newcomer

There is so much information out there and I have been surfing for ages that I don't know which way to turn! We have just moved to the US and our three teenage children attend boarding school in the UK and I am trying to find the best way for them to phone us here in the US using their PAYG vodafone mobile phones? Would really appreciate any advice.

Kar98

Skype. iChat. MS Messenger.

dreamercon

The cheapest way that I have been using for a while now is http://www.voipdiscount.com/

They give you a local UK number you can call to connect to any number in the US or other countries. You get 120 days of free unlimited calling (up to five hours per week) if you add 10 euro in your account.

LynannC

When I was in the UK I used Mobile World from Carphone Warehouse as a mobile phone plan to call my now husband in the US. It cost 5p a minute any time. You can just buy the sim card and use it on any unlocked phone. If they need to use a mobile that's one of the best deals I found. I did however change to using Vonage through my folk's broadband as it was £7.99 a month unlimited UK and US calls and no call length limits, so we could happily chat for several hours at a time.

newcomer

Thanks so mucy for all replies - forgot to add though that calling via the internet is blocked by the school so skype etc unfortunately is not an option.

notacrime

Check out three mobile. They have paygo where you can get unlimited skype for £5 a month (it works over the phone, you don't need to use the school's network.)

I pay £20 a month with them for unlimited skype and internet surfing, and it's only a 6 month contract.

Dan725

Beat me to it....3 Mobile in the UK have a deal with Skype and as I understand it a lot of their phones (notacrime may be able to confirm?) have a skype client built in.

So long as where their school is they can get 3G coverage, would be a great option.

Swisstony

Have you considered asking the school to unblock it, at least for your kids? Explaining the situation might help?

goatherder

You can sign up for Skype, get a UK number attached to the account and then forward it to whatever number you want in the US. It will then only cost them whatever Vodafone's rate is to the UK number.

I have the worldwide free call plan with them and it cost around 120 USD per year with 3 skype "in numbers" (mine are in UK, US and AU) plus you can then forward the skype account to any landline in the countries they support.

I suspect that its probably not any less than getting new sim cards for them with carphone warehouse but you at least will not need to convince them to switch over numbers...

hobbes79

You could look at calling cards also. A google search should bring up a few options. They usually have a 0800 dial in number then you type in a code.

You'd be paying for the free phone call from the mobile (or at least it's very likely) and the calling card will probably charge you a few pence per min... but not a bad way of doing things.

I use one here in the US to call the UK from my mobile. I even have it setup so that the system recognizes my account from my mobile number... so I just dial the freephone number and then I'm prompted to enter the UK number. Cost 3 cents a min I believe.

goatherder

watch out dialing 0800 numbers in the UK from some UK mobiles - not cheap.

Ash UK/US

That is what I do too!

fred uk

Try calling cards.
Different ones are good for different countries.
I found that 'Black' was good for Asia. They all claim great things but it's a case of suck it and see.

They are commonly available from shops with an international flavour. Yes, I do mean corner shops run by Pakistanis.

fred uk

Added. Use the London access number NOT the 0845 or 0800.

It can be taken from your free minutes or if you have Voda's stop the clock it's fine for that too.

Amandabee

I've been using a kind of phone card called just3 or just5, it costs 3 or 5 pounds and gives a 02 number to call. Every call is 1pence a minute whether to a mobile or landline. I got this because I want to call multiple countries from the UK, and many calling cards lock you into a specific country.