jukes

Hi,
We use Skype to Skype for video calls and a prepay international calling card bought in CVS from our USA mobile to UK phones.
However is there a more cost effective way to call from either our USA computer or cell phones to a UK mobile and landline?
We have some family who don't have Skype and only a UK mobile. Is it worth paying via Skype to make these calls or any other way? Thanks
p.s our phones don't have webcams and the mobile in UK we want to call doesn't either

Norri

I use rebtel when I need to call from my mobile, it works pretty well. http://www.rebtel.com/?gclid=CKSl1IC...41280727b41ccc

AddyLaddy

I use Google Voice to call the UK. 2c per minute to landlines, not sure if it is the same rate to UK mobiles?

I don't use it from my cell phone though as we're on PAYG, instead I get GV to call my landline and it then connects me to the UK number.

jmood

Vonage. Its VOIP. If you buy the package landlines are all inclusive which is GREAT, then a cheap flat fee to mobiles.

dinosaur

Google Voice - use it from landline and from GV iPhone app.

2c/min to a landline....to a mobile, tariffs vary depending on destination carrier.

fatbrit

+1

For best results, connect an Obi110 to your network and you have a home phone line with free USA calls and cheap overseas calls.

k1journey

I personally use Callcentric and have done so for many years. You can setup a cheap VOIP connection inlcuding porting your number. It gives me calls to the UK for 2c/min for normal phones and 20c/min to mobiles.

Another awesome thing that they offer is that they have this Calling Card Feature which means I can call their access numbers (which they have all over the US) on my mobile and I can call the UK on my mobile for 2c a minute. The Mobile company sees that your dialing a US number so it just uses up my cell phones unlimited minutes that I have with my plan. I then get through to the UK for the same 2c/min. Just my 2c - no pun intended.

Phoodilicious

If you have a mobile/cell/smart phone and are planning on calling other peoples' mobile phones then both parties can download Viber (no cost) from their App store, call quality is perfect, calls use data/wifi and you can send sms and mms messages for free also internationally. Whatsapp is another free sms/mms messenger but not for voice, app (the app itself is just a few cents/pence). As someone else mentioned Skype is another option I use.

cpe111

vonage also offer a pin you can use from a mobile device to get the same rates as from your landline. It obviously still uses up minutes but its still pretty useful.

jukes

I decided to give Rebtel a try, I can use my USA cell phone (it is a basic one, not a smart phone), I have unlimited minutes, it then costs 1c a min to call a UK landline and 14.9c/min to call UK mobile. Cheaper than Skype's phone calls and don't have to be at my computer. So far so good!
Thanks for the suggestions!

CurlyWurly

Prices vary when calling certain mobile carriers in the UK.

I personally use Vonage and Google Voice. Both free apps downloaded to smartphone. Vonage offers VOIP but its a headache at times when you just want to have a conversation with someone without being cut off.

Google voice is .02c a min TO landlines in the UK even if you call from your mobile, I then get charged 0.10c a min for mobile to Mobile calls (O2) which is the cheapest I have found so far.

Vonage I use as my back up as they give you a local UK number your family and friends can call you on over there so it will not cost them anything ... however, you foot the bill at 0.13c a min if it goes to your mobile. The same price if you call their mobile, land lines I think are 0.5c a min.

BTW, I refuse to sign any long term contracts with any phone carrier here, and have found month to month being the best option ... Also, do not opt for paying more for 4G, they do not let the pee-ons who dont want to sign up for life with them like me get 4G, I figured that out quickly within a month that I was paying for it but only really getting 2G and sometimes 3G if I was in the right area.

Hope this helps.

gatsbygirl8

These options looks good, but what confuses me is what we need to get started. Right now, all we have are cheap PAYG mobiles that we put $10 credit on each month. No landline, no smartphones, not even regular cell phones with a contract package.

To use Google Voice or one of these other plans, what do we need to do? Get a landline first? Or upgrade to better cell phones with a contract?

fatbrit

To use Google Voice or Callcentric as a home POTS (plain old telephone service), you will need:
1/ A broadband Internet service
2/ A router
3/ An ATA (analogue telephone adapter), e.g. the Obi110 I linked to earlier
4/ A plain old telphone

Notes:
a) Some VOIP providers use a propietary ATA supplied with the service, e.g. Vonage. These are locked to their service.
b) For the Google service, only the Obi and Oomi ATAs are compatible AFAIK.
c) Bundling of Internet with phone service by either your cable or telco utility often complicates your cost analysis.

CurlyWurly

[QUOTE=gatsbygirl8;10039280]These options looks good, but what confuses me is what we need to get started. Right now, all we have are cheap PAYG mobiles that we put $10 credit on each month. No landline, no smartphones, not even regular cell phones with a contract package.

To use Google Voice or one of these other plans, what do we need to do? Get a landline first? Or upgrade to better cell phones with a contract?[/QUOTE]

Confusing isnt it ???? welcome to technology ... Ok, so You dont have to sign into a contract to upgrade your cell phones to smartphones. You can easily either buy one at the store where you would buy the monthly minutes (walmart, bestbuy, radioshack ... just about every grocery store .. etc) or get a used or new one from Ebay or online anywhere. If you buy one from Ebay (high risk), make sure it is unlocked & is on the GSM network or not unlocked but with a carrier you prefer to use. Unlocked means you can use whatever carrier you like, as long as they offer sim cards for you to buy to obtain their service (which most carriers do). All carriers carry month to month plans nowadays, no contract needed. I personally prefer GSM phones as when you travel to europe (like England) you can use the phone there too, just buy another sim card (for a UK carrier) and get the mins you need.

Hope this helps a bit.

scrubbedexpat099

Rebtel

Works both ways.