Private telephone numbers in the United States are almost always 7 numbers, usually accompanied by the 3 digit area code and a number 1 at the beginning when calling long distance. Phone numbers appear with the area code in parentheses in this format 1(111) 111-1111. Telephone numbers beginning with the area code 800 , 888 or 877 are free. To make international calls dial 011+country code+number. Some frequent country codes:

• To call the USA: 0 01
• To call Germany: 0 1149
• To call Austria: 0 1143
• To call Switzerland: 0 1141

San Francisco is well connected and you should be able to call from anywhere, anytime. However, the easiest and/or cheapest way may vary. The cheapest way is to use a phone card which may be purchased at supermarkets, newsstands, and convenience stores for an allotted amount of time. Phoning from hotels is the most convenient when visiting, but outside of local calls is very expensive. Phone booths have gone out of vogue with the popularity of cell phones, but can occasionally be found and take change. To reach information, dial 411.

To set-up a new account dial 0 on the phone and asked to be transferred to new accounts. You may also set-up long distance service in the same manner. There are reductions from 35 to 60% between 5 pm and 8 am and during the weekend for long-distance. Usually it is cheapest to call long distance on your cell phone so consulate your plan. Phone lines are often packaged with internet service or cable/satellite TV services. Some popular companies are Sprint and AT&T. Verizon is the most common provider of phone service in NYC. You can sign up on-line and find their rates and special discount offers.

For other providers, consult San Francisco's yellowpages.

To compare companies and prices consult http://www.abtolls.com/.

For Long Distance Telephone Service:

• AT&T: 800/222-0300
• MCI: 800/950-5555
• Sprint: 800/877-4646
• RCN: 888/790-2121