{"id":86281,"date":"2020-10-07T08:58:41","date_gmt":"2020-10-07T08:58:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/staging.expatinfodesk.com\/?page_id=86281"},"modified":"2022-11-24T13:36:36","modified_gmt":"2022-11-24T13:36:36","slug":"communication","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.expatinfodesk.com\/destinations\/new-york-city\/communication\/telephone\/","title":{"rendered":"Communication"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Landlines<\/h3>\n

New York City is one of the best-connected cities in the world. The city is served by a world-class communications network that can connect the city to the most remote locations around the world. In this digital age when communications networks are constantly being overhauled, the city continues to provide landline telephone services. These are quickly being replaced, however, by digital phone services which come bundled with your cable and internet broadband services. Many New Yorkers, especially younger New Yorkers don’t usually think it is necessary to have a landline connection as they effectively conduct their lives by extensively using their cell phones and internet broadband services.<\/p>\n

The two main providers of landline phone services in the New York City area are Verizon (http:\/\/www22.verizon.com\/<\/a>) and AT&T (http:\/\/www.att.com\/<\/a>). Both of these telecommunication companies offer a wide variety of plans that include unlimited calling and long-distance plans which can be ordered on the phone at 888-583-8111 (Verizon) and 800\u2013Call-ATT (AT&T) and even online through their websites.<\/p>\n

However, before any phone service can be set up for you, the phone company usually performs an address verification check online. They do this when they ask you to type in your address as you order your phone connection. As an expatriate with little or no credit history in the US, you may also be asked to pay a deposit before the company can supply you with your phone connection. This deposit is usually returned at the end of a year when the phone company has ascertained that you have been paying your bills regularly and promptly.<\/p>\n

Once you have set up your account a technician will be sent to your residence to set up your phone connection. Phone companies usually charge phone maintenance or an inside line maintenance charge. This charge usually appears in your bill monthly and is worth subscribing to as it covers premise visits by the technician which otherwise are charged at exorbitant rates. Typically, a phone line is activated within 48 hours. You can expect to pay $40 upwards per month if you do opt to have a landline in New York City though nowadays many New Yorkers prefer to use only their cell phones rather than have the bother of a landline.<\/p>\n

Private numbers in New York City are made up of 7 numbers and have the following area codes 212 \/ 917 \/ 718 \/ 646 \/ 347 prefixed before the. To dial a number in New York city you usually have to dial 11 numbers which include 1 + area code + 7 digit private telephone number.<\/p>\n

In order to dial out internationally from New York City, you have to dial 011 + country code + city code and then the local number. Telephone numbers that begin with 800, 888, 877 have to be preceded with 1 and are toll-free numbers. Payphones are located all over the city and accept .25 cents coins or quarters.<\/p>\n

It is extremely expensive to call overseas from a pay phone and if you don’t have a long distance plan on your home phone you can always buy a prepaid phone card from one of the many newsagent\u2019s kiosks which are located all over the city. These phone cards tend to use VOIP services and offer extremely competitive rates and are convenient to use.<\/p>\n

A relatively new phenomenon on New York City\u2019s telecommunications scenario is the internet phone service. This phone service is usually plugged into a cable modem. Most internet-based phone service providers offer unlimited calling to the rest of the USA and Canada<\/a> as well. This internet-based phone service is usually sold bundled with a high-speed internet connection and cable TV in a package called Triple Play which is priced around $100 a month.<\/p>\n

Some companies providing this service are:<\/p>\n