Why is it so expensive to call French mobiles?

knuckledragger

As above really! Even the likes of DialAround will charge 7ppm. Is there a cheaper provider not included on the call checker? Calls will be made from an O2 contract with xnet minutes.

redux

Many countries' mobiles cost more than their corresponding landlines.

Try some 07744 providers from your inclusive minutes.

feival

It costs more to call mobiles in virtually all countries because the network abroad charges a high rate for terminating the call on their network. Fixed networks charge much less - usually because the networks were built decades ago and the initial high investment costs have long since been paid back. In the US the subscriber pays to receive a call hence the lower cost to call the US

pin

It basiacally comes down to the interconnect rates charged by the various providers involved in routing your call to france.

knuckledragger

gizmoleeds,
sorry, I should have been more explanatory in my question to illustrate the source of my frustration.

France = Europe = developed = not too far away 7ppm

Gabon = Africa = developing = far away 1ppm

Where's the logic?

feival

The logic may well be via sim boxing - when a call is terminated via a local mobile to take advantage of low cost on net calls. A bit complex but this explains how some UK operators offer calls to mobiles at less then the official regulated termination rates!!

redux

knuckledragger wrote:

Where's the logic?

European mobiles, including the UK as already suggested, have higher termination rates than many other countries.

This is fact; where is the logic for saying it's wrong?

As you're on O2, you can use an 07744 provider without paying too much attention to this.

feival

SIM boxes are nicely explained here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Least_Cost_Routing

redux

feival wrote:

SIM boxes are nicely explained here:

That mostly explains use for UK mobiles, not foreign ones, where the amount of usage is not as predictable. I understand that some people say this may be rather a grey area legally.

It is of no use for the OP trying to call France.

grumbler

knuckledragger wrote:

France = Europe = developed = not too far away 7ppm

Gabon = Africa = developing = far away 1ppm

Where's the logic?

The logic is very simple. In majority of developing countries (and many others) they are charged for incoming calls - as opposite to UK, France, ...

redux

grumbler wrote:

The logic is very simple. In majority of developing countries (and many others) they are charged for incoming calls - as opposite to UK, France, ...

There is very little truth in this remark. Please don't mislead people with guesswork.

For examples, there is no evidence that Gabon charges for incoming calls, and for Airtel India incoming calls are free of charge

These countries charge incoming calls - please add any specific other ones to the list only if you know this for fact.

USA, Canada, Russia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore

President Putin has recently signed the orders that Russia will change to caller pays within the next few months.