How To Make Free Collect Calls from India to USA

Collect calls and calls to 1-800 numbers should be free, right? Unfortunately in India, there isn’t a simple way to call a 1-800 number in USA or make a simple collect call for free. However there is a way and it is free.

AT&T provides a number to make collect calls from India (to USA). The number is 000-117. You need to use BSNL / MTNL lines to make the call. You still cannot call 1-800 numbers. However if the company you are calling has a normal number which accepts collect call the you are golden. If there is a person at the other end accepting the call and the charges then you are all set. However when you are calling any organization like a bank, there will often be an automated message saying that they accept collect calls. Unfortunately machines do not normally accept it, so you need to get the operator in such cases. Dialing 0 is what will get you the operator. Tell him the number, tell your name and you are all set.

BTW: Previously there was a MCI number too for making collect calls. I couldn’t locate it. However there is a mysterious service on 000-126 which calls itself “world wide access”. Down the menu it asks for “world service code” or calling card number. It also allows you to make collect calls. However I haven’t used it.

Just now I finished a collect call to USA, following the procedure above with 000-127 number. So go ahead and make your first collect call from India.