Tutor
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5 Messages
Service in Iraq?
Hey all,
I have a friend who is in the army. He's going back to Iraq tomorrow, and he has an AT&T phone whose number is based out of Illinois.
If I call him with my AT&T phone while he is in Iraq, are the calls still free, or do other charges apply because he is technically "international"? Or is it not based off of the towers you are using for your service, but instead off of the actual number of the cell phone?
Thanks!
Accepted Solution
stufried
Guru
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1.1K Messages
15 years ago
For you the call is domestic. For him, he will be paying a huge roaming bill. If you call a US phone which is roaming abroad. You pay the portion of the call from your phone to where is his phone exchange is (Illinois). He pays the mileage from Illinois to Iraq. The ATT's roaming rates are 2.49 a minute which are not subject to the world traveller discount.
There is nothing "technical" about this roaming. The Iraqi phone company which he is roaming on bills ATT for the roaming call. The US army does not maintain its own cell network down there. They don't even do that in Gitmo. (There is a US cellular network in Gitmo, but it is for internal calls only and personal cell phones can't roam on it). Your friend should either get a prepaid SIM card or a roaming SIM like:
http://www.globalroaming.mobi/
ATT's roaming is meant for short term stays. Additionally, both of you should sign up for free accounts with a Skype which will allow you to talk over the internet for free. Skype is also really good with low bandwith situations. I've talked to people in Kuwait who called me over dialup internet. Note: Kuwait's phone system is in better shape than Iraq's.
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mwladybug
Contributor
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1 Message
14 years ago
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