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Telephone Service (Calling Card) Providers?
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Posted by: Keith

I suspect many of you regularly telephone your beloved ones abroad. What telephone services are you using and what kind of rates are you paying? I would like to find a good provider to use. (Please indicate what country you are calling.) I was researching services and there seems to be an infinite number of providers with a broad range of rates. BTW, I was in the process of purchasing one such calling card and happen to note before I had entered too much information that I was not a secure connection...so watch out if you purchase online.

Keith

Posted by: mmccloud

I have had very good results using Pennytalk (a subsidary of net2phone). From the US to Novosibirsk, the rate is .09/Minute.
Moscow/St Petersburg - .02/Minute. There is a .49 connect fee. I have always been able to get through with a very good connection. URL is http://www.pennytalk.com

Posted by: Keith

McCloud:

I recently purchased a calling card through Net2Phone and they charge .26 per minute to Belarus. I like their web site interface and record of telephone calls. I checked with PennyTalk and they offered the same rate which is to be expected since they are a subsidiary. Oh well, I'll keep searching. BTW, the connection was great through Net2Phone but I was irritated I had to wait for the next day and a half for the company to "process" my credit card so I could get access to all of my funds on the card.

Keith

Posted by: j_c

Anyone from the UK use a particular company for discount calls ?
- I know my phone bill has taken a hammering lateley!

Regards

John

Posted by: Woody

John,

for cheaper calls without changing your telecoms provider click here. It takes you to an earlier thread that discussed UK call charges. Surprisingly, late last week I signed up with an alternative telecom provider, giving me cheap local and national calls. Also, by selecting Russia as my nominated bonus country I will shortly be paying only 7p/minute. If you want details of this alternative to BT then please let me know and I will email the link to you.

Clive

Posted by: Jim_FL

I've had excellent luck with "Global Papa " from L.D.Post. connections are stable, works with cell phones, and works from Russia to call back here to US or other parts of Russia

Rates are (per minute):
2.5c to Mosocow
7.9c to rest of Russia
9.5c from Russia to US
7c Russia to Russia

20c to Belarus
10c to Ukraine

Posted by: Keith

I don't know whether there is any truth to the following information which I discovered on a web site while researching calling card rates but I thought it was interesting.

Keith

"No matter which company you use for your overseas calls, to make your calls go through faster, always press the "#" key (the "pound key") after the last digit. On international calls, this signals the phone company's computer that you've dialed all the numbers you're going to dial, and to start placing the call to Belarus. (Since calls to different countries have different number of digits, if you don't press the "#" key, the phone company's computers will typically wait for a few seconds of silence before deciding that you're done dialing. By pressing the "#" key, you're telling the computer that you've finished dialing, and to start placing the call right away)."

Posted by: Keith

Many of you may be like me in that you're not used to making international telephone calls and over the last couple of days, I've been looking at rates, services, etc. I'd like to offer a few general observations I noted while looking at international telephone calling cards. If you know of more, please add them to the list. I'm simply amazed at how many ways the charges for the calling card can be carved up.

In addition to the stated rate per minute, you may want to watch the following:

Note the connection charges per call as they can range from several dollars to none at all.

Watch for maintenance fees that are charged as frequently as daily to none at all (that could eat up your calling card fund balance really fast)

Pay attention to minute rounding...some round to seconds while others use many minutes.

Check for local access numbers or toll-free access.

Sometimes rates with 800-number access are slightly higher than local access rates.

Some cards work in the reverse. that is, your beloved can call you but rates are generally more than if you were to telephone them.

There are quantity discounts.

The cards have expiration dates that usually begin one you place the initial call. If you don't call often, you might purchase smaller denominations of cards.

Some companies offer you online and hard copy records of telephone calls (helpful for documenting those K-1 applications)

Don't forget to take into account connection quality.

A couple of the cards mentioned in this thread seem to be reasonable performers and tested.

Hope this helps some.

Keith

Posted by: ConnerVT

Good points to consider. I, like Jim, have been using the Global Papa card, as it's advertised rates are what you really end up paying. No connection costs, no maintenance fees, and rounds to the nearest minute (I've seen a couple that round it to 5 minutes!).

Posted by: Khashyar

Hi guys...

I know that we discussed this same topic in another earlier thread...

I have found the best prices to Belarus are from Nobelcom.com (15.9 cents per minute, plus federal FCC taxes)....

I believe that they also have rates of 2.9 cents to Moscow, as well as good rates to Ukraine and other parts of Russia.

Khashyar

Posted by: Keith

Khashyar:

I specifically checked with Noblecom.com and the best rates that I could find they offered were .20 perminute with fees. Can you point me to the specific plan you have? Maybe you bought some mega-minutes plans with a discount? After all of my checking and recommendations from this board...Global Papa looked to the best to Belarus provided their connections are okay?

Keith

Posted by: billc1

The Lowest Russian Calling Card Rates Available Anywhere!

ad and link deleted by Administrator

[please.. no ads in this forum... ]

Posted by: vic2012

Using Broadband?

