Calling home from Afghanistan

[demerchant]

Hi,,, I am going to Afghanistan next month with a civilian contractor to work as a welder.  I will be working for a Canadian company there.  I was wondering if anyone that has been there would know anything about using internet phone (voip) or anything that would make it convenient to call home.  Is it restricted there and if not what is the best set up.  Appreciate any help you can give me...


Thanks

 

[RCR Grunt]

Canada house broadcasts free wireless internet, you use your calling card to set it up.  You should be good to go with VOIP if you can gain access to the network and maintain a strong enough signal with your laptop.  If both you and the person back home use Skype, it will be a free Skype to Skype call.  I don't see this being an issue, however I am basing this off of what I was told before my tour ended.  You could be limited to a certain amount of bandwidth or other such limitations that may make a program like Skype or other VOIP programs difficult or impossible to use.  Maybe someone with more recent experience on the KAF can enlighten us further.

 

[demerchant]

I appreciate the response, and I am leaning towards Skype.  But would def love to hear anything else anyone has to say. There are only a couple of places I would like to call.

Thanks

 

[Thompson_JM]

If youre going over with CANCAP I belive you will get the same Card that we were issued with... 35 minutes a week of welfare phone time and can be used anytime (except Comms Lockouts) and it would recharge every monday. as far as VOIP goes, I know there was wireless when I was there at Canada House, and the Americans also had a pay internet service that we could have hooked up into our rooms. (i think that was the best option for VOIP phonning...) I never went beyond basic MSN and Facebook for talking to my freinds and Family back home.

hope that helps a little.

Tommy

 

[1feral1]

In Iraq, and Kuwait in US operated facilities (should be the same in AFG) AT&T sell calling cards thru the US PX for different amounts. The more the card, the more minutes you get, and both Canada and the US have the same country code, so it costs the same to ring both locs. AT&T have phone trailers located at certain FOBs/bases. Ask around.

SPARWAR phones are used in the US MWR facilities, I never bought a card, but it was cheaper than AT&T. They also have free INet as do the USO. Limited to 30 mins on the Inet if i remember right. Contact the TPNs who run the place for info how to buy SPARWAR cards. The phones are in the MWR locs, and you are limited to 15 mins at a go.

Watch for them.

Good luck and keep safe.


Wes

 

[sigtech]

My only worrie for you is that if you are planing to use VOIP from what I am hearing the bandwidth is limited and mite not be wide enough for you to get a clear call threw.

 

[demerchant]

Yeah that is a very true possibility.  Maybe just have to use msn and a mic and webcam.  I appreciate all your help though guys,,

 

[BigRudy]

I wasn't around KAF much, but I believe there is an AT&T trailer on the boardwalk. You can get phone cards at the PX, I think.

 

[Thompson_JM]

My only worrie for you is that if you are planing to use VOIP from what I am hearing the bandwidth is limited and mite not be wide enough for you to get a clear call threw.

I new a couple guys who did have that problem.. but there were also alot of people who did the whole Video conference thing with sound over MSN while they sat at canada house...

so i think some programs will work, and some wont... only way to know for sure is to try really... or talk to someone at network innovations.

 

[Sig_Des]

Yeah that is a very true possibility.  Maybe just have to use msn and a mic and webcam.  I appreciate all your help though guys,,

And if you want more privacy for that, in the welfare computer trailers, there are some dedicated computers for msn w/ mic and cam

 

[sigtech]

MSN should work via VOIP do to packet size and compression. MSN has a high compression rate so you lose some of the quality for a higher guarantee of being able to connect.