Best Payago for calling UK from Morocco?

an1179

Going to Morocco shortly

Want to keep in touch with children at minimum expense. With virgin pay as you go - very expensive both to call from mobile and for the recipient.

Want to call landline at no charge to them if possible.

Any suggestions for service providers and maybe a free sim thrown in.

I'll be most grateful

DonnyDave

See https://www.united-mobile.com

This service is provided by a Liechtensteinian operator and comes with a +423 number.

I understand (by reading elsewhere on the internet) that you can dial these numbers at 4p/min using Ratebuster's dial through number 0844 7353535.

redux

Whilst that is undoubtedly a good product, it may be more worthwhile to use a local SIM card in many cases, especially here as UM has no coverage in Morocco.

Either look at other global roaming SIMs, or get a local SIM card and use either a calling card or callback service.

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/morocco.html has details of the 2 Moroccan networks and their charges, both having off-peak calls at around 9p per minute, which may be promising for calling card use - but I think you'd have much more luck finding one locally than around here, as I've just drawn 3 blanks. But calling card tariffs and their variety of surcharges can be difficult to understand at the best of times, let alone small print in a foreign language, and rates from mobiles can be higher.

Using callback with a Moroccan mobile or landline will cost about 20p per minute as well. If you did get them to phone you after all, the MSE Callchecker shows 7 and 10p per minute upwards to Moroccan landline, and typically about 15p per minute to mobiles.

It looks like it just isn't a place for cheap phone calls unfortunately, but the SIMs look reasonable. About how much use do you intend, and do you travel elsewhere?

an1179

Hi redux

Thanks for your help

I'm only in Morocco for 5 days and go to France later in the year, I.won't be using the phone much really just to say a few words to the children.

Actually yesterday after posting this I saw an offer for two free virgin cards with £5 credit on each so I have applied for them I can take them with me to Morocco and I won't fret about money spent on calls as it is free. Except that it will still cost the person I am calling. Do land lines get charged as well as mobiles for recieving international calls? I can't get on the Virgin Mobile internet site at the moment!

redux

If you call home, you will pay for the call; no charge to the recipient. If someone calls you, they will pay to call a UK mobile, and you will be charged the roaming fees for receiving it.

Virgin payg tariffs for roaming differ depending on whether you pre-pay with top-up vouchers or post-pay by direct debit. The first would be £1.70/min to call, 80p receive. Post-pay would be £1.00 and 50p. So even the free £10 worth wouldn't go far. Maybe text messages would be useful, at 35p or 25p

an1179

Thanks redux