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How do I make a collect call from France to the US?


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My US bank has made an error that is causing me some inconvenience.  I have a number for calling them collect from overseas, but I am clueless as to how to do it.  What numbers do you dial 1st (before the bank's telephone number)?

Oh, and another thing, is it called an appel en PCV?

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I'm not sure you can. However, I assume that a "collect call" is what we Brits call a "reverse charge" call - ie. you call an ordinary number but the receiver pays the charge. I don't think that this exists in France.

Or, is it a 1-800 number? In which case, just dial it (00 1 1 800 .... or is it 001 800 ...), but it probably won't work or at least you will be charged. If it doesn't, you will have to ring them and ask them for an ordinary number ......

Oh, and ..... no idea.

So perhaps I had better shut up.

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Nick, I appreciate your good intentions.  No, it's not an 800 number.  Yes, it is a "reverse charge" call.  I'm afraid it probably isn't possible from France, in which case I may be thoroughly screwed (although how it would help for my non-English-speaking French banker to speak with my non-French-speaking US bank employee, I'm not sure anyway).
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Yes it is a PCV.

The list at the front of the pages blanches directory shows that you can, at a price (E6.73 plus the cost of the call), call PCV from the USA to France, so I imagine the same is true in the other direction.

You have to go through an operator. Call 08 36 59 31 23.

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[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]or SKYPE.  I wonder how long it will be before some of these mega-corps cotton onto the fact that a lot of their customers might just be computer-savvy and offer a Skype address - it would save them loads too.[/quote]

Or skype, yes

I don't quite understand the rest of your post though, Pierre. It is easy for anyone to use Skype if they have a decent connection but for those who have inclusive VOIP calls, it is even easier. In fact, just as easy as using an ordinary phone. And unlimited to normal telephone numbers in lots of places unlike Skype. And no need to use the computer. I know that skype phones/technology are evolving but for the moment I find the other VOIP calls very good service. Even better if you are brave enough to go without the FT line. I am not for the moment...

In my experience, the quality of the Club Internet VOIP calls has been superb for a year and much better than Skype I have used. No problems with echos, connecting, line noise etc. Maybe I just been lucky.

As for the companies saving money, I don't know.

EDIT I am sure that they are very keen on making lots of money so if it was worth it, they would get involved with Skype. My feeling is that offering inclusive VOIP calls must be more useful/profitable for them.

Danny

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I was only thinking if the Bank reffered to in the OP was prepared to offer overseas collect calls (ie free to the customer but costs them a packet) they could simply have a Skype-In number (or some other Voip equivalent) and save themselves a bit.  Cost saving always is popular, even if its only a little bit.
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[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]I was only thinking if the Bank reffered to in the OP was prepared to offer overseas collect calls (ie free to the customer but costs them a packet) they could simply have a Skype-In number (or some other Voip equivalent) and save themselves a bit.  Cost saving always is popular, even if its only a little bit.[/quote]

Sorry,

I thought you were referring to the ISPs when you said "mega-corps"... Now I see

Danny

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