Telephone plans and fees vary widely. Here are some of the basics of the U.S. phone system.

Phone numbers in the U.S. are seven digits. Each phone number in the U.S. also has a three-digit area code. The area code for West Los Angeles, including the Getty Center and the Getty Villa, is (310). If you are calling from one number to another within the same area code, just dial the seven-digit number. If you are calling from one area code to another, dial "1" plus the area code before the seven-digit phone number.

Public pay phones can be found on street corners, in train and bus stations, and in hotel lobbies, bars, and restaurants. You will need change in coins (quarters, dimes and nickels) to make a call. A local call usually costs at least 35 cents. Many public pay phones now take credit cards, but beware of paying by credit card unless you know exactly how much a call will cost - pay phones can charge extremely high fees.

If you need assistance locating a phone number, you can call directory assistance at 411. Note that you may need to pay a fee.

For help with local numbers dial 411. There is usually a charge for this service.

For help with long-distance numbers, dial 1 plus the area code plus 555-1212. You will be billed for a call to this area code. For help with toll-free numbers, call 1 (800) 555-1212. This call is free.

1 (800) FREE-411 is a directory assistance service which requires that you to listen to advertisements before they give you the phone number that you requested at no cost.

Most calls from a landline within a 20- or 30-mile radius are toll-free.

Here are the area codes for the areas around the Getty. Most calls within these area codes are toll-free (Note, however, that two locations with the same area code can be so far apart that calls between them count as non-local calls and cost more.)

To make a long-distance call within the U.S., dial 1 plus the area code plus the 7-digit phone number. Long-distance calls are much more expensive than local calls. Long-distance calls are billed per minute.

Long-distance calls are cheaper during late evening and early morning hours, and calls from land line phones are always cheaper than those from public pay phones.

An alternate to buying long-distance service is to purchase a prepaid long-distance calling card available in many gas stations and grocery stores. These can also be used to make international calls.

International calls are the most expensive of all. To make a call from within the U.S. to another country, dial 011 plus the country code plus the area code plus the phone number. CountryCallingCodes.com (www.countrycallingcodes.com) provides a helpful list of country codes.

The country code for the U.S. is +1. California is in the Pacific Time Zone (GMT minus 8 hours), and the state also observes daylight saving time.

International Prepaid Calling Cards
International prepaid calling cards offer very competitive rates and service fees depending on which country you are calling. These prepaid calling cards can also be purchased online. Gas stations and small convenience stores usually have posters outlining the difference between service providers. Compare cards to find the best deal.

800, 866, 877 and 888 are the area codes for toll-free numbers.

Most such toll-free numbers can only be used within the U.S.; some can only be used within a particular state, and some can only be used only outside a particular state.

Many businesses with toll-free numbers use "name" numbers to make their phone numbers easier to remember, e.g.: 1-800-123-TAXI. All U.S. phones have both letters as well as numbers printed on the dial; just press the numbers corresponding to the letters in the "name" number.

To find a toll-free number for a business, dial 1-800-555-1212 to reach toll-free directory assistance.

Landlines are phone lines in your home or office. More and more people are using their cell phone exclusively and canceling their landline, but a home phone can be useful as a backup, if you make many local calls, or if you use a dial-up modem. You will also need a landline if you live in an apartment building with an alarm system that requires you to have a phone to communicate with visitors and delivery people.

The main providers of residential phone service in Los Angeles are AT&T (www.att.com) and Verizon (www.verizon.com).

Choosing a Long-Distance Carrier
You will also need to chose a long-distance carrier if you want to use your landline for calls beyond your local calling area. AT&T, Verizon, Sprint (www.sprint.com), and Working Assets (www.workingassets.com), among others, offer long-distance service from Los Angeles. Check their Web sites to compare services and prices.

Cheaper Options for Long Distance
You can opt not to have a long distance provider and instead use a calling card, cell phone, or 10-10 numbers, which route your calls through companies that offer lower rates than many long distance services; these numbers are useful for international calls.

Long-distance calls within the United States are free on cell phones, although you will have to pay any charges for minutes used.

Using the Internet for Long-Distance Calls
Internet phone companies generally offer better rates than the big long-distance companies such as AT&T. If you have a computer, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a good option for making phone calls. See the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau's Web site on VoIP at www.fcc.gov/voip/ for further information.

Cell phones, or mobile phones, are common in the U.S. Cell phone companies offer a huge range of plans, some with a fixed number of minutes per month and some with an unlimited number of minutes. Most U.S. cell phone companies require you to sign up for a minimum one-year contract, and many also require a $500 or greater deposit if you do not have sufficient U.S. credit history.

The major cell phone companies operating in the U.S. are AT&T (www.att.com), Verizon (www.verizon.com), Sprint (www.sprint.com), and T-Mobile (www.t-mobile.com). You can buy a cell phone and a cell-phone plan online or at any of the hundreds of cell phone stores throughout Los Angeles and the U.S.

Prepaid Cell Service
Prepaid SIM cards are not as easily available in the U.S. as they are in other parts of the world. However, T-Mobile and Cingular have started to offer a prepaid service. It is expensive but offers a good alternative to a 12-month commitment.

Cell Phone Frequencies
American cell phones function on different cellular systems than those in Europe and other parts of the world. For example, while GSM operates at 900 MHz and 1800 MHz frequencies outside the U.S., within the U.S. it only works at 850 MHz and 1900 MHz. Other networks used within the U.S. are CDMA at 1900 MHz, and, to a lesser extent, TDMA at 800 MHz and 1900 MHz.

Using Your Cell Phone in the U.S.
Unless you have a tri-band phone, it is unlikely that a cell phone from outside the U.S. will work inside the U.S.

If you are coming from overseas and want to use your cell phone in America, check with your provider to ensure that the phone is capable of working on one of the American systems and frequencies and to find out what the call charges will be.

Depending on the length of your visit to the U.S. you may wish to rent a phone capable of working on the U.S. networks from your home cell phone company, or simply leave your home cell phone behind and sign up for a new U.S. cell phone service.