I was just trying to remember the last time I made a collect call (also known as "reverse charges" in some places). It was probably the mid 1980's. I think it is a calling method that is now completely obsolete.
It was an expensive way to call. The only thing more expensive was person-to-person collect.
Even more expensive, probably the most expensive thing known to man, was a collect call from Mexico to the United States. They were: $10 surcharge just for thinking about it, plus a collect call charge with 3-minute minimum, plus the highest per-minute international rate on the face of the earth. Mortgage the farm, there's a collect call coming in from Mexico! For the price of a few collect calls, you could just go there.
I had a friend in Mexico who called me collect one time and somehow talked the operator into not saying that the call was from Mexico. Ouch! I was hoping he was calling from San Diego, but no, it was Guadalajara. There was no long-distance hiss on the line either, so he totally got one over on me.
Remember when long-distance calls had a lot of noise and hiss? It has been awhile.
I had a roommate in college who was from Zimbabwe. When he called home, he had to yell into the phone due to the noise on the line. After five minutes, the call would disconnect anyway. He'd always blame it on South Africa. I now don't remember why.
Fuenteovejuna did it 
Thank god I can call Mexico landlines for an added 5 bucks a month. That's a steal compared to prices back then!
It really has gotten better. Up until nearly the 90's, to call globally you had to be a rich person or have a company paying for it.
My last collect call was to Speedo Corporation yesterday, to get you all a larger photo of swimwear :jester: 😀
Originally posted by operainchicago:
Now that's something that Dave in particular will be happy with 😉 .Yes, it's known as reverse charges in the UK. I took a reverse charge call on my mobile about a year and a half ago from my Goddaughter. Never again. It cost something like ten pounds a minute. I stopped topping up my mobile and changed networks rather than pay for the whole cost. I still owe that rip off reverse charge firm something like twenty pounds. :irked: