International & UK CallChecker discussion

Patr100

There's an error in the Phone checker for the drop down list for Evening mobiles - it says 7am-7pm period when it obviously should say 7pm-7am


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cashflow

An update on my efforts to call Zimbabwe with access numbers: I tried to call a mobile in Zimbabwe over the weekend. I tried with 'Dialabroad', '.05p', 'Justdial' and 'Pennyphone'. Various recorded answer messages-'it has not been possible...'/ 'there is no answer...'/ 'calls to this destination may be made using our low cost access number....i.e. at greater cost!/ring tone from a different mobile, which then cut off after about 20 seconds.

So, I immediately called a landline in Zimbabwe and asked for a call to be made from there to the mobile, in case there was a problem. There wasn't, so I used a relatively expensive access number ( 'Bestminutes') and got through without any further difficulty.

What to do? I suggest that just three stars are used for votes about the various operators=fair/ good/ excellent, and also a black symbol for poor or no service at all. Another answer could be for costs to only be allowed to accrue from the time that the destination number actually starts to ring...like the old days.

Heinz

cashflow wrote: »

Another answer could be for costs to only be allowed to accrue from the time that the destination number actually starts to ring...like the old days.

That is still the case. As soon as you hear the announcement after dailling the 11th digit of the 084/087 gateway number, your calls provider has connected the call and, hence, starts charging.

The gateway provider failing to complete its part of the call is not your calls provider's responsibility.

cashflow

'The gateway provider failing to complete its part of the call is not your calls provider's responsibility '...I've no doubt that's the way it should be.
The problem is that we are being charged money even though ( in the cases that I wrote about above ) no service was given. I was charged about 25p. for the first minute ( for the connection and dialling the relatively expensive destination ), but in each of three or four cases I was not connected to my 'destination' number. Having been charged these amounts automatically by the U.K. providers and then, for example, listening to a recorded message advising me to try another more expensive access number, or that 'it has not been possible to connect your call' is not right. Yet, if I use a relatively more expensive provider, such as 'Discount Dial' there is rarely a problem...I think that did happen last chrismas, 'due to
over-capacity.'

I've actually written three e-mails to callchecker and callchecker2 about paying something for nothing. In my last e-mail of the 27th October, 2010 I gave details about problems I had found with Ratebusters', Just Dial' and 'Planet talk.' 'Ratebusters' still shows on the auto-generated list as offering calls to Zimbabwe mobiles for about 10p. per minute, plus the initial connection fee, but that is not the case. Also, 18185 still show calls to Zimbabwe mobiles for 6p. per minute, plus the connection fee...I just tried that, and it's still not available! ( I do now have an account with 18185, -
my thanks to you -because they only charge 6p. per minute during the week to U.K. mobiles. )

Whilst I appreciate that MSE cannot be expected to frequently check the accuracy of the auto-generated callchecker lists, I do think that we, as the users of the lists, could help each other if there was something such as a black 'avoid' symbol on the lists we could click on if it applied to a particular 'provider?'

fatemeh

I don't understand why Lebara is not listed here? It's one of the most popular providers amongst Middle Eastern overseas students I'm working with!
Also Skype didn't appear when I checked calls to Poland, again this provider is very popular amongst the Polish community.

Lugh_Chronain

Perhaps your overseas students might want to check the International CallChecker. Lebara does appear to come up as one of the cheapest from time to time though others such as Lycamobile or TeleTop may also show current cheapest.

Skype is a VOIP call provider (voice over internet protocol or internet telephony) and isn't mentioned on the International CallChecker though it is mentioned in the main Cheap International Calls article. See here.

Blue_Max

There are quite a few companies with inexpensive rates for international calls using a mobile phone.
Some I have seen are:

> Lebara-mobile.co.uk
> Lycamobile.co.uk
> iCardmobile.co.uk
> Acecallonline.com
> Nowmobile.co.uk
> VectoneMobile.co.uk

They could be useful, not only for overseas students but also for anyone making overseas calls or calling UK when abroad.
Would like to know opinions of MSE and forum members about these and other low cost service providers that they have used or have come across.

BTW. Skype is a highly publisized brand but expensive. There are many other VoIP companies with call rates 70+% less than Skype.
There are apps such as MobileVoIP and 'fring' for mobile phones when connected to a Wi-Fi or 3G.
There are no connection charges like TeleTop, Topupnow, TopUpDiscount, 18185, 1899, call18866 listed in the International CallChecker.

Lugh_Chronain

I'm not sure how these VOIP call providers work though I thought Skype was free, unless it's calling from a PC to a phone your thinking of and not PC to PC. I do know though that Skype also allows free conference calling to two or three people at the same time, PC to PC that is. It might be worth reading the Voip: Completely free calls worldwide via your PC....

I don't disagree with what you say about TeleTop, Topupnow, TopUpDiscount, etc with regards to connection fees though some may prefer these as they may be more convenient for a number of people here, especially the likes of 18185, 1899 and call18866. Perhaps others may have different opinions.

Blue_Max

Lugh_Chronain wrote: »

... I thought Skype was free, unless it's calling from a PC to a phone your thinking of and not PC to PC.

Skype is free only when you call someone else with a Skype account. This policy is the same with other VoIP companies also. For more details about many different ways of using VoIP, visit websites of Skype, Betamax group companies.
There are also independant VoIP forums with knowledgeable posters. I found some of their posts very informative.

Lugh_Chronain wrote: »

I don't disagree with what you say about TeleTop, Topupnow, TopUpDiscount, etc with regards to connection fees though some may prefer these as they may be more convenient for a number of people here, especially the likes of 18185, 1899 and call18866. Perhaps others may have different opinions.

We used to use these and also TeleSavers, TopupDiscount and TopupNow. They are simple to understand and use; making it suitable for many people. But they are limited in many ways. Also we found that the total costs are much more expensive than VoIP. Apart from connection charges, their call charges are higher. And they charge for ALL calls.
With many Betamax companies, everytime u buy credit, you get 120 freedays, during which you can make 300 minutes per week of free calls to landline numbers in the UK, Europe and some other countries. To US, Canada and some others, both landline and mobile calls are free. Minimum credit is EUR10. after adding tax and exchange costs it comes to about £12. This credit or whatever is left unused do not expire even after the 120 freedays.
Bit of a learning curve to setup and use various features of VoIP, but well worth the effort.

Kido

Can someone please clarify something for me. My brother's girlfriend who's staying with us wants to call her parents in Vietnam (not sure if it's a mobile or landline). If we use one of these providers that the callchecker suggests, do we just pay the 3p per minute, or do we pay the 3p per minute (or whatever it is) on top of the 0844 rate?

Sorry I'm probably being dense but I'd just like to know before we let her loose with the phone.