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How about $29.99/mo unlimited?
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Posted by: ConnerVT

I came across this the other day, on a large Internet forum where all the world's geeks hang out.

AwakeTel out of Texas is offering a $29.99/month unlimited calling plan. The list is pretty comprehensive, with only cellular telephones and a few countries (Vietnam, India, Pakistan, and Philippines) costing an additional $0.08/min. Looks like the only limitations are you need to reside in the US (although I didn't see Hawaii or Alaska excluded), and you need to have a caller ID capable telephone (so they see who's calling) as only one telephone number is authorized to use the service at a time (but I think it can be changed on their website).

An article in the Dallas news states that they have been selling VOIP long distance wholesale, but now are in the retail (individual user) market.

They are also offering a free $10.00 worth of service (at their basic rates) to "Try out" their service. I signed up for it (with a virtual credit card) and will report on the sound quality.

For those calling Moscow or Kiev, $30/month ain't no big deal. For those calling Belarus, it should be a substantial savings.

Now for the links:

$29.99 Unlimited AwakeTel

Free $10.00 "Try Out" of AwakeTel

Ongoing thread at BroadbandReports.com website

Posted by: ConnerVT

UPDATE:

I haven't yet tried this service, but it's being reported in the forum thread I posted above that this company is planning to discontinue the unlimited rate. Seems as they underestimated how much load their servers would be hit with.

Once again, if something seems too good to be true...

Posted by: Meico

ConnerVT,

Thanks for the heads up on AwakeTel. I signed up this morning and made calls. Quality of service was great (at that time of day,,,on these calls) but your probabaly correct, it is too good to be true for very long. Thanks again, I'll enjoy it while it lasts. Even small or short lived good things can bring much pleasure.

Posted by: Meico

UPDATE TO ConnerVT's UPDATE:

I just looked at Awaketel website. The 29.99 offer has expired but at least I have 30 unlimited days to UA

Posted by: jeffs

I use my VOIP provider (packet8) to call Russia. Depending of the time of day it is perfect. Calls to her cell have better quality that the calls to what I call here "communist" phone (home phone). But i'd say 90% of the time it is perfect.

My average bill is about 90-100 a month ($19/month plus toll). .07 per minute to her area in Russia. Moscow is cheaper, and if she is in Moscow for about 50 a month you get unlimited calls.

VOIP is the way to go if you have a highspeed connection. (Oh yeah 2 more points... both of those include unlimited calls to the US and canada for the prices I quoted) and if she has a highspeed connection there you can send her one too. Yes, meaning she (or her family if she is here) will have a local number to you and unlimited calling.

not to advocate packet 8, vonage is supposed to be good too

Posted by: ConnerVT

I have Packet8 also. Even at 7 cents/min, my LD portion of my bill $45+/month. So I am ever diligent to look for the bigger, better deal.

AwakeTel's deal was likely just a PR scam -- get people's attention by offering a deal that they just couldn't afford (or support).

Packet8 has, for the most part, been reliable for calls to Russia. We initially had some problems with 'one-way' calls (We hear them, they do not hear us). I don't think it was (directly) P8's fault, but rather the Level3 POTS provider sending the signal across the planet. Dialing a different LD provider (via 800# and calling card) resulted in an acceptable connection.

In all, it seems like a lot of work. Of course, you can always just pay your POTS LD provider $1+/min, and hope for a quality connection. Yeah... Right...

Posted by: jeffs

Conner,

Have you tried the unlimited international calling plan? I know that in moscow and st peterburg most of the prefixes are included. I just don't know about Vologda and with a bill averaging 100/month i don't want to up it.

Thanks for the info. I've run into that being able to hear her, but I'm intermittent sometimes, but only on landline connections.

Posted by: ConnerVT

Virtually all of our international LD calls are to the Tver region. Not part of P8's international unlimited plan.

Moscow is probably the least expensive place to call in the world. I have seen deals for $0.02 cents/min or less. I can't even make a POTS LD call that cheap!

The $29.99/mo plan would of been nice for me, but even sweeter for those calling Belarus. I can't even imagine paying THOSE telephone bills!

Posted by: jeffs

I'm going to try something new. I'm going to set up my girfriend a seperate packet 8 account with a local number and send her the hardware. I'll let you know how that works.

Posted by: ConnerVT

P8 will probably shut it down if it's used overseas with a US account for a long time. It's better to be up front with them, and get the international account. After all, P8 to P8 calls are always free.

If she has broadband, you can also go with a soft phone and a FWD account. FWD has a peering deal with Packet8, so you can talk all you want for free.