# 1 800?



## Zorro2017 (Jan 9, 2017)

Everything I have read says that to call a 1-800 number in the US dial 00 1 888 but this is not working on my cell, an y suggestions?


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Mexico is not part of the USA 800 system, so the calls are not free. If you use a land line phone, the calls will be free to regular numbers, but not to 800 numbers.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Zorro2017 said:


> Everything I have read says that to call a 1-800 number in the US dial 00 1 888 but this is not working on my cell, an y suggestions?


I think that is to dial a Mexican 800 number. Dial +1 888 xxx yyyy. Including the "+". (Note: On an iPhone you can get a "+" by holding down the zero for a couple of seconds.)

You will get a message saying it is not toll free from outside the US. To make a toll free call to an 800 number in the US, use Skype.


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## horseshoe846 (Feb 8, 2017)

Not only is calling a US 800 number from a mexican cell not free - it is down right expensive. My wife pays 199 pesos/month for her TelCel plan. recently she made a call to a US 800 number - cost was 240 pesos for the call. My wife's fijo (Telmex) can make 800 calls for free. We have a MagicJack phone (with US number) setup for all our US needs.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I call US 800 number from my house by dialing 880. Google how to dial 800 us from Mexico they tell you..


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

If you have t-mobile, a smartphone, and have configured their wifi calling feature, you can use that also. You just dial 1800, no plus. Effectively you're dialing from within the US, and it's free.

Making calls this way works great, it goes through every time. When calling call centers, though, I've had some bad connections. The wifi calling apparently doesn't interface that well with fancy digital phone systems used by the call centers. I think it's the other end because I get good connections when calling private numbers using wifi calling. I wonder if skype has the same problem. 

I had particular problems trying to call Cygna, who I got health insurance from. Their US 800 number forwards to a call center in Ireland. It connected but there was constant cutting out making communication too difficult. I ended up calling their international number, and got zapped with an international roaming charge of 20 or 25 cents a minute (I forget which). Ouch!


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

The conversion matrix:

US INTL
1-800 = +1 880
1-888 = +1 881
1-877 = +1 882
1-866 = +1 883 doesn't work
1-855 = +1 884
1-844 = +1 885
1-833 = +1 886
1-822 = +1 887


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## dwwhiteside (Apr 17, 2013)

Both Citlali and Joaquinx have provided the details I use when dialing a U.S. toll free (1-800, etc.) number from Mexico, at least when dialing from a Mexican land line. It may be different from a Mexican cell phone but I do not know.

When I dial a U.S. 1-800 number using 001 880 I always get a recording, in English, telling me that the call is not toll free from the area I am calling and that normal international dialing rates will apply. Of course, in Mexico, the normal international dialing rate for calling a number in the U.S. from a landline is zero. And that is exactly what Telmex has charged me for these calls.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

dwwhiteside said:


> Both Citlali and Joaquinx have provided the details I use when dialing a U.S. toll free (1-800, etc.) number from Mexico, at least when dialing from a Mexican land line. It may be different from a Mexican cell phone but I do not know.
> 
> When I dial a U.S. 1-800 number using 001 880 I always get a recording, in English, telling me that the call is not toll free from the area I am calling and that normal international dialing rates will apply. Of course, in Mexico, the normal international dialing rate for calling a number in the U.S. from a landline is zero. And that is exactly what Telmex has charged me for these calls.


My post is for cell phones. The reason is that I only have a cell phone. The plus sign on the number can be used on cell phones only +1 880 nnn nnnn. The plus means for Telcel, or whatever carrier, to supply the international dialing prefix and the 1 is the code for the US. 

It should be noted that all "toll free" numbers in the US when called from Mexico are simply long-distance calls and there is a fee attached to them.


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## Jim from Alaska (Feb 20, 2017)

TundraGreen said:


> You will get a message saying it is not toll free from outside the US. To make a toll free call to an 800 number in the US, use Skype.


Or if you have an internet connection I use 'Viber' which can be hit or miss depending on the connection.


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## Stare Decisis (Jan 29, 2017)

joaquinx said:


> The conversion matrix:
> 
> US INTL
> 1-800 = +1 880
> ...