Then your calls to Russian land lines and mobiles are FREE. You can speak for hours and not pay one cent. (and all calls to US land lines and mobiles are FREE too). No computer is needed at the other end of the line! This is to your loved one's HOME PHONES and MOBILES

see ConnorVT thread:
http://www.russianmeetingplace.com/...read.php?t=7994

I downloaded VoIP from www.voipcheap.co.uk. Tried it out and it worked!
Now I'm going one better.
I bought a VOIP USB to RJ11/UK HOME CORDLESS PHONE ADAPTER (cost $20). It hasn't arrived yet, so I can't say if it works OK, but it will allow me to plug my normal cordless home phone into this box of tricks and then, make all my free calls from anywhere around the house and garden, as long as my computer is on.

Now I've also found a better provider: www.internetcalls.com

This is where you can call for free (not all countries include free calls to mobiles):

Andorra
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Gibraltar
Hong Kong
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Monaco
Mongolia
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Panama
Peru
Poland
Puerto Rico
Russian Federation
Singapore
Slovenia
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
United Kingdom
United States
Venezuela

Calls to Ukraine cost only 2.4 cents a minute.(18 cents a min to mobiles)

Thank you Connor, I would not have discovered this without your help.

P.s I am not advertising the above. You can do a search on "cheapest voip" and find your own provider. I have posted this, for information only

Posted by: DavidScott

Awesome info Vic! I just downloaded and can't wait to try it. Will it automatically add a contact after placing a call? I tried to add contact and it went in to a search mode.
Where did you find the voip usb adapter?

DavidScott

Posted by: vic2012

ebay David, where else!!!

p.s my adaptor was for UK. I've not looked, but I'm positive they sell the same gismos for US phones.
I've looked again and they all seem to be UK adaptors.

You'll have to do some searching.

There's something about the US versions here:
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/48102.html

Posted by: DavidScott

but of course.....sometimes I think before I type!

Thanks Vic!

Posted by: vic2012

If you are going to buy an adapter. Make sure it is SIP adapter. Otherwise it will not work. They are around $39 on ebay. Or, you can buy a SIP cordless phone for about $49.

Do NOT get a voip adapter for Skype, as Skype is not compatible with the free service providers.

I've been using the system for a week now. What is SO good, is the quality of sound. It's like they are standing next to you and its all FREE

I still cannot believe this. I am phoning Siberia and speaking to my beloved (from my bed) and its costing me nothing.

The only drawback - you only get one hour. Then you have to call again for a further hour. But, come on, small penance for free calls!!!

Posted by: veteranzebra

I have found sype to be excellant quality and very cost effective. PC to PC is free. Your PC to a home phone(land line) 2 cent per mintue. Your PC to a mobile phone is 25 cents perminute. This is my experience calling from the US to the Ukraine

Posted by: Vikochka

My advice for people who making calls from US or Canada I use well known company Tel3Advantage No fee,tax,PIN.

Posted by: vic2012

I've been caught and I have to pay for calls to Russia.

Voipcheap, my provider has twigged on to the fact that, I spend 3 hours a night to Siberia for free. They say I have broken their "fair usage policy" and I must pay 1p per minute.

So I've just signed up again in a different name (cost another �10, but I'm using the old �10 up, with my calls to UK mobiles which are not free).

And, my calls are still free!!!

Posted by: BradIL

I use a SATURN card from noblecom... I had hoped to be able to use the referral option, but it wasn't available (this way some members of the RMP could get credit for the purchase). My card is refillable... calls to most of russia are a little north of 4 cents a minute... the rate only increase for calls to Moscow mobile phones, or calls to mobile phones in Ukraine-Moldova (Moldova may have closer links to the phone system in Romania- hence cheaper rates via Romania).

As with any satellite system, calling from a landline to a russian cellphone has a degree of incompatibility. Russians can sound like they are talking into a tin can, and I have to ask them to repeat longer sentences. All in all, the service is good, but, ***WATCH OUT***. Russia will still dump international calls at midnight Moscow time to conduct its international business/banking operations!

Posted by: vic2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by vic2012

And, my calls are still free!!!

But not any longer.

Every Voip provider is now charging for Russia. But at least Voipcheap are still the cheapest, at less than one cent a minute ($0.009). Thats getting on for two hours on the dog and bone for a dollar!! Still not bad. BTW, the line quality of the calls is excellent.

Posted by: ConnerVT

www.voipdiscount.com and www.voipcheap.com (*not* .co.uk) still have Russia as a free call.

A new twist is that some of the Finerea companies (www.webcalldirect.com) now have a callback feature. On their web page, you enter the number for person you are calling and the number of the telephone you are calling from, and they will ring both of you -- for free if you both are in countries on the free list...

Posted by: Vikochka

For me to have service for a little money using Tel3Advantage and not to be stack near computer is much preferable than free calls

Posted by: vic2012

Hi Connor,

Yes, Voipcheap have this service. I tried it out and it works fine. But you have to go through the web page, which is a bit of a nuisance.

