Phone Calls (not video) home
In Kuwait, there are plenty of AT&T call centers if you like paying for phone cards. I personally like free. For free calls home, there are several ways to do this:
1. Use the DSN phones for a moral and welfare calls. You can go to the TOC (tactical operation center) of your unit and use one of those phones and ask how to make a moral and welfare call. You can also go to the USO and make free calls using DSN.
2. VOIP! Use voice over ip. In other words call using your computer. Skype charges if you call a cell phone or land line. However, GOOGLE does this for FREE. Create a gmail account. Look at the left column under chat and you notice a "Call Phone" hyperlink. Click on that and then download the voice/video plugin. Of course you will need a microphone. All calls to the US are free! Can you believe that? Try it out.
3. Magic Jack is popular. There is a subscription and you have to have an internet connection.
Video Teleconference
This is huge to keep your personal morale up. Most laptops have their own video camera but there is a benefit in having one of those cameras that you have to plug in. At least here in Kuwait, the public computers that have Skype or any other video conferencing software do not have a camera. I just plugged my camera in there and was able to video teleconference...a nice convenience. Coordinating a video teleconference with your family might be hard, so I used the free text message options. Read text message options below.
1. Skype is very popular. Free of course.
2. Gmail. Yes. You can actually video teleconference using gmail or google chat.
3. Yahoo messenger also offers a video teleconference. 4. Logitech has their own software for video teleconference.
Texting Home
There are several ways to do this for free. Texting is a must to coordinate video teleconferencing or just sending those "Hey babe, I'm doing fine. Just wanted to tell you that I love ya and the kids too" messages.
1. Before you leave the US, get Google VOICE. Once you have set up your google voice, you can text any cell phone in the US for free. The nice thing about Google Voice is that you keep a history of the text conversation!
2. Yahoo email also allows you to text any cell phone for free.
3. Go to the carrier's website. For example, if your spouse has Sprint PCS go to the Sprint PCS and you can send him text messages for free from the Sprint PCS website. Unfortunately, you wont be able to receive text messages on this website. I don't recommend using this option, but it is available.
4. Facebook. You can text your spouse on facebook only if he/she has her smart phone connected to facebook. They basically would receive any facebook emails you send them as text messages on their phones.
Texting is a must to coordinate your video teleconference. I know that I recommended Google many times in this blog and I promise that I don't own their stock (I wish I did). I hope this helps. Stay safe out there.