I hope these will work for USA cell numbers physically located in Mexico, as well? I tried calling 800 numbers from Mexico in January, to pay bills, and none of the calls went through. I am keeping my US cell phone and number, so hopefully these conversions work, whether it's coming from a USA or Mexican cell phone! 

Thanks!


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I just heard it can be expensive to call 880 so I have not checked that one yet..but be aware..You can call 800 with skype no?


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

Yes, calls from a Mexican telephone to USA 800 numbers are NOT toll free. Skype is my choice for these numbers.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

joaquinx said:


> Yes, calls from a Mexican telephone to USA 800 numbers are NOT toll free. Skype is my choice for these numbers.


They are not free with Skype, but at the rate of 2 cents/minute, they are pretty cheap.

I have a cell phone plan with AT&T Mexico that gives me unlimited voice and messages to Mexico, US, and Canada phones plus 2 GB data/month, all at a cost of about 200 pesos/month when paid a year in advance.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

TundraGreen said:


> They are not free with Skype, but at the rate of 2 cents/minute, they are pretty cheap.


You might be thinking of regular calls that are not free. However, toll-free 800 type calls are free. I use them often to call my bank.

Skype unlimited calls to the US is 2.99usd per month.


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## UrbanMan (Jun 18, 2015)

Anyone knowledgeable about Google Voice? It was launched in 2009, was initially raw and awful, but has become a slick product.

You can claim a US number (any area code, exceptions being some area codes have no numbers remaining), and make calls utilizing your computer via an internet connection. Also works for texts. You can even link Google Voice to your existing phones. 

Note, when you initially set it up, you have to do so while in the USA (you need a USA phone number to receive a verification code). But after the initial set up apparently there are ways to use it everywhere there is internet - possibly using a secure VPN to get around location-specific blocks. Another note, does not work with Firefox and possibly other browsers.

I have not tried to use it in Mexico (as I am not there are present). So to repeat, the question is, does anyone have knowledge/experience of how to use Google Voice while situated in Mexico?


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## horseshoe846 (Feb 8, 2017)

No.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

UrbanMan said:


> Note, when you initially set it up, you have to do so while in the USA (you need a USA phone number to receive a verification code). But after the initial set up apparently there are ways to use it everywhere there is internet - possibly using a secure VPN to get around location-specific blocks. Another note, does not work with Firefox and possibly other browsers.
> 
> I have not tried to use it in Mexico (as I am not there are present). So to repeat, the question is, does anyone have knowledge/experience of how to use Google Voice while situated in Mexico?


May I suggest that you go to the google voice site and attempt to get connected. With voice apps like Skype, Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, etc, you have a large selection. 

Let us know how it works out.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

UrbanMan said:


> Anyone knowledgeable about Google Voice? It was launched in 2009, was initially raw and awful, but has become a slick product.
> 
> You can claim a US number (any area code, exceptions being some area codes have no numbers remaining), and make calls utilizing your computer via an internet connection. Also works for texts. You can even link Google Voice to your existing phones.
> 
> ...


I have a google voice number that I've had for years. I only use it as a destination for texts which it emails to me. You can also send texts but only to the US. I haven't explored the options for voice. I do find it handy for when someone or some company insists on my giving them a US cell number.


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## UrbanMan (Jun 18, 2015)

joaquinx said:


> May I suggest that you go to the google voice site and attempt to get connected. With voice apps like Skype, Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, etc, you have a large selection.
> 
> Let us know how it works out.


Since I am not at present in Mexico, I can't try out how it works in Mexico, can I?

The voice works in the USA, I have verified that. I would describe it as being of low quality at times, but it works. 

As TGreen posted, it works very well for texts. The texts get emailed lightning fast.


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## Howler (Apr 22, 2013)

*Don't forget...*



TundraGreen said:


> You will get a message saying it is not toll free from outside the US. To make a toll free call to an 800 number in the US, use Skype.





citlali said:


> I call US 800 number from my house by dialing 880. Google how to dial 800 us from Mexico they tell you..


Thanks TG & Citlali - I've used both ways to dial from Mexico to the US. Sometimes I can get through, other times not... I don't know what the determining factor is that allows me through. But when I can't get through, I just pull out my handy-dandy *MagicJack* which has worked every time as long as I have internet connection. 

GoogleTalk was also a good suggestion I'll have to try the next time I'm down there...


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