US army member in Kuwait: calling cards a good gift?

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

A friend in the army will be leaving in a few weeks to spend a year serving in Kuwait. She will be living on a U.S. base there.

 

We're thinking of getting her some prepaid calling cards, but we're not sure whether they are needed or even usable from an overseas army base.

 

So that's my big question, hopefully someone here can answer: will ordinary prepaid calling cards work for someone on a base in Kuwait to call home to the United States?

[brennaman]

On base, she will have access to a phone she can use for free usually once a week for 5 min. or every other week, just depends on where she is, and availability of phones. Probably if she wants to call whenever she wants, what some people do is get together with 8 or 10 people and buy a satelite phone plan. Having a phone card is not always useful, some bases do not have a civilian line to use them on. She can probably find out what access she has where she is going, and then see if they are useful before she leaves. Good luck

[Whip]

I sell prepaid phone cards.

 

The military folks always stock up on the ones with the lowest price per minute and don't worry about the connection fees. they figure they are gonna talk awhile so it works better for them.

 

Almost all of em are international now. Some will tell ya the price per minute on the back between this country and that country.

 

 

I think it's a great gift idea.

 

 

Whip

 

 

 

 

[Quinn]

Clark Howard was recommending internet phone service for overseas calling. So the question would be, does she have high speed internet available over there?

 

 

[bayoubengal]

I did a deployment last year and I did use the calling cards. She will likely have access to DSN (Defense Switching Network)for some "morale call" time. We had about 15 minutes per week. The calling cards were a godsend. 15 mins week is not sufficient. Skype was very popular if she has a computer. There are some coomunication variables depending on where she will be specifically. Nobody can give you a definitive answer. She should find out if a laptop is a good idea before she goes. Buy her the card or a gift of the headset for skype. And tell her thanks for serving her country.

[MikeB60]

I suspect she is headed to Camp Arifjan, I was there for a while last year.

 

Plenty of phone trailers where she can use the calling card, they will work just fine.

 

As mentioned before she should have access to a DSN line as well.

[Lone_RT_rider]

Skype was very popular if she has a computer.

 

Mitch, as you know my company tends to send people overseas on many occasions (ok, if the wind blows the right way) and most of the people I know that spend larger amounts of time away from home are using skype and a laptop to make calls to their loved ones. If the person on the other end is also using skype, it's a free call. I have it, but haven't used it for that purpose ......yet. If she does have internet access, this will probably be a great option.

 

YMMV

 

Shawn

[bayoubengal]

Skype was very popular if she has a computer.

 

Mitch, as you know my company tends to send people overseas on many occasions (ok, if the wind blows the right way) and most of the people I know that spend larger amounts of time away from home are using skype and a laptop to make calls to their loved ones. If the person on the other end is also using skype, it's a free call. I have it, but haven't used it for that purpose ......yet. If she does have internet access, this will probably be a great option.

 

YMMV

 

Shawn

 

 

 

We suspected a few buds of having Skype Phone Sex and coined the term "Skex"!

[Chris K]

I now use Skype almost exclusively when I am overseas. For $28 a year I can call any cell or land line in the US or Canada using my Skype account. With a decent headset it sounds like you are in the next room!

[Nice n Easy Rider]

I now use Skype almost exclusively when I am overseas. For $28 a year I can call any cell or land line in the US or Canada using my Skype account. With a decent headset it sounds like you are in the next room!

 

Chris,

Do you know whether Skype has resolved the problems they were having with machines running MS Vista?

[lawnchairboy]

Your friend will have access to more communication and retail outlets in Kuwait than I have access to in Havelock, NC, USA.

[Chris K]

I now use Skype almost exclusively when I am overseas. For $28 a year I can call any cell or land line in the US or Canada using my Skype account. With a decent headset it sounds like you are in the next room!

 

Chris,

Do you know whether Skype has resolved the problems they were having with machines running MS Vista?

 

Everythig I have still runs on XP so I don't have an answer for you.