Yes, I will eventually visit Poland (but Scanadanvia is next).

The card is here,
http://www.comfi.com/Phone-Card/Chopin

it has toll-free numbers in many countries, including Poland. The following number can be called countrywide using a payphone (or at least that's what it's supposed to do). 00-800-111-4553.

The number in the UK is 0-800-358-7120.

I bought this card because it has per second billing, no connection fee, no maintenance fee, toll-free numbers (in many countries), no taxes, and it's valid for at least 3 months.

The only part I don't like is the payphone surcharge per call (99UScents), and the outgoing rate to mobiles (20p/minute), but remember it's billed by the second (or that's what they advertise).

I bought this phone card in vain until I heard about the ASDA SIm card in the UK. I will purchase the SIM, and not use this card (except for when my cellphone doesnt work), but then I will still have my VOIP software (via net), so I don't know if I will ever use this card.

Some of those Comfi accounts can be switched to a different brand with them; I haven't checked if that is one

That's what I supposed. 00-800 numbers are not free in Poland. They are charged "per call" from landlines and "per minute" from Orange SIMs (not available from other local SIMs). To call such numbers from payphones you must have a chip payphone card and the call will cost one "billing unit" per call. I also suppose that those 00-800 payment rules won't change by the time you arrive here :-(

Well, it seems that using this card for national calls in Poland simply makes no sense. At the current exchange rate, if you get ANY Polish SIM, you'll pay AT MOST about 35 US cents/min to any national landline or mobile number with per-second billing and without any per call surcharge.

This just proves how useless phone cards are then.

They advertise Global Access Numbers nowadays, they don't even call them toll-free anymore (probably because they know their cards don't work toll free from payphones).

I guess I will buy a Polish SIM on arrival, and consider my Chopin phone card purchase a mistake (lesson learned).

In the UK, tmobile offers free SIMS, and Asdamobile sells sims for 3 pounds. Is there a company offering free SIMS (via the post mail) in Poland?

I now feel more inclined to stop using phone cards alltogether and depend on local SIMS everywhere I go.

If you do have one of these... you can make very cheap international calls through them e.g. USA, Canada at 3p/min. (even cheaper than calling the UK) In most cases much cheaper than an international phonecard. If you search for yourcallworld here in the forum you will find out how.

Well, they could hire a real toll free (=local 0 800) number for use in Poland which could be available also from payphones and even mobile phones. However, this would require some arrangment with local operators. Setting a 00-800 number is an access number for Poland is much easier, I suppose. Of course, it won't be toll free but who cares :-P?

You're right. However, the Chopin basic per minute rate 55 cents/min for Poland to Polish mobile phones (disregarding the payphone per-call surcharges 99 cents + local payphone access >15 cents per call) is better than "direct" rate payphone to Polish mobile :-). It's because payphones are pretty expensive here and basically for any destination a better mobile tariff can be found.


Yes, at of today, Orange, but sends to Polish addresses only. However, all SIM brands can be easily purchased at 5 to 30 PLN (moreless $2 to $12) and usually 90-100% of the price is available credit (100% on all cards >=20 PLN).

In some countries there is some beaurocracy mess when purchasing even a prepaid SIM (so far not in Poland). Are you prepared for this ;-)?

i think i have no choice but to buy prepaid sims in every country i go to, and use those in combination with the cheapest voip available at the time.

The hell with Chopin