You are right about the pricing. I did a search of 40 companies and everyone was now charging. So, it looks as though, there are only a few companies now offering Russia for free. I think its time for me to change!

Vikochka,

The days of sitting by your computer to make voip calls are gone!
You can get a SIP box and plug your house phone into it, Or, do as Connor suggests and use www.webcalldirect.com and again, you can use your house phone. Why pay?

Posted by: Vikochka

Yes. I use VOIP service for calls in US and Canada. For international calls I use Tel3Advantage because it is cheap and convinient to use from cell and also from home.

Posted by: vic2012

Everyone has a choice and not everyone has broadband. So, you can call an access number, then dial your international number and then pay 7 cents a minute and you can call that "cheap and convenient".

Me, I just pick up my cordless phone anywhere in the house or garden and telephone directly to any worldwide number. If it's to my fiance in Russia, it costs nothing. Now I call that "free and convenient".

Posted by: Vikochka

I did setup on my account (they have SPEED DIAL) that 0174950000000000 it will be 01# and on my codless phone and cell I did programm all my frequent numbers. So I just press 1 button and in couple seconds I have connection. Of course it is preferance what company to use

Posted by: vic2012

Like I said, everyone has a choice.

I speak to my fiance every night for around two hours. At 7 cents a minute, thats $60 a week.

I'll stick to $0 a week thanks.

Posted by: ConnerVT

Another interesting use of the web site based callback feature:

If your foreign friends/family have Internet computer access (even at work), they can log in to your (or their own) account, and call YOU in the US (or between any two free countries) for free.

Posted by: Ms.Smarty Pants

Quote:

Originally Posted by ConnerVT

Another interesting use of the web site based callback feature:

If your foreign friends/family have Internet computer access (even at work), they can log in to your (or their own) account, and call YOU in the US (or between any two free countries) for free.

Please, could you write more about this.

Posted by: ConnerVT

Certainly. A new feature that the Fineara group of Internet telephone provider sites have come up with is a web call feature. You visit the sites web page, and enter the telephone numbers of whom you wish to call, and the telephone you wish to place the call from. Then, the web site rings both telephone numbers, and connects the two together.

These sites have a number of countries on their "free call" list -- Russia and the USA are both on it. They require you make a 10EUR deposit, and there is a 300 min/week limit (go over, and they charge 0.01Eur/min I believe).

One thing you could do is give your username and password to a family member or trusted friend. They could then log in, punch in the telephone numbers, and call YOU, instead of you always needing to call them to get the free/cheap rate.

The best thing to do is look at the sites that vic2012 and I have posted in the past, and see which may work best for your situation.

Posted by: ConnerVT

Update: Voipcheap.co.uk put Russian Federation back on the "Free" list.

See, Vic, you worry too much.

Posted by: Ms.Smarty Pants

ConnerVT! Thank you a lot of! I do appreciate this information.

Posted by: vic2012

Thanks Connor, but they're still charging me for overstaying my welcome!!! (300 minutes a week is my allowance, They've got to be kidding, I can lose those minutes in a day).

Actually I've got different accounts. I just keep rotating them!

Posted by: ConnerVT

You just need to keep it to about 40 min/day, and you'll stay under the limit.

My wife just naturally averages about 30 minutes each day. In 4 months, our international telephone bill has been less than $1.00 USD total.

Posted by: vic2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by vic2012

Actually I've got different accounts. I just keep rotating them!

I just set up three account names with Voipcheap, each with �10 and when I reach my limit on one, I sign on to the next and so on.

Posted by: neil277

Hello

My wife tells me this is good value for money

http://www.skype.com/products/skypeout/

Has anyone signed up for this service.

Regards.

Neil

Posted by: vic2012

Thanks for the info Neil,

However, much of this post has been about services after skype.

We use companies like Voipcheap which are very similar to Skype, because with voipcheap you can call around a third of the world for free. Skype still charge (not a lot), but when I'm on the phone to Russia every night for a couple of hours, it good to know that the bill at the end of the week will be �0.

Posted by: neil277

Hello Vic.

Thank you very much for the info, we dont telephnoe much abroad but it would be nice for Nataly to talk to her family more oftern.

Could you please give web address

Regards.

Neil

Posted by: vic2012

No problem

www.voipcheap.co.uk

You'll have to download a program and put �10 on account (for calls that are not free)

Posted by: neil277

Hello Vic.

Thanks for the info, its been a great help.

Regards.

Neil

Posted by: hans2000

Hi, I read some tips in this forum about calling with VoIP. If you want to compare the rates of some of the most populair VoIP services on the internet you could have a look over here; http://www.voipproducts.eu
You can find some services over there that you can use for only 2.50 euro per month. There is a maximum of 300 minutes per week on these products, but still it could be interesting if you want to make cheap foreign or domestic phone calls to regular landlines or mobiles.