International & UK CallChecker discussion

Enigmatic_Me

I need to phone Madeira tomorrow and have googled cheaper rates rather than going through my provider Skyat just short of 24p per minute. All I can find is 0844 numbers at 1p per minute. Are these for real or is there something I am missing?

Thanks

Ian011

You've found the Service Charge element of the 0844 call cost but you're missing the details for the Access Charge element for calls to 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers.

The Access Charge is up to 12p per minute from landlines or up to 45p per minute from mobile phones. Check with your landline or mobile provider for their Access Charge.
The Access Charge may be listed here: http://www.saynoto0870.com/costofcalling.php

Once you have found both the Access Charge and the Service Charge, this tool can work out the total call cost: http://giffgaff.screet.co.uk/call/?n=0f0t0t

The cheapest way to call Madeira using an instant-access system would be to find a dial-through provider with an inclusive 03 number and with no further fees to pay for the international leg of the call.

The other way to call abroad is to set up an account with, and receive a monthly bill from, an international dial-through provider with an 01, 02, 03 or 080 access number. Additionally, BT and some other landline providers allow calls to be made via Indirect Access services such as 18185, 1899, etc.



See also
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5219071

Enigmatic_Me

Thanks very much Ian011. I should have added we are on Sky Talk Anytime Extra and get inclusive calls to landlines 0845 and 0870 numbers. Checking the Sky price guide I think I am right in reading the access charge is 11.5p and Portugal/Madeira is not in one of their "popular" destinations so the cost per minute would be 23.39.

Googling for cheaper calls to Madeira comes up with Companies where you dial an 0844 number so am I right in thinking with an 11.5 access charge and then 1p per minute this would be more cost effective?

By the way it is landline to landline.

I will search though to see if I can find somewhere where it goes through an 0845 or 0870 number as I assume that would be inclusive?

Thanks

victor2

Have you tried Rebtel?
They charge for calls to Portugal (which includes Madeira I believe) at 1.32p/minute plus VAT to call a landline. You do have to set up an account and buy the credit in advance, but once you've added a number, you get a local UK number to call and that puts you straight through to the overseas number.

Ian011

Yes, using the 0844 number will work out around half the price of dialling direct, but you can do much better.

If you can find an instant-access 03 number, or an instant-access 0845 or 0870 number that Sky still treats as an inclusive call, you can make these calls without incurring any further cost.

The other option is to set up a separate account with an international provider that has an 01, 02, 03 or 080 access number.

oldharryrocks

Enigmatic_Me wrote: »

I need to phone Madeira tomorrow and have googled cheaper rates rather than going through my provider Skyat just short of 24p per minute. All I can find is 0844 numbers at 1p per minute.

Using inclusive minutes https://www.callstunt.com offer you access via a 0161 number at no extra charge.

https://www.localphone.com/services/callback handy if you dont have inclusive minutes or you want to use a payg mobile. Paying their low rates for both parts of the call.0.6p x2 =1.2p a minute no addl charges.

Merrytwo

I phoned Norway using 0844 calls and they were excellent. When I had my bill from BT I found I had been charged 10.24p per minute, making the call quite expensive. I used to call Norway and BT only charged a connection charge for calls. BT tell me they charge per minute for these calls but couldn't tell me why or when they had changed the charges. All the cheap calls listed seem to have 0844 0r 0843 in front. Does anyone know of a company that doesn't have these prefixes?

Ian011

BT's retail price for calls to 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers changed on 1 July 2015.

Before that date the call price was capped by an obscure Ofcom regulation known as the 'NTS Retail Condition'. It specified that BT was not allowed to make margin on call origination to these numbers. It ensured that almost all of what the caller paid for the call was passed on and paid to the benefit of the called party and their telecoms provider.

Call prices for those numbers when made through other landline providers and mobile networks were not subject to any such cap, hence the well known announcement 'calls from other providers and mobiles may cost more'. Those other providers did make margin on these calls as well as passing some of the revenue on.

All this changed on 1 July 2015.

At the same time that the retail price restriction was lifted from BT, the call price for all 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers was split into two components (the part retained by the caller's landline or mobile provider and the part that is passed on) each separately declared. Full information on this can be found at http://www.ukcalling.info/ and in multiple posts in this thread and multiple threads in this forum.

The changes confirm that all 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers are premium rate. The premium is the Service Charge component of the call cost. There is no such component on calls to geographic numbers, geographic-rate (03) numbers or mobile numbers.

It will be useful to click back through this thread and read all of the posts from about June 2015 onwards.

Patr100

Warning. On 1 July Ofcom introduced regulations that changed the way consumers are charged to call 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers.
Please be aware this means some of the prices in the Callchecker won't be accurate for a short while until we've managed to update the data.

Jeez! 6 months now! When is someone at MSE going to get their finger out and update this or delete the Cheapcall checker!!!!

browncat22

am looking to call my son in Falkland islands from a uk landline....and am liking the prices showing up here....i would be calling him on a mobile...I assume if he has his uk sim card in it he will be charged for receiving calls..so is he best to get a local sim card and put it in unlocked phone