While most Americans are quite comfortable using a public phone in the States, making a call while visiting another country can be confusing. In this article you will find some simple instructions for how to use a public phone in France.
Locate a public phone for your call. There are two types of pay phones; coin-operated and calling card-operated. With increased theft and vandalism, the older, coin-operated phones are becoming more difficult to locate. Most often you will find yourself using a calling card-operated phone to make your call. This article will focus on the steps involved in using a 'telecarte'(calling card). You can purchase these at any Post Office or any number of local shops. They are available in 50 and 120 unit amounts and will vary in cost, dependent on the current exchange rate.
Lift the receiver and check for a dial tone. Given the public nature of these phones, there could be damage to the phone or it could be out of order.
Insert your telecarte into the slot, with the arrow facing up. Be sure that you insert the card with the arrow pointed toward the phone.
Wait for the LCD display on the phone to light up and display the current balance on your calling card. If you have units remaining, move to the next step. If not, replace the receiver, which will return your card.
Dial the number that you wish to call. To call a number within the U.S., dial '00' and wait for the tone. Then dial '1' and the phone number, including the area code. If you've dialed a valid number, you should hear ringing on the other end. If not, press the green 'follow on' call button to dial again.
When you are finished talking, you can simply hang up the receiver, which will automatically eject your calling card. If you wish to make another call, press the green 'follow on' button, wait for the tone and dial another number.
