Prepaid phone card from Peru to USA?

Question

My daughter will have a trip to Peru shortly. Can I purchase a prepaid phonecard for her so that she can call us from Peru.

If so, how should she use the card?

Thanks

Answer 1

Hi,

No need to buy any card in the USA. She can buy an Hola Peru or Telefonica 147 (Tarjeta 147) card that can be used at any public telephone to make local or International calls.

These cards can be bought for as little as 3 Soles or more. 5 Soles will give you around 30 mins for a call to the USA.

Answer 2

Don't worry about trying to buy cards for her; she'll have no problem finding them there! I always use Tarjeta 147 to call home (US) when I'm in Peru. Of all the cards I have used it seems to have the best rates. Like the above answer says, S/.5 (five soles) will give you about 30 minutes to talk, and these phone cards often come with small bonuses or promotions.

She can buy the cards from most neighborhood stores (and probably grocery stores). I don't know if your daughter knows Spanish, but all she'd have to say is:

- "Tarjeta 147 tiene?" (147 is said as uno-cuatro-siete).

- If the cashier says "Si, de cuanto?" ("Yes, of what amount?"), she can choose the specific calling card she wants. I believe the most popular are S/.3, S/.5, and S/.10 although cards of higher credit to exist.

- If she wants the card with 5 soles, she'd just have to say "De cinco por favor" ("Of five please").

Using the cards is very easy. They come in transparent plastic packaging. Once opened you scratch off the indicated area to reveal the number underneath. From any phone she just has to dial 147. An automated voice will ask her to put in the number she just revealed. Once that number is entered, the automated voice will then ask for her to dial in the number she wants to call. To reach the US, she just has to dial 001 + (area code) +(phone number). The voice will then specify how many minutes are allowed for the call, and within a few seconds your phone should be ringing. :)

As a note, these cards can be re-used or "recharged". For example if she ends up with something like 40 cents on a card and that isn't enough to make a call, she can transfer that amount onto another card. That way she won't lose anything she paid for. Instructions on how to do this are located on most cards.

I hope your daughter has a great trip. Peru is a wonderful country!