Russ&Jayne

My expat wife is back in the UK while I'm left behind (alas!) in the U.S. I've been calling her mobile on a budget card (a crap US card, she calls it, with considerable justification), and the quality is hideous. I can get a great connection for about 19 cents US / min, but that's pricey. Can anyone suggest a card (preferably one you're using) that gives decent quality for calling a UK mobile and won't break the bank? Thanks.

--Russ

Big D

Skype/Voipbuster etc etc - internet phone if you have broadband - this is about 2 or 3 cents a minute and good quality. If your wife has broadband too then the calls are free. You can use computer mic and speakers or get a USB phone!

Good luck with it!

Englishmum

Skype all the way:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=347534


I've been talking with my husband this evening - who was in his hotel room in Geneva. We were on Skype, using our laptops and we both have webcams. We were able to see each other and spoke for 70 minutes. It didn't cost a penny! Picture and sound quality is top-rate.

Yes, you can use Skype to phone mobiles and landlines in the UK and anywhere else around the world...although you do pay more to call mobiles - the rates are on the Skype website.

CaliforniaBride

You popped your cyber sex cherry a couple of weeks back. Are you still at it?


---
1w 4d 20:39 smoke-free, 176 cigs not smoked, $30.80 saved, 14:40 life saved

BigDavyG

If you're trying to call a UK mobile most options will be pricey-ish as far as i know, even skype, ec.
If your wife's mobile comes with monthly free minutes have her call you using 08452445445 - its a UK national rate number so her free minutes will cover it. If she has no free minutes calls will be charged at local rate. I used it for years before i came over here and the quality is usually pretty good.

Rushman

Get a webcam. then it don't matter about the sound quality you can still see her tits.

Englishmum

Absolutely!

He flies back tomorrow night though.......

mhensley

go to www.reliablecom.com

great site...great rates, and you choose from so many cards. I use it all the time to call all over the world.

Jerseygirl

I dial 10-10-987 before the 011-44.................... it costs 3 cents a min. plus an initial 30 cents for connection. Trying Googling 10-10-987 for their website.

franc11s

A few years ago, the UK mobile phone carriers started charging for incoming calls from INTERNATIONAL LOCATIONS. The US mobile phone carriers pass that straight on to you.

Therefore, there is no CHEAP way to call a UK Cell phone from the USA. You will STILL GET THE SURCHARGE of about 20-25 cents passed onto you. The friggin UK Mobile operators also charge for incoming internation text messages so Verizon pass on 20c to me too. Bastxrds. Even SKYPE users pay 25c surcharge to call UK Mobiles - http://www.skype.com/products/skypeo...l?currency=USD


To call the UK (this subject is beat to death), almost everyone charges between 3c and 10c to call the UK. Even my home MCI is 5c a minute with AWESOME phone quality. You still then add the surcharge if you call UK Mobile phones.

MCI is good because, from the UK, you can call the USA using your same MCI calling card and call an 0800 number in the UK. It costs you 5c a minute still *AND* it gets billed straight to you home phone. (you get card free if you use MCI as long distance carrier at home)

TO ANSWER THE ORIGINAL OP question. Look into going MCI at home and programming both of your cell phones to enter in your international calling card details and pins and numbers. I do that and it works great. I think you will find, your wife from her cell phone whilst in another country, calling an 0800 (or whatever freephone number in whatever country) to MCI and connecting to you would pay LESS than the surchage of you calling her.

My 2 cents.

Big D

I wasnt aware it was down to UK mobile operators - I assume you mean that they charge the incoming carriers for the charge not the UK mobile owner?

dunroving

I have Lingo and called a 0845 number once and was charged the earth for some reason ....

Also, I think Lingo is pretty expensive for UK mobile numbers for reasons just describe.

BigDavyG

You shouldn't have been - its a lo-call service - ie calls are charged at local rate which is 1p a minute off-peak.
Maybe lingo were sticking the arm in

dunroving

Yes, I called them (Lingo) and hey explained it was a "special" (not exactly the word they used, but something similar) number.

I had thought that 0845 was just a geographic area code.

Seems there should be some prerecorded message telling you that you are calling a premium rate number like 1-900 etc.

BigDavyG

But that's what i mean - its not premium rate.
Sounds like lingo think it is though.
The 0845 service is often set up by businesses to reduce the cost of calling the number for (potential) customers.