive way to telephone home from Paris? I asume my hotel will have a significant surcharge. I've heard there are some sort of prepaid telephone cards. Has anyone used one and where do you get them? Also I've heard you can rent cell phones. Has anyone done that and where do you get them? Thanks for any info.

Helper

You can purchase them most places: Costco, Sam's Club, Target, Kmart. They work easily and give you all the instructions you need to operate them. Just don't throw away the card that comes with it. You get fewer minutes/units internationally but it's the best way. They work really well and have the phone number you need on the card. Good Luck!

Bob Brown

In Paris I went to the Tabac shop and got a 50 unit Telecarte. It is a plastic card with call information encoded on a chip embedded in the plastic. Pay phones around France accept the Telecarte quite readily. After I used the first one up, I bought another which I have in front of me right now. <BR>(It still had a few minutes on it, and I have plans to use them!!) <BR> <BR>I have heard that some hotels do NOT ring you up on the price, but I would ask before I called from within the hotel. I found that it was easier for me to buy the card, carry it, and about 7:15 AM EDT (13:15 in Paris) I would call my son before he left for work, because that was the best time to get him. <BR>One thing about the Telecarte, you are forced to ration your calling, or else buy a stack of cards. You can see your money going away on the LED display on the phone. <BR>Regardless of other options, this one seems to be the best one for me. <BR>Pay phones are located along the streets of Paris inside very nice phone booths where you can shut the doors and make your call. <BR> <BR>The cards do have an expiration date on them, so they are not good forever.

Rich

Are these kinds of cards cheaper than the ATT (Sprint has one also) Call Home scheme where you call a local number then use the credit card to call back to the US? <BR> <BR>Rich

Thyra

Another great alternative that I discovered on my last trip was Internet Cafes. They are very reasonably priced in Paris, and you can contact all your loved ones via email for between $4.00 and $10.00 depending upon how long you are at the cafe. I don't know if I will ever bother with the nightmare of trying to phone in overseas again. I was even able to investigate and fix a problem with my visa card over the Internet.