Here is some info that I've found when researching Calling Cards for China. There are lots of different ways to go!
Don’t call straight to China from your phone unless you want those couple of minutes to be $300.
►Bring a calling card from the states. One person bought one from Sprint, and also purchased a cheap one from their guide. The Chinese card had complicated instructions and she never got it to work. The sprint card worked great and it was so easy. She says, If you want a really good deal, go with a Panda Phone. Its a cell phone provided by Lotus travel, very cheap, and works great.
►Don’t bother getting a panda phone unless people HAVE to be able to get a hold of you (like if you have children at home).
►Buy IP cards in China (Your guide will help you) and it is much cheaper.
►One bought 2 ASIA calling cards at SEARS and they were $10 each. All their family members called them while in China and there are lots of minutes left on them.
►Callingcardplus.com. $25 for about 500 minutes.
►Onesuite.com. Another says this is the best. They say, “You go to the website, and follow the directions--I don't remember what you do, but I think you have to state where you are calling from and to--though I could be wrong. You simply purchase minutes, kind of like buying minutes on a calling card. They give you a number to call before you call the number you are trying to reach--exactly like a calling card. The rates are *extremely* low--I'm talking CHEAP. I think China is maybe three cents a minute???? Something like that. For instance, I bought ten dollars worth of minutes when my friend went to China last March. I called her at least four times that I can recall--and, I still have minutes left. When you run out, you just buy more. Simple.”
►Someone used and AT&T card and had this to say… “AT&T prepaid card before we left for China in December. Every time we used it we were charged a huge fee by all the hotels we stayed in (sorry I don't know the exact amount) even though it was a toll-free number to use the card. Our agency tells everyone to buy calling cards in China however when we stayed in Nanchang, Jiangxi, our agency guide told us that the hotel blocks the use of Chinese calling cards because they can then charge for long distance charges instead. I don't know how widespread this is in China and it may have just as well been the hotel.”
►Some suggest also taking a US bought calling card just in case. Check first that you can use it from China before you leave. Some think most of the well-known ones you can.
►One more purchased phone cards in China. They were very inexpensive like $5.00 US for 30 min. Their guide in Beijing had a few we could purchase and then they were able to purchased several at local stores in our child's province and then one at the 7-11 in GZ. They were easy to use and they did not get charged extra for using the phone like several travel mates were for using US phone cards.
►Bring a calling card from the states. One person bought one from Sprint, and also purchased a cheap one from their guide. The Chinese card had complicated instructions and she never got it to work. The sprint card worked great and it was so easy. She says, If you want a really good deal, go with a Panda Phone. Its a cell phone provided by Lotus travel, very cheap, and works great.
►Don’t bother getting a panda phone unless people HAVE to be able to get a hold of you (like if you have children at home).
►Buy IP cards in China (Your guide will help you) and it is much cheaper.
►One bought 2 ASIA calling cards at SEARS and they were $10 each. All their family members called them while in China and there are lots of minutes left on them.
►Callingcardplus.com. $25 for about 500 minutes.
►Onesuite.com. Another says this is the best. They say, “You go to the website, and follow the directions--I don't remember what you do, but I think you have to state where you are calling from and to--though I could be wrong. You simply purchase minutes, kind of like buying minutes on a calling card. They give you a number to call before you call the number you are trying to reach--exactly like a calling card. The rates are *extremely* low--I'm talking CHEAP. I think China is maybe three cents a minute???? Something like that. For instance, I bought ten dollars worth of minutes when my friend went to China last March. I called her at least four times that I can recall--and, I still have minutes left. When you run out, you just buy more. Simple.”
►Someone used and AT&T card and had this to say… “AT&T prepaid card before we left for China in December. Every time we used it we were charged a huge fee by all the hotels we stayed in (sorry I don't know the exact amount) even though it was a toll-free number to use the card. Our agency tells everyone to buy calling cards in China however when we stayed in Nanchang, Jiangxi, our agency guide told us that the hotel blocks the use of Chinese calling cards because they can then charge for long distance charges instead. I don't know how widespread this is in China and it may have just as well been the hotel.”
►Some suggest also taking a US bought calling card just in case. Check first that you can use it from China before you leave. Some think most of the well-known ones you can.
►One more purchased phone cards in China. They were very inexpensive like $5.00 US for 30 min. Their guide in Beijing had a few we could purchase and then they were able to purchased several at local stores in our child's province and then one at the 7-11 in GZ. They were easy to use and they did not get charged extra for using the phone like several travel mates were for using US phone cards.
3 comments:
Get SKYPE on your computer. Then you can talk for free from China!Thats what we do!But you have to take your laptop.
I'm a Skype user also but if I have to call someone in China and that person doesnt have internet connection or even a computer then its no use. My Onesuite prepaid card allows me to call my relatives and friends in China for just 2 cents per minute. Now Onesuite has Chinese access number so sometimes my relatives calls me back using my own Onesuite account.
Just recently, Onesuite has voip too...so all the voip features and prepaid phone card services in just one account with no additional cost.
Ah...Onesuite...lately I've been making lots of phone calls both domestic and international. By using Onesuite voip (a new feature) saves me a bunch especially for those international calls which cost a lot if I use my local phone provider service. The best thing about Onesuite is, all is accessible online including your call records which you can see it right away after you hang up your last call.
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