call charge

[ajmmac]

i understand within the usa the owner of a mobile(cell) phone pays for any incoming call--not the caller as in uk--does this apply only to calls from other mobiles or from a usa landline incoming call as well--if i were to make a call to a usa mobile from a uk landline can anyone confirm who would be charged for the call? --alternatively if the person in usa were to call me using a usa cell phone to my landline who would be charged for that?--cheers all.

[dzug]

uk landline to us mobile - uk pays for certain; the us mobile may pay as well though unlikely to be at international rates

us mobile to uk landline - us pays.

[Pinotage]

A usert ofa US mobile pays a fee to their mobile company for all incoming calls nomatter where they originate. The person making the call to them pays the standard call rate.

In UK the caller pays a higher cost to call a mobile, but they know they are calling a mobile because the number starts 07. In the US they do not use a different area code for mobiles - they use the standard area code for where the mobile owner lives, so a caller has no way of knowing whether the call is to a mobile or a landline. And the mobile owner pays the difference.

So if you call a US mobile, you'll pay the same as if you were calling a landline and if they call you, they'll pay but you will not pay for receiving the call.

[ajmmac]

thank u both--my problem was i did not want to burden her with a huge mobile bill by calling--she only has a mobile--no land line--guess easiest way is to call a pay phone at a prearranged time--cheers--arthur

[jon1968]

Or you could get Skype and buy a US Skypein number so she only pays for a local call - just a suggestion.

J

[dzug]

I doubt if you (in the UK) will cause a huge bill for a mobile user in the US. You'll be paying for the expensive bit (transatlantic), for her it will be just another local call.

And transatlantic calls can be quite cheap these days - I get them free (off-peak), though I've never actually needed to make one since I went on that tariff.

[netibiza]

on the other hand when I use my spanish mobile in England and someone calls me from Spain I still pay half the call. I thought it would have been a local call.

[Pinotage]

To Netbiza - yes, but you are paying for using a Spanish phone on a UK network -- you are paying international roaming charges. This is common, and a separate matter than the original question.

I pay to receive calls on my UK phone when I am abroad.