telephoneIt is an important part of the family's modern life. Although many people don't carry them when traveling (and endless phone calls from the office), others can still use them to stay in touch and become a great tool for planning or getting roadside assistance!
call
Check your communication costs in advance There are many horror stories. Travelers are presented with unexpectedly large bills anywhere from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. Whether it’s a hotel that charges a lot of phone calls from a room, or a mobile phone company’s "roaming" charges, at home The cost of making or receiving calls outside the area is very high. Even reputable hotels are no exception. Usually these bills can be negotiated a little after the fact, but rarely make them painless. The best defense is to find out what call charges are in advance so that you can avoid using overpriced services. |
Fixed telephone
Many hotels charge particularly high rates compared to residential or business calls. Some hotels even charge a fee when calling toll-free numbers. As we all know, some hotels will block communications to telecommunications services such as Bell Canada and other "Canada Direct" or deceptively forward them to another provider that provides credit card numbers (although this is rare). Therefore, please check the tariff standards before making a call. Sometimes, even budget hotels may charge at least US$35 per minute for international roaming communications.
Since most hotels now provide some form of internet connection, it may be cheaper to run an IP voice application on a portable device instead of using the phone in the room. Budget hotels usually include cheaper Wi-Fi services, while many high-end hotels charge a lot of extra hidden fees.
Hotels that refuse to rent rooms without a charge card usually charge a large amount of additional fees directly to the card. Innkeepers would euphemistically call it "miscellaneous charges," whose prices range from overpriced minibars and pay-per-view TV channels to local calls, which cost twice or more than coin-operated pay phones.
Few business hotels offer packages including free unlimited local and free phone calls.
If you have any questions, please consult before check-in.
mobile phone
- Main article:mobile phone
You can bring your mobile phone and use it through your local carrier (roaming) or obtain a SIM card from a local provider. Another option is to buy cheap low-end prepaid mobile phones at the destination. For more information, seemobile phone。
Pay phone
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Although it still exists, the number of pay phones is decreasing, and most can only make outbound calls. Trunk lines or long-distance calls are often expensive, and the initial minimum cost is higher. Using prepaid calling cards (required for some phones) can save some costs.
Coin-operated long distance calls are traditionally assisted by operators, so they have the lowest rates. Only calls that reach voice mail will still incur the full charge, even if the other party cannot return the call.
Check the information in the booth before calling, especially pay phone booths without major carrier brands. Although sometimes a humble third-party provider will be cheaper, but usually professional providers will charge higher or lower fees. If you pay by credit card, these may be a rude accident.
Typically, courtesy telephones in airports and similar places will ring certain taxis or similar traveler services. Please pay attention to these so that you do not need to use a pay phone.
Prepaid calling card
Every corner store is filled with a series of confusing prepaid calling cards that can be used via pay phones or regular phones. Although most cards are suitable for making calls from anywhere, some cards offer preferential calling rates for specific countries/regions.
Access to these services is usually through a toll-free number, which allows you to make most calls for free (please note that some pay phones and hotel calls will charge toll-free calls; toll-free numbers may still be charged for airtime on mobile phones). Then, the call will be redirected to a cheaper and more competitive long-distance telephone provider or voice-over-Internet server.
Although these cards usually have excellent international prices, please read the fine print carefully. It contains information on when the best available rate will apply. Many cards have hidden fees (for example, the rate for the first minute of a long-distance call is greatly increased, even if only an answering machine responds, or even if the card is not used, there will be a monthly fee). These are an oversight trap because it can quickly eliminate the value of the card, especially if you mainly make a short call or leave the card idle, and the remaining time is on the balance. pass throughAmericaCalls initiated by toll-free calls to payphones may incur higher rates or surcharges, because the owner of a toll-free number must pay sixty cents for each payphone. Distance fee.
Several providers offer PIN-free calling cards: register a phone number (such as your mobile phone number) and add funds when the balance is low.
phone card
Some telephone service providers provide calling cards, which are usually connected to your existing phone account, which can be requested before traveling.
