Calling Cards?

SpaceCanada · Post by **SpaceCanada** » Thu May 27, 2004 5:04 pm

In the "Mission Briefing Kit" it states that Space Camp only accepts MCI calling cards? I have a few questions about that...

First off, what is MCI? I'm guessing it is a United States thing.

Secondly, during my previous trips to Space Camp I could use my calling card from my local phone company, which then charges the call to my telephone bill at home. It is not a magnetic strip or gold decal card, just a bunch of numbers I type in after I dial 0 + my telephone number. Can I still use this type of card on the telephones at camp?

If not, I doubt I can get a MCI card up here and so I will have to bring my mobile phone and use that.

Strange...

Anyway, if someone could help me clarify that, it would be much appreciated.

LaRsOnAtRiXkIx · Post by **LaRsOnAtRiXkIx** » Thu May 27, 2004 8:27 pm

there are phones that arent pay phones that you can use MCI phone cards on, and y ou dont get charged extra, if you use a pay phone and a calling card they deduct like 7 minutes or something to cover the fee for using the pay phone. MCI is an american i guess, phone company like AT&T and stuff.
i don't see why you wouldn't be able to use the kind of card tha t you used before.

Space Nerd · Post by **Space Nerd** » Fri May 28, 2004 12:21 am

If you use the phones that say 'Local use only' on them you can use any calling card (AT&T being what i use). I have no idea what MCI is either and im from America lol. Actually i think its a phone company but i have never seen an MCI phone card so i guess it dosnt apply. But you should be ok with your card if you use the local phones.

Benji · Post by **Benji** » Fri May 28, 2004 1:44 pm

Don't worry about not having an MCI card, you'll ba able to use any calling card. MCI-Worldcom, by the way, is a very major international phone company. I own shares of the company that are worth almost nothing now since that whole scandal thing not too long ago.

SpaceCanada · Post by **SpaceCanada** » Fri May 28, 2004 2:43 pm

Thanks for the information. I thought it was strange to only be able to use one particular type of calling card.

Funny story:
A few weeks before I visited Space Camp last they changed the area codes for Alberta. Trying to ring home to a new area code is no fun. The operator kept telling me that my area code didn't exist! Crazy people, obviously they didn't get the memo about the new codes. They managed to put me through after about 10 minutes of confusion.

CastAway · Post by **CastAway** » Fri May 28, 2004 5:09 pm

Hmm... interesting story about changing area codes...

As for calling cards, I think Space Camp just gets some money from MCI or something... my sheet says "MCI recommended," not "MCI only."

spacemusician · Post by **spacemusician** » Sat May 29, 2004 12:33 am

plus you can always buy cards at the handy dandy card machiene thats in the lobby right outside of the uat and those defintly work

meg · Post by **meg** » Sat May 29, 2004 10:57 am

Benji wrote:Don't worry about not having an MCI card, you'll ba able to use any calling card. MCI-Worldcom, by the way, is a very major international phone company. I own shares of the company that are worth almost nothing now since that whole scandal thing not too long ago.

ethlar04 · Post by **ethlar04** » Sun May 30, 2004 12:09 am

Last year when they first started this whole MCI thing my mom panicked cause she couldnt get their cards. So she called, the issue was that camp reduced the number of phones available in the buildings, we were told that they deal with all their telephone stuff through MCI. Because if this it was suposed to make using an MCI card at camp easier and better than anything else you could use. I used a Giant brand 60 minute card at a payphone to make 2 phonecalls the entire 2 weeks i was there (one home as soon as i got off the plane to make the camp happy, and one to a friend when i was bored between sessions) and still have and use that card today

AC_Shrek · Post by **AC_Shrek** » Sun May 30, 2004 10:30 am

This is a bigger issue with the younger kids. They aren't quite as advanced as you guys and ladies. I have dealt with many a crying younger kid who had calling card issues. They are all much much better off just bringing an MCI card cause a lot of times they dont have the experience with the phones you guys and ladies do. Plus there aren't as many use any card phones as there are MCI's so sometimes the line gets fairly long for those with the people that know how to do it. Most of the time you are just better off to get an MCI card cause it is less of a hassle. There is nothing harder for me to deal with than a homesick 10 year old who can't get a phone card to work. It usually takes 5 minutes to figure out that is the problem. But I guess none of you are homesick 10 year olds lol. One kid walked up to me smiling and said this sentence: "I'm having trouble with my card and i can't get ahold of my mommy", by the time he said mommy there were tears shooting out of his eyes and he was hyperventilating. Poor little guy. Took one of the bosses 10 minutes to calm him down and another 10 to teach him how to use a different kind of card. Ok i will stop ranting now lol.

meg · Post by **meg** » Sun May 30, 2004 10:49 am

awwwww. i miss those good ol' days.

spacemusician · Post by **spacemusician** » Sun May 30, 2004 11:12 am

whats the rules about bringing cells to camp i mean i always thought they were not allowd but this winter at camp there were 3 or 4 people how had them and actually used them during the day around camp?

AC_Shrek · Post by **AC_Shrek** » Sun May 30, 2004 11:51 am

Depends on the counselor i suppose. Officially you aren't supposed to have them with you during the day but you can keep them in your room to use at night.

meg · Post by **meg** » Sun May 30, 2004 1:19 pm

spacemusician wrote:whats the rules about bringing cells to camp i mean i always thought they were not allowd but this winter at camp there were 3 or 4 people how had them and actually used them during the day around camp?

oh no. not again.

ethlar04 · Post by **ethlar04** » Sun May 30, 2004 9:45 pm

I believe the answer to that question lies in the Fun things to bring to camp thread, towards the end.

meg · Post by **meg** » Sun May 30, 2004 9:59 pm

though it kinda went from fun things to bring to camp to things that you can get yelled at for having and have them taken away with the chance of being thrown out.

tennisrox014 · Post by **tennisrox014** » Sun May 30, 2004 10:13 pm

and that slowly evolved from things you can get yelled at for having and have taken away with the chance of being thrown out to things that will get you tortured for having followed by you being exiled from camp... FOREVER!!!

tennisrox014 · Post by **tennisrox014** » Sun May 30, 2004 10:13 pm

ethlar04 · Post by **ethlar04** » Sun May 30, 2004 11:06 pm

I must say WOW!!!
i dont know if we ever got that far on that post, but il check again.

tennisrox014 · Post by **tennisrox014** » Sun May 30, 2004 11:16 pm

yeah , might've overexaggerated that one