placing a phone call in Russia

[Steve S 2]

So, tomorrow I will have a short layover at Moscow SVO2/SVO1, and would like to check in with Irina and let her know I arrived safely in Russia. Of course, my iPhone doesn't work over there. It doesn't seem worth it to procure a new international phone or SIM card just for the purpose of this single call. On my first trip, I found a friendly looking woman, explained in pidgen Russian what I was trying to do, and she let me use her cellphone. The second time, I had some time out and about Moscow, found a Beeline store where a guy took pity on me and let me use his personal phone. When I have tried payphones in Moscow, I have been utterly confused about what to do, and there are no English instructions. At SVO, the security man near the payphone shook his head, and said "ne rabotaet" (not working).

Can someone give me a suggestion for how I can reliably call Irina during my layover?

- Steve

[Steve S 2]

Sry, don't know why it posted twice.

[mox 298]

The pay phones over there work pretty much like they do here. You put your money in and you dial the number in the same way that you dialed it on the mobiles you borrowed.

But really, it seems that finding a phone to borrow has been working nicely for you, so why not continue to rely on the kindness of strangers?

[Neonred 3,609]

The last time we went over my wife traveled a few weeks before I did and I promised to call her from Moscow. My Beeline SIM card was no longer active so I used the pay phone in SVO1 right across from the bathrooms on the ground floor. It was pretty easy, just swipe a credit card, pick a language, and dial. When the other party answers there is a button to press to complete the connection.

[eekee 182]

You have AT&T, your phone would work on Russia but it's roaming. You can add an international option to your plan (usually the feature itself is free). It's like 5 dollars a minute, usually, but if you just want to say "Hi I'm here" it's not a big expense.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

duplicated post removed

[BluesTraveler 0]

Of course, my iPhone doesn't work over there. It doesn't seem worth it to procure a new international phone or SIM card just for the purpose of this single call.

AT&T does work in Russia. You just need to call them and turn on international roaming. As long as your bill is up to date it shouldn't be an issue. Then when you arrive in Moscow DON'T call her, send her an SMS. $0.50 ? or so to send an SMS from inside of Russia.

While your in Russia you can send SMS's in emergency situations.

[Steve S 2]

Excellent! I activated the AT&T roaming. Just need to make sure I turn data features off, so as not to accrue charges. You are right, $.50 per SMS and $5 per minute for calls. For $6 I enrolled in the plan that shaves $1 off the minute rate for calls. I will unsubscribe after 2 weeks, thus if I spend 3 minutes on the phone then I will reach the break-even point. Don't plan to spend much time talking though, with that minute rate that exceeds my usual hourly rate!

If it doesn't work when I get there, I will resort to the kindness of strangers again or try the pay phone -- but whenever I have tried it nothing happens. I thought you had to buy a special phone card for those phones. No big deal, I am sure either option A or B will work.

Thanks for the tips.

[slim 1,530]

But really, it seems that finding a phone to borrow has been working nicely for you, so why not continue to rely on the kindness of strangers?

It works both ways. As I was leaving SVO, my buddy and I were sitting there enjoying our windmill beer and some chicks came up to us saying something about having no money but having grandma's old wedding ring for collateral if we'd let them use our phone. I didn't have a phone but I did have a few minutes left on a Moscow phone card (don't remember how the hell I even got it... drunken stupor!) and gave that to one of the girls. She came back a few minutes later all happy and, I assume, telling me thanks for not pawning her grandma's ring in NYC.

Earlier in that same trip we went to our flat but couldn't get access to the building. We went to the local strip mall and inside a flower shop some nice young ladies were kind enough to listen to us point and grunt while holding thumb and pinky phones up to our ears. We couldn't get through on the landline so they called a translator they knew and he allowed us to use his mobile, then translated for us. We offered money as thanks and he just kind of looked at us funny and said, "Just like Americans. Always trying to pay for something." From that point on, we didn't try to pay for much else!