Collect calls to the U.S. from Germany

Hi,

I occasionally need to call companies in the US which offer toll free numbers, but those numbers are typically only for use within the US and won't work internationally. These companies also sometimes list non-toll-free numbers saying to call collect internationally, meaning they, as the receiver, will pay for the call. This is great, however, they never say HOW to call collect, as it is different depending on which country you are dialing from.

I've been searching around but haven't gotten an answer to this question yet.

Does anyone know exactly how I would call a US phone number, collect, from here in Germany?

Thanks for any valid responses.
Cheers and happy holidays!!

0800callatt

you get the ATT operator and follow the instructions. Yes, they're in English, though it is a machine. Trying to deal with the Germans (it's called an "R-Gespräch") has never worked well for me. They don't ever believe that US companies will allow you to call collect from out of the country...

Yep, that's what I call. Some companies put a message on their answering machines saying that they accept international collect calls. AT&T's automated system doesn't work with that, though. You just have to hold on. A live AT&T employee will eventually pick up to verify the call.

Thanks for the tips!

Old thread, I know! But just thought I'd share a tip.

I just had to call my credit card company in the U.S. to get an old statement faxed over. AT&T wouldn't let the call pass through because a machine answered it, like someone wrote above. Instead of waiting for an operator to pick up, dial 0800CALLATT, enter the number as instructed, ignore the prompt where it asks for calling card number or credit card, and then when it asks you to say your preferred option, say "Operator." Then explain the situation to the operator, who will manually let the call go through when the machine accepts the collect charge.

Hope this helps someone!

It helped me! Thanks!

An even better way to go turns out to be Skype. I just called my US bank at their regular US 1800 number, worked fine.

Silly question but I need to call collect my bank but i have no idea what number to dial. Help please

[adminmerge][/adminmerge]

Call the operator and say you'd like to place a collect call to the States.

All covered here.

Perhaps the mods will merge your thread.

Collect calls to the U.S. from Germany
International phone calls where the callee pays

Have you tried Skype?

thank you!

Why would you call collect in the first place? A call from a German (Telekom) landline to their standard number would cost less than half a cent a minute!