[MATHA531]

You would probably not want to use Orange FR (mobilcarte) to call the USA...what you do is get a calling card with a local dialing number...I use bizon...it used to be 2¢/minute to call the USA. It has a local Paris number so you ring that number and pay the inflated (French prepaid rates are among the highest in the world but they do have package that reduce them somewhat) anyway you call the local French number and use the ld card to call the USA.

Problem is that while Orange FR has not prevented calls to the bizon number, they have a tone that keeps going off that is a bit distracting (I hear the tone, don't know if the callee does). As a general rule, this is usually the way you deal with calls to the USA from European local prepaids; the notable exceptions I know of are in the UK where there are packages (Mobile World, Orange) that allow calls to the USA for 5p/minute while T Mobile UK has a plan that will cut this to 4p/minute.

On another note although it is not necessary because of the rates noted above, Orange UK does not allow calls to go through to the bizon UK number.

Ah yes competition when prices are obnoxeously high can be a wonderful thing but of course those who have these high prices do everything in their power to keep people from taking advantage of lower prices when they can. What a wonderful world.