Destination

Telephone

Before using a telephone in a hotel, check for surcharges on long-distance and local calls, which can be astronomical. If so, you're better off using a public pay telephone, which you'll find in most public buildings and private establishments as well as in hotel lobbies and on the street. Many convenience stores sell prepaid calling cards in denominations up to $50; these can be the least expensive way to call home. Local calls made from public pay phones usually cost 25¢. In smaller Alaska communities, you may have to wait for the person you are calling to answer before quickly putting the money in the phone. Pay phones do not accept pennies or anything larger than a quarter.

Most long-distance and international calls can be dialed directly from any phone. For long-distance calls within Alaska and the United States and to Canada, dial 1 followed by the three-digit area code and the seven-digit number. An area code of 800, 888, or 877 is toll free from anywhere. However, calls to numbers in area codes 700 and 900 (chat lines, bulletin boards, "dating" services, and so on) can be very expensive -- usually a charge of 95¢ to $3 or more per minute, and they sometimes have minimum charges that can run as high as $15 or more.

For international calls to places other than Canada, dial 011 followed by the country code, city code, and telephone number of the person you are calling. U.S. area codes and international country codes are listed in the front of the White Pages telephone directory, or dial 0 to get a country code from the operator. If you're calling the United States from another country, the country code is 01.

For collect, operator-assisted, and person-to-person calls, dial 0 (the number zero) followed by the area code and number you want; an operator will then come on the line, and you should specify that you are calling collect, or person-to-person, or both. If your operator-assisted call is international, ask for the overseas operator.

For local directory assistance ("information"), dial 411; for long-distance information, dial 1, then the appropriate area code and 555-1212.

There are two kinds of telephone directories in the United States. The so-called White Pages list private households and business subscribers in alphabetical order; the Yellow Pages list businesses and organizations categorized by the services they provide. In Alaska, the two directories are contained in the same book in all towns except Anchorage. Look in the front of the White Pages for emergency numbers and instructions on making long-distance calls. Blue pages near the front of the White Pages directory list numbers for government agencies

Cellular Phone Coverage -- The populated portion of the state and most of the paved highways have cellular coverage. The largest provider is an Alaska company called ACS. AT&T has the second best network. I if you plan to use your phone, check with your wireless provider to make sure it will work in Alaska and to find out just how badly you will be gouged on roaming charges.