What Is a Collect Call?
A collect call is a phone call in which the called party pays the charges, rather than the calling party, as is conventional. Collect calling is available in most regions of the world, and it can be a very valuable tool in emergency situations. The process for making a collect call varies depending on the nation, but can usually be accomplished in an emergency by dialing 0 for the operator, and requesting that the operator put through a collect call. When someone makes a collect call, the phone rings on the other end, and when someone answers the phone, he or she is informed that someone is attempting to make a collect call. If the called party accepts the call and the charges, the calling party will be put through. The charges for collect calls can be more expensive than those for regular calls, especially when the call crosses an international border, and the called party may want to request information about the rates before accepting the call. Historically, collect calls were route
