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Making Telephone Calls to USA & Canada and Elsewhere
To call the USA or Canada, simply dial 001 – wait for the dial tone, then the area code and number.
To call elsewhere in the world, dial 00 - wait for the dial tone, then the country code, then the city code and the number.
To call Puerto Vallarta from the United States dial 011 wait for the dial tone, then 52 then the area code (322) and then 7-digit telephone number.
There are basically six ways to make a long distance calls from Mexico:
1. From your hotel room phone: Keep in mind that many hotels charge a hefty service charge for use of in-room telephones. Even though calls beyond Mexico are already expensive, hotels may charge you double or triple the going rate, or more. So always check before you place your call. You will probably be required to make a deposit or leave a credit card voucher with the cashier before you will be able to make long distance calls from your room.
2. Using a specially designated long distance phone booths that accept credit cards, or from a Telmex phone booth. This second alternative can be even more expensive. Some long distance phones that accept major credit cards charge inflated rates - reportedly as high as $7.00 US per minute to the USA.
3. The third alternative is to purchase a Ladatel phone card and use a Telmex phone booth. Telmex recently lowered the price to 5 pesos a minute (US $0.50) when calling the United States or Canada from Mexico. You can purchase a Ladatel phone card at most Oxxo and Six Tecate convenience stores, small shops and pharmacies.
4. Use an especially labeled Collect Call Phone booth to call collect to the US, Canada or the UK, which allows you to use change to pay.
5. For people who stay here for extended periods every year, you can subscribe to a US call back service. You set up an account allowing this company to charge your calls to your preferred credit card. You establish a maximum charge estimate, for your own security, (should someone else get a hold of your call back number; they cannot charge more than the limit you choose). You then call the number they provide you, let it ring once, then hang up. Their computer automatically calls you back from their location in the US, and prompts you to enter the number you wish to call. You are then charged at a low rate, much like those available to customers in the US and Canada. One such call back service is “Koala Calling” operated by United World Telecom.
And finally, probably the best choice for people who need to make frequent long distance calls, or who usually stay here in Vallarta for extended periods of time, is to use the internet by setting up a "net to phone" account. There are many companies that supply computer to telephone calling accounts via the internet. These calls are made from a computer with speakers/headset or computer telephone to an actual telephone. The clarity is quite good and often for less than 10 cents a minute; worth the effort. PVNET Cyber Cafe, located across from the Sheraton Hotel, has high speed internet and phones at each computer
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