use of calling card from Kenya?
 

I know that AT&T isn't working there and MCI who has an access number just told me I could only call to the US. There seems to be tough regulations and I may need to rely on the hotel prohibitive phone charges. Does anyone know the recent situation with international phone calls from Nairobi?

If you can't get a good prepaid phone card or your home long distance carrier calling card doesn't work, you may want to look into renting a cellular phone that works from the city in Kenya you will be visiting.

I was in South Africa and I rented a cellular phone. It was about $7/day + .99 day optional insurance (highly recommended) and about $2.70 per minute phone charge. You can rent for as little as one week. Delivery and return is by fed ex delivery to your home. You have two days from your return date to send back the phone without incurring another day's charge.

There are a number of cellular phone rental companies. I searched on the internet and found a good number of rental firms to choose from.

I am not sure about Kenya, but considering what hotel long distance rates are from western Europe, I would have to imagine that $2.70 has got to be cheaper than hotel phone charges from Kenya.

Onedog - I've considered the cellular phone option but the coverage is really limited and local rental companies haven't been able to give me precise details of rental/phone charges so far. But I'll investigate further. Thanks!

I just go underground and "stay out of touch" when in the less developed parts of Africa. It's actually quite refreshing once you get past the frustration part.

. . . but if you really must stay in touch MCI World Com (see world phone at http://www.wcom.com/for_your_busines...rldphone.phtml ) has a service (don't know what the rates from Kenya are). The access number from Kenya is 080011 (Available from most major cities).

[This message has been edited by BlondeBomber (edited 02-18-2000).]

If you are stuck using MCI, buy a prepaid card (the largest denomination you can find). MCI's customer service can tell you how many "units" a call from Kenya will be. It wouldn't surprise me that it's in the range of ten "units" per minute.

However, if you can find a card for 14 cents per minute/unit (Target had MCI cards at this price last week), this would peg the Kenya call at $1.40/minute. Charging the call to a "credit" phone card might be another dollar per minute, or more.

[This message has been edited by Craig6z (edited 02-18-2000).]

As far as I know Sprint and MCI (same thing now) are the only providers for US customers and there is no way of calling country to country from Kenya without a satellite phone. Even from Canada, I have MCI, Sprint and CanadaDirect. None of those allow country to country from Kenya and some do not even allow calls from Nairobi!

As I say, sometimes it's better to not stay in touch. You can always phone others and get them to phone you (if they can get through). I have at least had better luck getting through to Kenya from North America than to Cameroon.

Thank you all for your thoughts/info. FYI, MCI told me that using their calling card to call the US would cost 3.99$ surcharge + 4.18$ for the 1st min. + 2.44$ for the following minutes. I guess I'll shut up for a while and if necessary, make short calls to ask to call back. If they get through, as you say.

Btw to Craig6z: I'm going to 'Carnivore' soon!

aleph,

Did you check with MCI about the prepaid card costs? Curious what they said.

Enjoy the Carnivore, and don't forget to consume your "medicine". http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Craig