Spain - Costa Blanca Discussion Forum

Discussions regarding holidays in the Costa Blanca.
Phoning UK
87 Posts
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Im fairly sure that if you use your UK mobile phone it will show your usual number, it will cost more but you may find it worth the extra money.
Hope this helps
kblokey
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Ok, I could be mistaken, but I think you will find that if the recipient has the necessary hardware....ie a Caller Display enabled Landline telephone and they have subscribed to BT's Caller Display Service, then if you call that UK number from anywhere overseas, it will in all probability show up on their display as 'International' or even possibly 'Number Unavailable'. In each case if the recipient dials 1471 after the call is terminated then they will hear the following message "You were called at [the time the call was received]. We do not have the caller's number to return the call". :tut

If you dial the recipients UK landline number from your mobile handset whilst overseas, I think you will find that it comes up 'Number Unavailble'....but if you dial their mobile from your mobile then your number will be displayed on their handset and they will have no idea whether you were calling from the UK or from Tim Buck Too ( does such a place exist :?: :hmmm :shrug ) However, that will of course be a VERY expensive way of calling back home, unless you use a spanish sim card. So I would not recommend doing that.

If you use a Public Payphone from Overseas, I am positive that it will be shown on the recipients telephone display as 'International', but I don't think it does if you use the telephone in your Hotel Room or in Reception, as the call is routed via the Hotel's telephone exchange.

If you buy one of those Prepaid Calling cards ( they cost around €6) where you have to dial an Access Number and then enter a Pin Number and then the destination number from what I have been told, the recipient will not be able to see that the call is originating from overseas, but they will get the 'Number Unavailable' message on their screen. :tut :shrug

If you use a Spanish Sim Card to make calls to a UK mobile it will be a lot cheaper, and the spanish number WILL be shown on the recipients mobile handset display, but I have no idea what happens if you use a Spanish Sim Card to call a UK Landline Number. My guess would be that it will be shown as 'International'. I think it all depends on how the call is routed back to the UK if you use your mobile. I do know that foreign sim cards, as a rule, do show up on UK mobiles in the UK because I have a Greek friend in Corfu who calls me occasionally and his number is always shown on my mobile handset.

Hope that helps a little. Assuming I have not totally bamboozeled you, because I think I have myself :? :hmmm :roll: :?
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If you don't want the person to know you are abroad then avoid the payphones as the scooters wizzing past are a dead giveaway!!. :D
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Think I'll just use pigeon post :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sandie
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Going at dinner time tommorow, can anyone tell me, to phone home is it 0044 and miss the 1 out, and what it is if you phone a mobile please, do you miss the 0 out

Thanks Rosie
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0044 and drop the 0 do not drop the 1
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Yes, for both Landline and Mobile numbers you dial 0044 --- omit the first zero --- and then dial your number. If you have already stored your numbers in your mobile with 0044 or simply +44 (missing out the first zero) into your handset, then you can simply look up the number in your phonebook, and hit call.

(example: 0044 1 *** **** or +44 1 *** **** )

I find its best to do this anyway as it makes no difference when you are in the UK if your numbers are stored as 0044 or +44 then the number as the handset will still recognise the number and call it.

Remember though, it can be quite expensive to use your mobile overseas to call or send text messages back to the UK (depending on your Network Provider and Tariff).
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You can buy phone cards for 6Euro and get around 200+ minutes on them for use on landlines. Works out much cheaper and last for 3 months
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Depending on your Resort it is possible to buy Prepaid Phone Cards with no expiry date on them.

For example, in Andy's Phone Booth in Benidorm, my mother purchased one of these cards five years ago and it still valid now. I think she still has almost 100 minutes of use left.
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For example, in Andy's Phone Booth in Benidorm, my mother purchased one of these cards five years ago and it still valid now. I think she still has almost 100 minutes of use left.


I bought a phone card from Andys and had some minutes left over. Next time I went, I tried to use it but it didn't work, I went to buy another and Andy informed me that they only last for 3 months.

Here's a little tip, if you use the card in some of the hotels you get a lot more minutes than in a public phone.

Sue :)
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Sue...maybe it depends on the card that you purchase? There are several types if I recall. My mother's card has worked for her for the past few years.
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Sue...maybe it depends on the card that you purchase? There are several types if I recall.


Yeh maybe so then.

Sue :)
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And something else, not sure if it was a 'one off' or a bit of a fluke, but when my mother used her card to call back home to the UK from their hotel room to speak to my sister who was not with us, no 'airtime/credit' or whatever it's called was deducted from her card and so she got that call for free and she was on the phone for at least 45 minutes.
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We always buy a phone card. You used to get over 200mins using it at call boxes. That has now been reduced to 40+.if you use them in hotels you still get over 200mins.

Alexa :D
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can somebody please tell me where is andys and can you use the phone card in any hotel or have you got to be staying there thanks
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andys is in the indoor market you do not have to stay in a hotel to use the public phone
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Hi Spanna, please note that the phone cards do not work in all the hotel public phones, Where will you be staying?

Sue :)
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Its posible to use a phone card from the privacy of the telephone in your Hotel room. I have done this on many an occasion. I've also used public phones in Hotel Foyers. But I am not sure if this is the case with all Hotels.

Andy's Phone Shop is located inside the Indoor Market. If you enter via the sloping ramp near the underground car park and then once inside, if I recal you walk straight ahead and you should see his booth on the right hand side. Its normally 'manned' by a very friendly and very helpful female....not sure if she is Andy's mum or a relation or just an employee, but she is very helpful and will be able to assist you with almost any query you may have.
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