Calling a Chinese mobile from outside...

[cute7]

Hey!

I hope this is the best forum to put this question in.

Currently my Chinese girlfriend does not have a telephone in her apartment which leaves only her mobile for telecommunication. I never had difficulties to call a telephone in China with all those extra numbers. But somehow when I try calling her mobile it won't bring me through.

Is it possible that it's not possible to call mobiles from outside China?

If it's possible and someone knows how to do it, could you explain to me what exactly I have to dial to come through? For example if her mobile number starts with 138XXXXXXX.

I would be very grateful for any help given. :mrgreen:

If this is of importance, I am in Germany. And she is in Shanghai.

[liuzhou]

Yes, you can call mobiles.

First dial the international access code from your country (usually 00) then 86 for China then the number as usual.

So probably 0086138XXXXXXXX

[cute7]

Ok, I didn't try it like this yet. I always used a third party provider for cheaper calls.

The stuff I dialed ended up like this: 010450086138XXXXXXX

I will try it without the third party provider and it will probably work. Too bad then that we can't use third party providers to call mobiles. They really are cheaper at least in my country.

Speaking of a difference of several Euros. Anyway, thanks for the quick answer.

Anyone knows if charges for calling mobiles in China are expensive? Or is it solely the issue of my local telecom provider? Sorry for being so inexperienced.

[md1101]

use skype if you can. im in the same situation as you and if i need to call i just use skype. its very cheap to call chinese mobiles. just dial +86##########

these days we just use skype over the internet so its free...

[csit]

Here's a link to a recent article in the NY Times that surveys cheap or free internet phone services:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/02/technology/circuits/02pogue.html?n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fP%2fPogue%2c%20David&_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=all

Maybe some useful ideas in there.

[gougou]

Second the recommendation for Skype. I've done that from Germany, it definitely works. The rate is 1.7 euro cents/minute.

[cute7]

Thanks everyone. I will look into this Skype and see if it's feasible or not.

[atitarev]

In Australia, the cheapest way is to use telephone cards, if you can't use Skype or other online chatting tool (MSN, Yahoo Messenger, etc).

[Lu]

Now I'm not entirely sure if this also goes for Chinese mobiles, but any time I call to any phone abroad I have to call: number for calling out - country code - area code/start of mobile phone no, but minus the first zero - rest of the number.

So for your girlfriend you need to call 00-86-38XXXXXXX (leave out the first 1).

I hope this works!

Edit: but if you can use skype, it's much cheaper, do look into it.

In Holland we have 'phone shops', places that have some payphones and sell an array of phone cards to call cheapy to all conceivable countries. Ask a Chinese in Germany which card is the best.

[gougou]

So for your girlfriend you need to call 00-86-38XXXXXXX (leave out the first 1).

I have never heard of leaving out the 1 (leaving out the 0 is pretty much universal though). The one occasion where I made a direct call from Germany, I included the 1.

If you left it out, wouldn't you end up in a random province. E.g. my number is 1352..., if you leave out the 1, you'll end up in Datong (area code 0352), no?

[gamequeen]

yeah. i have never~~~

[Lu]

I guess I was wrong about the first 1 then.

Cute7, how did it go, did you manage to call your GF?

[cute7]

Hi! Yes it works without the Call-by-Call telcom. Thanks for all your help.

[madizi]

Thank you all it solves my problem too!