These allow trunk calls to be made on the road, initially by providing the operator with a calling card number. You may also receive a number to connect to your home service provider, call home from overseas, and allow you to talk to the operator in your native language.
These services usually charge a surcharge based on the provider's usual rate. Depending on the telecommunications company, you can get a calling card that is only linked to a credit card without using telephone service. By dialing the access number and following the instructions there, you can reach various third-party services.
VoIP
- Main article:online telephone
If you can fully access the Internet at a reasonable speed,Make a call via the InternetIt is the cheapest option. If you have compatible calling software/apps installed on your respective devices and are online at the same time, you can usually make free calls.
If your smartphone can connect to Wi-Fi, making cheap calls may be as simple as installing a free application (a universal SIP client, or a program from a specific provider such as Skype or Viber) and accessing a Wi-Fi hotspot. Similar "softphone" software uses a built-in microphone and speakers to run on a laptop or tablet. Nevertheless, headphones with cantilever microphones can provide better audio.
Based on the network connection, the quality of Internet phone connections varies greatly. Some public networks can block VoIP, some networks have very high latency, many networks are too slow, and in some countries, Internet calls can be completely blocked to protect the revenue of national telephone companies.United Arab EmiratesThe state-owned telecommunications provider Etisalat has been blocking access to Skype, but some hotels can provide access through TheWayOut Wi-Fi service.
You should install a VoIP application and select a voice service provider (VSP) to test your configuration before leaving.
In addition, you can rent a computer with Skype from a local Internet store.
Flying phone
Some flights provide telephone service through in-seat telephones. For voice calls, these usually cost about US$5/minute, or US$2 per text message.
Answer
Landline phone
Hotels and motels generally do not charge the voice call fees you receive. Before calling a hotel or motel phone number, please check if you have received any phone charges so that people can call you. Usually the cost of receiving a fax.
Voicemail
If you plan to be out of range but still want to answer the call, you can choose voice mail. Most telephone service providers offer voice mail options, usually as an addition to existing landline, pager, mobile, or Internet-based phone numbers. Some people provide it as an independent service.
You can usually check your voice mail remotely. Before you leave home, obtain the access number and login details from your voice mail provider.
VoIP
If you can use broadband internet during your trip, voice on the internet allows you to carry a phone number from your country/region with you, usually for a cent or two minutes. Standard Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) applications are suitable for small mobile devices such as laptops and Android systems. Unlike cellular phones (which take away a lot of roaming charges from your home country), calls to your device will be made over the Internet, and the cost of broadband is rarely dependent on the amount of traffic. But if you connect via a mobile phone network or satellite connection, the cost per megabyte can be high.
mobile phone
According to the length of your travel, purchase local prepaid at the destinationmobile phoneorLocal SIM cardIt may make sense to use it in your existing mobile device. When you get from anotherEuropean UnionWhen visiting a country, roaming using your existing phone may be manageable, but abroad, the cost may be too high or the service may be unavailable. Many prepaid phones will not roam at all. In most parts of Europe, prepaid SIM cards are usually very cheap (including some credit lines of 10 Euros or less). In some countries (such as Italy), users may be required to show proof of identity and/or local tax laws.
There are multiple incompatible systems (GSM, CDMA, UMTS), and the frequencies used also vary between different continents. Some phones are locked to a provider and require an unlock code to be used with a local SIM card. They may also be incompatible with the destination network.
For more information about cellular and satellite phones, seemobile phone。
satellite telephone
In remote areas without cell phone coverage, satellite phones may be your only choice. A person must be outdoors and have a clear line of sight with the satellite to make a call. The service is used for shipping, yachting, and expeditions to remote locations, without mobile infrastructure and disaster relief missions to places where the domestic network is damaged or destroyed.
As the most expensive option, satellite phones are used where there are no other services.
existSaudi Arabia、China、India, Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, northern Sri Lanka, Syria and other places may not be able to buy or use satellite phones. Technically, they will still play a role in these areas. Some countries/regions require special permission to use satellite phones in their territories.