Affordable International Telephone Calls

My mom hangs a spreadsheet on her bulletin board with all of the important addresses and telephone numbers she and my dad need on a regular basis.  Her list is really handy for everyone.  You just have to call and ask for the updated list, and poof.  She’ll have it in your mailbox.  The idea is brilliant, clean, and simple.

Well at least the version that I get is clean.  My mom’s list is constantly being edited.  Telephone numbers get updated.  Addresses change.

You want to know who’s contact info never ever changes, though?  It’s me!

Martin and I have had the exact same telephone number since the day we got married.  (And my mom doesn’t even fill in our mailing address since it changed so frequently – like 2 different states & 2 different countries kind of changes in 2009 alone.)

We use VoIP – Voice Over Internet Protocol – for telephone.  Basically, our telephone connection is over the internet instead of your standard telephone jack.  We have to have high speed internet for it to work.  (Here’s a brief article describing VoIP.)

I have this guy to thank for giving me a constant American telephone number:

He configures our telephone/internet setup every time we move.

Then I test it.  And test it.

Right now we have a German telephone number and an American telephone number.  They both go through the same telephone.  (The US one costs far, far less.)  All we have to do is glance at the caller ID to know:

Answer the phone with a chirpy American, “Hello!”

Or say with a charming German flair, “Hallo.”

I prefer the “Hello” type of calls most of the time.  You can speak English faster than the wind in a tornado, and I will understand.  And answer!

But the “Hallo” calls usually involve me asking the person to speak slower, flagging down Martin, asking the person to speaker slower yet, and really just hoping for the best.

Well I usually like American telephone calls better.  Except when the caller forgets we’re currently in Germany with a major time change.  Calls at 2:00 a.m. are not so fun.  Neither are the 4:00 a.m. ones.

Anyone else out there using VoIP for telephone?  Or making calls overseas?  What’s your secret for long distance calls and organizing all of your contacts?  I’ll bet you have an on-call person with the latest addresses and contact info too, right?  What a blessing they are!

Now if you’ll excuse me, the phone just started ringing.  And it’s way, way too early for it to be a call from the US.  (big gulp of air… time to practice German… Martin?  You there?)

(Image taken at the Reichstag – the German Parliament building, which has a little cafe on top)