New Call Checkers

Fas

Is it possible to list the rates for calling Mobile phones on the same page i.e side by side.

Also can we have Topupdiscount added.

Thanks

Edinburghlass_2

Spotted an error/problem? Or another competitive provider? E-mail [email="callchecker@moneysavingexpert.com"]CallChecker[/email]

redux

It seems to me a bit peculiar that one or two companies have products listed that have access only via an 0207 number, which some but not all people may have inclusive minutes to. Yes, it's true that the qualifying remarks say these are mainly intended for use from mobiles, and some will have landline cps deals.

But these are similar to calling card products, prepaid and subject to price variation afterwards (which some of these have done). I realise that the parent companies of these listed ones have been popular here for some time, but, without suddenly creating more workload for the compilers of the list would it be fair to ask about policy on this and whether you might consider also listing some other established products with possibly cheaper rates?

New or so far unknown products shouldn't be excluded by dint of not being the very cheapest, as only one can be, or because they do not have a legion of fans promoting them at every opportunity.

I would think about adding Easy-dial and Planet Talk, whose instant dials have more or cheaper destinations (eg 3p and 2p vs 7.5p to Belgium) than the similar Just-Dial ones; they also have several other account types. And I wonder why there are none of a range of Nobelcom and other products there, which have international rates from 0.3p or 0.6p per minute. I am not an agent for these companies, unlike some people that have posted about certain others.

Yes people may prefer 18185, as someone suggested the other time I mentioned this, and there are instant dial-throughs cheaper, but that doesn't warrant pre-selection or exclusion of others, as for example someone with an O2 contract can call 0844 numbers inclusive and would be more interested in the best quality 0844 not the cheapest.

Or is this too long and these remarks a bit too early for the discussion thread that Martin proposes? If so, I'll delete this and wait for that.

MSE_Martin

As noted this is a general discussion thread, if you have suggestions for providers to be included then please email callchecker@moneysavingexpert.com

As a note if a provider is cheapest for any specific destination then it is added, if it isn't cheapest for any then its not

As for the onetel its just there as a comparison along with BT not as a suggestion (this is explained in the notes)

redux

redux wrote:

New or so far unknown products shouldn't be excluded by dint of not being the very cheapest, as only one can be, or because they do not have a legion of fans promoting them at every opportunity.

MSE_Martin wrote:

As a note if a provider is cheapest for any specific destination then it is added, if it isn't cheapest for any then its not

Then I'm surprised Just-Dial instant dials were included, as they have been uncompetitive for ages.

If there is a provider which is not the cheapest at any moment, but which does not have volatile headline-grabbing rates for Divali, Christmas, Eid, Valentine's Day etc, then it may not be under scrutiny at all and never have a chance to enter.

The non-presence of Planet Talk is surprising given that Primus' other products have at last come to prominence on MSE. I've taken a look at a few more of their tariffs and sent a message in today as they do have some equal cheapest rates.

redux

Very interesting. I had a nice reply yesterday evening which referred again to the policy on consideration of new entrants.

I checked the rates again, and found that the equal cheapest rates I mentioned had been undercut during the day, by two sister companies.

I'm wondering if these companies are aware of the public statement of policy here, and may have their own callcheckers as well as studying this one. Given that one move by one company is often matched by an undercut by another, especially on cheap rates to UK mobiles recently, I think this is more than likely.

Perhaps they even read this thread. If so, I may have done one company a disservice by drawing attention to their rates.

The market is certainly volatile with short-term moves in prices. And some numbers do not work all the time. These two factors together cause people to complain on various forums that they have to try 3 or 4 callthrough numbers for a successful call.

I wonder if market reaction to this and other ratecheckers are having an influence on prices. In some respects, you could hope so, as it should hot up the competition. But the feedback system may not be as passive as we think, and some companies with stable prices may be excluded by aggressive short-term moves of others.

Maybe it's time for a slight rethink of policy, and include some nearly-cheapest companies on the basis that they sometimes are the cheapest without that being noticed?

kaydee

I'm not sure if such thoughts are heretic to MSE 'ers, but you do have to wonder if we are actually helping ourselves to make things easier for us all by the ever decreasing spiral of chasing the very very cheapest call!
When you remember the price we all had to pay in the bad old days of BT monopoly, the rates we are paying now are fantastic, but because there is this never ending search for the 'Holy Grail' of the very cheapest call, it is becoming increasingly difficult to just pick up the phone and make a call, and know you are getting a good deal - surely a good deal is the one where you are paying a fair price for good/excellent service?
Would we be better if the call checker updated on a weekly basis to allow some sort of stability!!

harrygr8

Totally agree with above post.

There has to be a balance between stable pricing/cheap rates/quality of connection & clarity of call.

Just the cheapest rate with poor quality or just a very short-term cheap rate sucking users in & then upping rates is pretty pointless.