A UK number that rings my landline in Spain

Elle1971

Hi guys - I'm hoping that you can help.

Up until last summer we had an 0844 telephone number that diverted to my landline in Spain. This was completely free for us to set up, free for us to use... and our friends and family in the UK enjoyed 2 or 3 pence a minute phone call charges to call us from UK to here in Lanzarote.

Unfortunately the company we used seems to have vanished off the face of the planet. Can anyone recommend something similar? Links would be much appreciated.

I'm not interested in Skype etc - as we already have that (and some of our relatives don't own computers). I just want my Grandma to be able to dial a UK number which rings my Spanish landline here, and doesn't cost her as much as normal.

I did try doing a search in the forum - but my ramblings aren't as search compatible, and I didn't really get anywhere - sorry!

Here's hoping!

Elle xx

eslick

try http://www.vonage.co.uk/ the inlaws swear by it, also know someone who lives in mexico and uses this. UK number you can take anywhere

System

If grandma is on a BT call plan, you can use 'my0870' at
http://www.my0870.com/
to set up an 0870 number that she (or anyone else) can call, and get connected to your landline in Spain. This will be free for her to call weekends, or weekends and evenings, or all the time, according to which BT 'call plan' she is on. At times not in her call plan, it will cost her BT's (modest) charge for a call to 0870.

But this won't help if she uses Skytalk, because Sky have ripoff rates for 0870.

And she will need to stay within BT's 'fair use' (150 calls or 1000 minutes a month of included calls to 0870 and 0845).

My0870 may not last, if Ofcom rise from their slumber and prohibit revenue-sharing on 0870. (If that happens, watch out for flying pigs.)

Elle1971

Thanks guys - you've both given us some good reading matter.

The BT swung it for me first of all YoungNick (your mate OldNick is a good friend of mine LOL) - but hubby quite rightly reminded me that we need to check whether Grandma (and the kids' mum) are on BT or not. If they are - then great... it's problem solved. I've signed up and nabbed a number - so think we'll get a couple of people to test it and see what they are billed (through NTL for example) and go from there.

Have read through the vonage eslick... but not sure it's quite right for Grandma. It's reliant upon a broadband connection... which she doesn't have. But thanks anyway hon!

Thanks again guys.

Elle xx

jhp

If you call the my0870 number from a supplier other then BT,s inclusive minutes the caller will be subject to their expensive call rates. EG Virgin Media (NTL) will charge 9.79p a minute plus a connection charge of over 7p.

These people still offer a 2p a minute 0844 number you can point at your Lanzorote Number. http://www.cheapercallrate.com/

Another alternative if you dont mind paying for incoming calls is that you get your own UK Geographical Number and point it at your Lanzorote Number. http://www.localphone.com/call/spain

benjus

Elle1971 wrote: »

Have read through the vonage eslick... but not sure it's quite right for Grandma. It's reliant upon a broadband connection... which she doesn't have. But thanks anyway hon!

Just to clarify on this point - a VoIP solution such as vonage would be reliant on your broadband connection, not your Grandma's - she would just dial a normal UK landline number. However, if you do go down this route I would recommend www.SIPGate.co.uk or Localphone (as linked above) as these are free for receiving calls on a UK landline number. The downside to this approach is that you would have to either receive the calls on your computer using special software, or buy a special telephone that plugs directly into the broadband. On the plus side, you would end up with two separate telephone lines.

Heinz

Elle1971 wrote: »

I've signed up and nabbed a number - so think we'll get a couple of people to test it and see what they are billed (through NTL for example) and go from there.

Beware, they recycle the 0870 numbers if they're not used for 7 days (you have to make a special 'don't recycle' request).

Celini

If I have to call my mum's landline in France from a BT landline, I use Telediscount.com (http://www.telediscount.co.uk/index2.php).
You use a prenumber before dialing the number you want to call... calls charged 1p/min for Spain

Of course as mentioned before, do not use the service from anything else than BT, all the other providers would rip you off for calling non regional numbers!

Heinz

Celini wrote: »

If I have to call my mum's landline in France from a BT landline, I use Telediscount.com (http://www.telediscount.co.uk/index2.php).
You use a prenumber before dialing the number you want to call... calls charged 1p/min for Spain

But, of course, the problem with providers such as that is that you start being charged as soon as you've dialled the 11th digit of the gateway number - and before you've even started dialling your target number.

Additionally, you'll still pay if the target number is engaged or even if you get no reply!

The likes of 1899, 18185 and 18866 don't charge their connection fee or start charging their per minute rate until the call is answered.

Celini

Heinz wrote: »

But, of course, the problem with providers such as that is that you start being charged as soon as you've dialled the 11th digit of the gateway number - and before you've even started dialling your target number.

so they charge an extra 1p... not a big deal I guess;)

Heinz

Celini wrote: »

so they charge an extra 1p... not a big deal I guess;)

Er, no.

You get charged your call provider's call set-up/connection charge (8p in the case of BT), for the time it takes you to dial the target number, however long it takes to get through and reach the engaged tone (or how long you hang on letting the target number ring).